Early Years Apprentice
CHILTERN TRAINING LTD
Reading (RG1 3HW)
Closes on Saturday 28 February 2026
Posted on 8 October 2025
Contents
Summary
You will work full time in Early years setting as an apprentice, gaining your practical experience. This will involve a range of activities from arts and crafts to singing and outdoor play. You will then attend college to gain your apprenticeship qualification.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, shifts TBA.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Sunday 1 March 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
2
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
Activities include/to:
- Maintain accurate and effective children’s records
- Respond appropriately to issues requiring confidentiality
- Support, promote and implement policies relating to diversity and equality
- Work well as part of a team
- Work with the team to ensure the smooth running of the nursery day
- Work in partnership with parents
- Attend parent events and meetings as required
Where you'll work
Abbots Walk
Reading
RG1 3HW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CHILTERN TRAINING 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
Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator depending on previous experience and qualifications, apprentices will attend day release.
Apprenticeships are made up of the Diploma plus Functional Skills in Maths, English and Paediatric First Aid certificate.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
Childcare is not about playing with babies all day. There will be a variety of activities to plan and deliver each day. You may have key children that you look after and will have to communicate with staff, children, managers and parents at the nursery. There will be a lot of cleaning to do and you may have to work long hours, although this will vary with each employer. It is hard work but it is very rewarding.
About this employer
Our ethos is to create an environment where children are engaged, motivated, independent thinkers, who have a positive attitude to learning, supported by secure and respectful relationships. We only have one chance to get it right for our children and what we do now, stays with them for the rest of their lives.
After this apprenticeship
Learners can use this qualification to go into various care roles. You can work your way up in the nursery going into team leading and management roles. You could also use your experience to go into teaching, nursing, midwifery, play work and social work. There are many directions you can go with your apprenticeship should you wish.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CHILTERN TRAINING LIMITED
Admissions Team
enquiries@chilterntraining.org
01189566995
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000345574.
Apply now
Closes on Saturday 28 February 2026
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