Apprentice Early Years Educator

Summary

This is fantastic opportunity for anyone who has a passion and ambition for working with small children. Aclet Close Nursery School is a nurturing, friendly and welcoming school seeking to appoint an outstanding, enthusiastic and dynamic Early Years Educator Apprentice from September 2025.

Wage

£14,526.20 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

The wage is monthly and is paid pro rata due to term time working.

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

Monday & Tuesday 8am - 4pm, Wednesday 8am - 4pm/4:30pm (fortnightly staff meeting from 3:30pm - 4:30pm), Thursday at Bishop Auckland College 9am - 4:15pm, Friday 8am - 3:30pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

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

The successful candidate will be keen to learn more about child development and be a proactive team member; they will work closely with our very friendly and experienced team and help us to continue to build upon our existing high standards. They must have very high expectations and be willing to participate fully in all aspects of school life. The apprentice will work with 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds.

You will be involved in all areas of the Nursery, supporting children's learning and development, both indoors and out. You will be working alongside Early Years practitioners to support and later lead learning activities through planned play. You will help to plan and prepare resources for the children and the environment.

Duties will vary and can include:

Supervising arts and crafts
Organising group activities
Developing creative ideas for activities
Setting out the activity rooms
Reading to the children
Helping children who need extra support to complete tasks
Helping staff to plan learning activities and complete records
Looking after children who are upset or have had accidents
Clearing away materials and equipment after sessions
Taking part in apprenticeship and staff training
Provide play and learning opportunities and maintain high standards of quality care and educational provision
To be a role model at all times to children, families, fellow practitioners, students and those from the local community
End of day duties - you need to ensure final standards within your area. Ensuring preparation, care, cleanliness and maintenance of your nursery playroom and equipment
Welcoming environment - ensuring a strict door policy is adhered to and encourage a close relationship with parents
Constantly ensure the general standards are high

**Visits to our school should be made, prior to application submission. Please ring the school directly on (01388) 603006 to arrange with the Co-Head Teachers, Mrs Lisa Jenkins and Mrs Suzanne Staines.**

Where you'll work

Aclet Close
Bishop Auckland
DL14 6PX

Training

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

College or training organisation

BISHOP AUCKLAND 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

Early Years Educator Level 3
Training will include paediatric first aid qualification
Full, on the job training for the role to be delivered by the employer
You will be expected to attend Bishop Auckland College one day per week

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 9-4 / A*-C / Level 2)
Maths (grade 9-4 / A*-C / Level 2)

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
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Administrative skills
Team working
Creative
Patience
Physical fitness

Other requirements

The interview will be one full day work trial in the Nursery followed by an interview. The work trials are expected to take place between 16th and 27th June 2025. Visits to our school should be made, prior to application submission. Please ring the School directly on (01388) 603006 to arrange with the Co-Head Teachers, Mrs Lisa Jenkins and Mrs Suzanne Staines. You will also be required to complete a Durham County Council application form as part of the recruitment process.

About this company

Aclet Close Nursery School is situated in Woodhouse Close in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Our children are aged 2 – 4 years old. We have a main Nursery room that promotes children’s independence and choice, as well as a smaller, cosy room for our 2 year olds. We have significant grounds and the children love playing outside. We provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all families and visitors. Our team work together to create a safe, stimulating environment for all of our children, providing opportunities for them to grow and develop into confident and resilient members of our school and society. We believe that working closely with families and partners in the community will support this. We believe that young children bring with them a deep curiosity and that they learn best when they are interested and motivated. We aim to foster a love of learning by supporting children’s interests through lots of first hand experiences that enable them to learn about the world, their community, themselves and each other.

https://acletclose.durham.sch.uk/ (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

To be discussed at interview.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BISHOP AUCKLAND COLLEGE

David Brough

david.brough@bacoll.ac.uk

01388 743164

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000320547.

Apply now

Closes in 22 days (Friday 6 June 2025 at 11:59pm)

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