Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

WIGWAM NURSERIES LTD

Cambridge, Ely

Closes in 29 days (Saturday 25 October 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 24 September 2025

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Contents

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 an early year's qualification while getting experience. You'll create meaningful relationships with the children, your team and with parents.

Wage

£15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

A planned salary increase upon completion of the qualification

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, between 8.00am - 6.00pm

40 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 1 November 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

3

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. 

What you’ll do at work: 

  • Provide high-quality care and early years education to children aged 0-5
  • 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

You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

  • Springfield, Sedgewick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DS
  • 26 Barton Road, Cambridge, CB3 9JZ
  • The Maltings, Ship Lane, Ely, CB7 4BB

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

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
  • Early Years Educator Level 3 (A level) Apprenticeship Standard Training will include paediatric first aid qualification

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

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

About this employer

Wigwam Nurseries Ltd are a small group of 5 day nurseries. Each nursery has been carefully adapted and refurbished to an extremely high standard and is well equipped with natural, high quality, stimulating resources. We are an OFSTED Outstanding, Early Education and Care Provider. Wigwam Nurseries Ltd believes in providing quality early years education & care in a welcoming, stimulating and caring environment. Each nursery follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and encompasses a child centred approach to play and learning. They adopt and work towards a creative curriculum, a passion for open ended investigation and positive outdoor experiences. Their aim is to create within each of their settings; an outstanding place for children to be well cared for and to flourish within play and learning.

Company benefits

Paid lunch breaks. 25 days of paid holidays. Bank holidays off and paid. Free snacks are provided during working hours.

After this apprenticeship

  • Once you have finished the apprenticeship, there will be an opportunity to continue working for the same company and progress on to Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner, EYITT, ECT or Level 3 Early Years SENCO
  • Early Years Educators are found in a range of settings, including day nurseries, playgroups, nursery schools, pre-schools, kindergartens, primary schools, hospitals, social care settings, out-of-school environments and local authority provision, giving you a broad range of employment opportunities

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000343681.

Apply now

Closes in 29 days (Saturday 25 October 2025 at 11:59pm)

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