Early Years Practitioner Apprentice
Droxford Montessori School
Southampton (SO32 3QR)
Closes in 13 days (Thursday 18 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 4 September 2025
Contents
Summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic Apprentice to join our dedicated team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with a genuine passion for early years education, who loves the outdoors and wants to grow in a supportive, hands-on learning environment.
- Wage
-
£14,722.50 to £23,809.50, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Early years practitioner (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 3.30pm, term time.
37 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 1 October 2025
- Duration
-
1 year
- 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
- Supporting with daily routines
- Conducting learning activities
- Leading children on outdoor adventures
- Communicating with children and parents
- Following safeguarding and health and safety protocol
Where you'll work
Droxford Montessori School
Droxford Scout Hut Park Lane Droxford
Southampton
SO32 3QR
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
SOUTH HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE GROUP
Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
Training schedule
- Training will be a blend of workplace and college learning
- You will learn on either a block or day release model
More training information
Southampton College has been providing career‑focused education and training for over 70 years. We specialise in technical and professional courses that best prepare you for your future, whether you want to go to university, gain an apprenticeship or progress straight into full‑time work.
Brand new Centres of Excellence are being developed at the College, creating state-of-the-art facilities with cutting-edge resources that are unrivalled in the region. These exceptional learning environments alongside industry expert lecturers will significantly enhance your learning and future progression and career opportunities.
From September 2025, Southampton College will have Centres of Excellence in:
- Digital
- Early Years and Education
- Engineering
- Maritime
- Motor Vehicle
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Passionate about early years
- Practical
- Lover of the outdoors
Other requirements
Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check Driving licence with access to a car
About this employer
Droxford Montessori School is a small, nurturing early years setting blending the Montessori ethos with Forest School principles. We pride ourselves on offering a truly enriching experience for children aged 2–5, including those who are home-educated or flexi-schooled.
After this apprenticeship
To become a permanent member of the team and continue building their career within the school.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
SOUTH HAMPSHIRE COLLEGE GROUP
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000340457.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Thursday 18 September 2025 at 11:59pm)
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