Early Years Apprentice
Busy Bees
SHEFFIELD (S36 6AR)
Closes in 13 days (Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 16 September 2026
Contents
Summary
The Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprentice will work as part of the early years team to provide high-quality care, learning and development opportunities for babies and young children.
- Wage
-
£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Shift pattern to be discussed.
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 12 October 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 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
- Support the planning and delivery of a broad range of age-appropriate activities that promote children's learning and development
- Develop positive, respectful and nurturing relationships with children
- Support children's individual needs, interests, abilities and stages of development
- Observe children during play and everyday activities and contribute to assessing their progress
- Use observations to help identify children's interests, strengths and areas where further support may be required
- Contribute to planning activities based on children's individual learning and development needs
- Encourage children to develop independence and confidence through appropriate choices and responsibilities
- Support children through transitions, including settling into the setting, moving rooms and preparing for school
- Promote learning through play and provide opportunities for children to explore, experiment and develop their creativity
- Support children's communication and language development through conversations, stories, songs, rhymes and other activities.
- Encourage children's physical development through indoor and outdoor activities
- Support children's personal, social and emotional development
- Promote early literacy and numeracy through everyday activities and planned experiences
- Support children to develop problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills
- Encourage children to develop positive attitudes towards learning
Where you'll work
CHURCH STREET
PENISTONE
SHEFFIELD
S36 6AR
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BARNSLEY COLLEGE
Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
- Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
- Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
- Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
- Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
- Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
- Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
- Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
- Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
- Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
- Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
- Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
- Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
- Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
- Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
- Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
- Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
- Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
- Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
- Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
- Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
- Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
- Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
- Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
- Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
- Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
- Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
- Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
- Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
- Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
- Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
- Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
- Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
- Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
- Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
- Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
- Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
- Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
Training schedule
Delivery to be completed on-site and 6 hours per week off the job training either at Barnsley College or your place of work. Student to complete an Advanced Technical Certificate as a Early Years Educator Level 3. Functional Skills in maths and English, if required.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
BTEC in:
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
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
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
- DBS required
About this employer
We are renowned for our warm, friendly, caring atmosphere where children are nurtured and valued as individuals. Ofsted rate Busy Bees as 'Outstanding in all areas', In their report Ofsted stated that Busy Bees "provides a stimulating environment for children and as a result they make very good progress in all areas of learning" but don't take our word for it, come and see for yourself!
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- Possible progression opportunities
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BARNSLEY COLLEGE
Eleasha Smith
apprenticeships@barnsley.ac.uk
01226216166
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000053895.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 11:59pm)