Apprentice Playworker
PLAY SPORTS LTD
Nottingham (NG11 6QW)
Closes in 12 days (Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 14 September 2026
Contents
Summary
An exciting opportunity to join a Wrap Around Care team, helping to provide a safe, fun and welcoming environment for children before and after school while completing a Level 2 Playworker apprenticeship with Educationwise Academy.
- Wage
-
£8,320 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Playworker (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, term time only - 7.30am - 8.45am and 3.25pm - 6.00pm.
20 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 1 October 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 2 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
As a Playworker Apprentice, you will support the day-to-day running of the school’s Wrap Around Care provision.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Supporting the supervision and care of children before and after school
- Helping to organise and deliver fun, engaging and inclusive activities and games
- Building positive and supportive relationships with children
- Supporting children with different individual needs
- Helping to set up and tidy away activities, equipment and play spaces
- Supporting the wider Wrap Around Care team with the day-to-day running of the provision
- Following safeguarding, health and safety and behaviour management procedures
- Communicating positively with parents, school staff and colleagues
- Supporting children’s wellbeing and encouraging them to take part in activities
- Completing all required apprenticeship training and coursework
Where you'll work
Bunny Primary School
Church St Bunny
Nottingham
NG11 6QW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
THE EDUCATIONWISE ACADEMY LTD
Training course
Playworker (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Observe and reflect on play behaviours.
- Communicate sensitively using relevant language and behaviour.
- Promote diversity and inclusion in Playwork practice.
- Identify ways to remove barriers which can prevent some children and young people playing.
- Undertake reflective observations to improve own practice and the quality of the provision for children and young people.
- Contribute to play audits.
- Promote the value and benefits of play for all children and young people.
- Assist with planning, creating and identifying loose parts to encourage and inspire sustainable practices, including recycling, reusing, reducing and repairing.
- Recognise the benefits of risk taking in play and contribute to dynamic risk-benefit assessment.
- Recognise that children and young people communicate with a range of different types of behaviour and may need Playworker support.
- Support children and young people to understand and manage their emotions, feelings and actions.
- Manage interactions with parents/caregivers professionally.
- Recognise the importance of respecting professional boundaries when lone working or conducting intimate care with children and young people and using social media with children, young people and families.
- Contribute to health and safety checks.
- Follow emergency incidents or common illness/infections policies and procedures, administering first aid and completing records when required.
- Use active listening and communication techniques when interacting with children and young people playing, identifying any potential concerns if they occur.
- Contribute to recording and reporting procedures as required by the play setting.
- Contribute to administrative and financial record keeping.
- Promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle, ensuring specific dietary and cultural needs are met.
- Maintain a clean environment according to local and national policies and procedures.
- Contribute to ensuring security arrangements are followed, such as children’s arrival and departures from the setting.
- Work as part of a team to support and supervise children and young people on off-site trips, complying with formal risk assessment of venues visited.
- Apply Playwork approaches in own role, incorporating new and emerging themes.
- Reflect on own practice to create a personal development plan with supervisor.
- Recognise the boundaries of own self and other Playworkers’ interaction with children, and when it is necessary to report incidents to the appropriate safeguarding lead and Local Authority Designated Officer – LADO if appropriate when a Playworkers’ behaviour towards a child may pose a risk of harm.
- Apply the play work approach depending on the individual need.
- Observe and reflect on play behaviours.
- Communicate sensitively using relevant language and behaviour.
- Promote diversity and inclusion in Playwork practice.
- Identify ways to remove barriers which can prevent some children and young people playing.
- Undertake reflective observations to improve own practice and the quality of the provision for children and young people.
- Contribute to play audits.
- Promote the value and benefits of play for all children and young people.
- Assist with planning, creating and identifying loose parts to encourage and inspire sustainable practices, including recycling, reusing, reducing and repairing.
- Recognise the benefits of risk taking in play and contribute to dynamic risk-benefit assessment.
- Recognise that children and young people communicate with a range of different types of behaviour and may need Playworker support.
- Support children and young people to understand and manage their emotions, feelings and actions.
- Manage interactions with parents/caregivers professionally.
- Recognise the importance of respecting professional boundaries when lone working or conducting intimate care with children and young people and using social media with children, young people and families.
- Contribute to health and safety checks.
- Follow emergency incidents or common illness/infections policies and procedures, administering first aid and completing records when required.
- Use active listening and communication techniques when interacting with children and young people playing, identifying any potential concerns if they occur.
- Contribute to recording and reporting procedures as required by the play setting.
- Contribute to administrative and financial record keeping.
- Promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle, ensuring specific dietary and cultural needs are met.
- Maintain a clean environment according to local and national policies and procedures.
- Contribute to ensuring security arrangements are followed, such as children’s arrival and departures from the setting.
- Work as part of a team to support and supervise children and young people on off-site trips, complying with formal risk assessment of venues visited.
- Apply Playwork approaches in own role, incorporating new and emerging themes.
- Reflect on own practice to create a personal development plan with supervisor.
- Recognise the boundaries of own self and other Playworkers’ interaction with children, and when it is necessary to report incidents to the appropriate safeguarding lead and Local Authority Designated Officer – LADO if appropriate when a Playworkers’ behaviour towards a child may pose a risk of harm.
- Apply the play work approach depending on the individual need.
Training schedule
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
Other requirements
Essential:
- Able to reliably travel to and from the school for both the morning and after-school shifts
- A genuine interest in working with children and supporting their play and development
- Reliable, responsible and punctual
- Friendly and approachable
- Good communication skills
- Patient and able to work well with children
- Willing to learn and develop new skills
- Able to work effectively as part of a team
- Willing to complete the required safeguarding checks, including an Enhanced DBS check
- An interest in childcare, education, playwork or sport
Desirable:
- Previous experience working with children in a paid, voluntary, school, childcare, sports coaching or similar setting
- Previous experience supporting play or activity sessions
- Safeguarding, First Aid or other relevant childcare qualifications
About this employer
We are a dedicated sports coaching company specialising in delivering high-quality physical education and sports sessions in primary schools. Alongside our PE provision, we also provide wraparound care before and after school, ensuring children are supported, active, and engaged throughout the day. Our work not only inspires children to enjoy sport and develop healthy lifestyles, but also supports schools by offering structured, reliable, and enriching activities that enhance the school day. For an apprentice, working with us offers the opportunity to: Gain hands-on experience in sports coaching and childcare. Develop confidence in leading sessions with children of different ages and abilities. Work alongside experienced coaches who provide mentoring and professional development. Build valuable skills in organisation, teamwork, and communication that are transferable to a career in sport, education, or childcare.
https://www.premier-education.com/ (opens in new tab)
Disability Confident
A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.
You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Following successful completion of the apprenticeship, there may be opportunities to progress within Premier Education depending on performance, available vacancies and suitable opportunities.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE EDUCATIONWISE ACADEMY LTD
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000053368.
Apply now
Closes in 12 days (Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 11:59pm)