Early Years Educator Apprentice

Summary

To work as a Key Worker and as part of a pre-school team under the direction of the Playgroup Leader to provide safe, high-quality education and care for young children.

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Working hours will be paid at £12.21 per hour, training hours will be paid at National Minimum Apprenticeship Rate £7.55 per hour.

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Thursday, 8.20am - 3.20pm

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 8 September 2025

Duration

2 years

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

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

To help to set up the playroom for the daily programme, and to help tidy away at the end of the sessions
To act as a Key Worker to a small group of children, liaising closely with parents/carers and ensuring each child’s needs are recognised and met
Regularly communicate progress to parents/carers and work together to provide appropriate support to aid the child’s development
To advise the Playgroup Leader of any concerns e.g. over children, parents/carers or the safety of equipment, preserving confidentiality as necessary
To offer an appropriate level of support to stimulate children’s learning
To assist in record keeping as directed by the Playgroup Leader, including Key Worker notes, accident books, registers etc.
To attend training courses and meetings as required
To keep completely confidential any information regarding the children, their families or other staff which is learned as part of the job
To keep informed on current thinking and practice in pre-school provision
To contribute to and implement all playgroup policies and procedures
To contribute to the planning of the curriculum

Where you'll work

C/O STOBERRY PARK INFANTS
SCHOOL
NORTH ROAD
WELLS
BA5 2TJ

Training

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

College or training organisation

STRODE COLLEGE

Your 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.

Your training plan

This training plan has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard:

An Early Years Educator Level 3 qualification will be achieved upon completion
Training will be one day a week at Strode College, Street, Somerset
Strode College will be managing the applications for this vacancy

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4)
Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Problem solving skills
Analytical skills

About this company

We are a small charity run playgroup based in the grounds of Stoberry Park School in Wells Somerset. Learning can and should be fun! Here at Stepping Stones Playgroup, we aim to provide opportunities for creative and physical play with more specific skills involved in preparation for your child’s future education, in accordance with Ofsted and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. We provide a safe, exciting, happy and caring environment for your child to learn and grow. We recognise that each child has differing needs and therefore we encourage each child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social skills through their play, to help them discover more about themselves. We aim to: Learn through play, offer a wide range of stimulating activities and experiences, to work closely with parents and carers as your child’s educators, ensure children feel safe and secure and valued, continue to develop learning based on their individual needs and abilities, offer opportunities to play independently and engage in planned activities, have opportunities to initiate games based on their own interests, continue to regularly update our training and skills to ensure we deliver the best learning opportunities and keep informed of changing government legislation and policies.

http://steppingstoneswells.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

To be offered a permanent position withing the nursery

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

STRODE COLLEGE

Lyndsey Bath

lbath@strode-college.ac.uk

01458 844681

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000319020.

Apply now

Closes on Monday 30 June 2025

When you apply, you’ll be asked to sign in with a GOV.UK One Login. You can create one at the same time as applying for this apprenticeship.

Cookies on Find an apprenticeship

Contents