Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship - Blue Windmill Nursery

BLUE WINDMILL CHILDCARE LTD

RUGBY (CV22 7DJ)

Closes on Monday 30 November 2026

Posted on 15 October 2026

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Summary

We have a fantastic opportunity for an aspiring apprentice to join our team. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are ambitious and want to gain playworker qualification while getting experience. You'll create meaningful relationships with the children, your team and with the parents.

Wage

£14,560 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

£8ph - £12.71ph (hourly rate increase at 12 month mark for apprentices aged 19 and over)

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, all year round. Nursery open between 7.45am - 6.00pm, 35 hour working week. Flexibility to be discussed at interview.

35 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 December 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

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

  • Creating a safe environment
  • Communicating with parents
  • Observing and assessing children
  • Maintaining records
  • Attending courses
  • Completing tasks
  • Working with others
  • Following policies

Where you'll work

BLUE WINDMILL NURSERY
ADDISON ROAD
RUGBY
CV22 7DJ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED

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

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. Off-the-job training will follow the time allocations outlined in the Occupational Standard.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • Childcare (grade 4)
  • Health and Social Care (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
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

What other requirements are there for this apprenticeship?

You will be required to complete a DBS and obtain two professional references prior to starting work.

Right to Work & Residency Requirements:

Applicants who are not UK nationals must meet apprenticeship funding eligibility rules, including having lived in the UK or EU for at least 3 consecutive years prior to the start date. You must hold a valid visa that does not expire within 18 months of your apprenticeship start date.

We will require a share code to verify your right to work and study in the UK. After submitting your application, you will receive a screening form where you can securely provide your share code for eligibility checks.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if a suitable candidate is found. We encourage early applications to avoid disappointment.

About this employer

Our day nursery in Rugby is for babies, toddlers and preschool children, with a strong focus on outdoor learning, movement and wellbeing. Our approach is guided by nature: children learn through real experiences, open-ended play and the freedom to explore both indoors and out.

Our children don’t just play outdoors – they learn from the seasons, the soil and the secret places of the garden at Blue Windmill Nursery. Inspired by the home, our nursery rooms feature cosy dens and child-led play spaces, designed to foster a sense of learning and belonging.The nursery day is all about squeezing the most fun out of spending time at Blue Windmill.

https://bluewindmill.net/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. 

Opportunity to advance and upskill to Early Years Level 5 following a successful completion of the apprenticeship course with Best Practice Network.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED

Isabelle

isabelle.evans@bestpracticenet.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000059372.

Apply now

Closes on Monday 30 November 2026