Level 5 Early Years Apprenticeship

Summary

EY Lead Practitioners are typically responsible for leading other practitioners. As active practitioners they are effective role models of play-based learning, supporting others to develop their own practice and will be responsible for supporting the quality of learning and development across their setting.

Wage

£15,704 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)

Pay is negotiable dependant on experience and qualifications.

Training course

Early years lead practitioner (level 5)

Hours

Hours between Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

40 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 15 July 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

4

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

What You’ll Do:

• Provide high-quality care and early years education to children aged 2-5
• Support children’s development through age-appropriate activities and play-based learning
• Observe, assess, and document children's progress in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework
• Work closely with the team to plan and implement a curriculum that meets the needs of individual children
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with children, parents, and colleagues
• Ensure that children are safe, and their well-being is always a priority
• Promote and encourage positive behaviour, social skills, and emotional development
• Assist in maintaining a clean and safe environment, adhering to health and safety guidelines
• Support with daily routines, including mealtimes, nappy changes, and nap times
• Participate in regular team meetings, training, and professional development opportunities

Where you'll work

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

7 BUTTS ROAD, CHISELDON, SWINDON, SN4 0NN
Key Day Nursery, 47-49 London Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3AJ

Training

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

College or training organisation

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED

Your training course

Early years lead practitioner (level 5)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Analyse and articulate how all children’s individual learning can be affected by their current developmental capabilities, characteristics and individual circumstances taking into account all factors contributing to typical and atypical development.
Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
Ensure plans fully reflect the individual development needs and circumstances of children and actively participate in the provision of consistent care, responding quickly to the needs of the individual child.
Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
Support and promote children’s speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions.
Support children to engage in a range of learning contexts such as individual, small groups and larger groups as appropriate for their play and support confidence within social experiences.
Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
Advocate for the child, cultivating professional partnerships with parents/carers and other professionals, presenting their understanding of the child’s journey within multidisciplinary teams to holistically support the child’s individual needs.
Demonstrate the importance of the home learning environment, developing an effective and collaborative partnership to enhance opportunities for the child.
Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.
Take responsibility for supporting the key person in articulating children's progress and planning future learning possibilities.
Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
Plan, carry out and guide appropriate physical care routines for individual children.
Promote, model and support children and families to develop a healthy approach to making choices relating to personal care including eating, sleeping and physical activity.
Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the setting.
Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, prevention and control of infection, carrying out risk assessments and risk management processes in line with policies and procedures.
Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice.
Be confident to identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
Advocate for children through their child centred approach, listening to the voice of the child; ensuring children’s rights, views and wishes are heard, respected and acted upon at all times. Offer appropriate support and influence decisions in the best interests of the child.
Competently action and carry out safeguarding procedures, using their professional curiosity, knowledge, insight and understanding.
Explore and understand, challenge and question; knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children.
Analyse and articulate how all children’s individual learning can be affected by their current developmental capabilities, characteristics and individual circumstances taking into account all factors contributing to typical and atypical development.
Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
Ensure plans fully reflect the individual development needs and circumstances of children and actively participate in the provision of consistent care, responding quickly to the needs of the individual child.
Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
Support and promote children’s speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions.
Support children to engage in a range of learning contexts such as individual, small groups and larger groups as appropriate for their play and support confidence within social experiences.
Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
Advocate for the child, cultivating professional partnerships with parents/carers and other professionals, presenting their understanding of the child’s journey within multidisciplinary teams to holistically support the child’s individual needs.
Demonstrate the importance of the home learning environment, developing an effective and collaborative partnership to enhance opportunities for the child.
Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.
Take responsibility for supporting the key person in articulating children's progress and planning future learning possibilities.
Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
Plan, carry out and guide appropriate physical care routines for individual children.
Promote, model and support children and families to develop a healthy approach to making choices relating to personal care including eating, sleeping and physical activity.
Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the setting.
Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, prevention and control of infection, carrying out risk assessments and risk management processes in line with policies and procedures.
Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice.
Be confident to identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
Advocate for children through their child centred approach, listening to the voice of the child; ensuring children’s rights, views and wishes are heard, respected and acted upon at all times. Offer appropriate support and influence decisions in the best interests of the child.
Competently action and carry out safeguarding procedures, using their professional curiosity, knowledge, insight and understanding.
Explore and understand, challenge and question; knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children.

Your training plan

The program offers a blended approach including virtual classrooms, webinars, work-based tasks and online assignments
We use an online platform (BUD) that helps you learn the topics and skills, reflect on your practice and build your portfolio
Candidates are not required to attend college, instead, this will include off-the-job training hours used throughout this apprenticeship
These OTJH will be within working hours of Employment- e.g., 30+ hours per week = 6 hours per week OTJH, less than 30 hours is 20% OTJH
You will also receive one-to-one support and tuition from your apprenticeship tutor, this tutor will make in-person visits to you at the setting.

More training information

Best Practice Network is one of the UK’s leading providers of training, development and support for education professionals
We share the desire of every practitioner that every child, regardless of their background, should benefit from an excellent education
We do this by working in close partnership with practising education professionals to develop and deliver high-quality CPD and qualifications that help school leaders, teachers, early years practitioners, business managers, support staff and SENCOs be the best they can be and transform the lives of children and young people

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4/C)
Maths (grade 4/C)

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
Organisation skills
Patience
Positive can-do attitude
Passion for working with kids

Other requirements

Essential Qualifications & Experience: • A Level 3 Early Years qualification (or equivalent) is required. • It is necessary to have prior experience working in a nursery or early childhood setting. • A strong understanding of child development and the EYFS framework. • A sincere love of working with young children and fostering their growth. • Outstanding interpersonal and communication abilities. • The capacity to contribute to a productive workplace and function successfully in a team. • Experience with planning and delivering learning activities.

About this company

We offer a flexible approach with regard to sessions and can accommodate parents who work shifts. Within the nursery there are 3 separate units: babies, toddlers and pre-school all accommodated within a specially adapted building.

Company benefits

Competitive salary Ongoing professional development opportunities 36 days holiday Childcare discount Discounted staff lunch Private Health Insurance Employee Assistance Programme with access to Free Mental Health support Workplace Pension

After this apprenticeship

After this apprenticeship
Best Practice Network have a relationship with Nottingham Trent University, who offer a 12 month online top-up degree in Childhood and Education Studies.

This unique new course is designed for you if you hold a level 5 qualification and want to top up to a BA honours degree level.
Delivered online, the course offers a flexible approach to learning, allowing you to conveniently fit your studies in around your personal and working life.

Once you have completed the top-up degree, you can apply to begin your EYITT with Best Practice Network to become an Early Years Teacher.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: