Early Years Apprentice
FIRTHMOOR PRIMARY SCHOOL
DARLINGTON (DL1 4RW)
Closes in 24 days (Friday 5 December 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 11 November 2025
Contents
Summary
Your key role will be to provide support to Early Years Teachers and Teaching Assistants in our provision for 3-4 year olds within the nursery unit or 4-5 year olds within the Reception class.
- Wage
-
£14,526.20 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, with one day at Darlington College.
Term time only, plus 5 days.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 19 January 2026
- 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
Training and Development
- Attain the Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools Level 3
- Attend training sessions
- Undertake responsibility for improving your own practice through observation, participation, working with a mentor, self-evaluation and performance management
Support pupils
- Raise pupil achievement by supporting the teacher and EYFS team
- Under supervision, assist with the physical management and personal care needs for children in EYFS
- Work with children to encourage independence and self-confidence
- Establish constructive relationships with parents and carers, promoting school policies
- Establish rapport and respectful, trusting relationships with pupils, acting as a role model and setting high expectations
- Supervise and provide support for pupils, including those with special needs, ensuring access to learning resources
- Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils in the classroom
- Support the implementation of IEPs, Behaviour Plans, personal care programmes, curriculum planning and assessment
- Evaluate learning and provide feedback as needed
Support teachers
- Follow the instructions of the teachers and Early Years Teaching Assistants with planning, delivery and evaluation of differentiated and varied learning activities
- Promote good pupil behaviour, dealing promptly with conflicts in line with protocols and policies
- Contribute towards resourcing teaching, by developing and making resources as necessary
- Listen to children read, read stories and tell stories to individuals or groups of children
- Work with pupils on programmes linked to local and national curriculum
- Monitor pupil response to learning activities and achievement
- Provide detailed feedback on pupil achievement, progress, problems etc
- Under guidance, learn to undertake pupil record keeping and assist with the collation of pupil reports
- Support the effective use of ICT in learning activities and develop pupil competence and independence
- Maintain a purposeful, orderly and supportive environment, in accordance with lesson plans
- Clear away resources and materials after lessons
- Assist with the display of pupils’ work in the classroom and around school
- Prepare, maintain and use equipment/resources required to meet the lesson plans/learning activity and assist pupils in their use
- Undertake routine administrative tasks
Support the school
- Be aware of and comply with policies relating to child protection, health & safety, confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection, reporting all concerns to a nominated person
- Contribute to the overall work, smooth running and ethos of the school
- Appreciate and support the role of other people in the team
- Attend and participate in meetings as required
- Participate in the school’s Performance Management process
- Accompany teaching staff and pupils on visits, trips and out-of-school activities as required and take responsibility for a group under the supervision of a teacher
Experience and knowledge
- Commit to develop an excellent understanding of a child’s development and learning
- Commit to develop an understanding of working with children with a range of educational needs
- Commit to gain understanding of policies, codes of practice and awareness of relevant legislation
- Commit to develop understanding of national/EYFS curriculum
Where you'll work
INGLEBY MOOR CRESCENT
DARLINGTON
DL1 4RW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
DARLINGTON COLLEGE
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
- Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard
- Location – Firthmoor Primary School, Ingleby Moor Crescent, Darlington DL1 4RW
- Working 5 days per week inclusive of 1 day release for study at Darlington College
Requirements
Essential 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
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Administrative skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Flexibility
- Motivate and encourage
- Relationship building
- Role model
- Emotional resilience
- Patience and firmness
Other requirements
Experience of working with children aged 5 and below would be an advantage. This position is subject to Enhanced DBS and qualification checks. Please note that in line with UK apprenticeship regulations, you must have a valid and eligible residency status and the right to work in England. This should cover the entire expected term of learning and residency should be held for a minimum of 3 years, exceptions may apply please see Apprenticeship funding rules for full guidance.
About this employer
We are dedicated to providing the very best care and education for all our children. We want our school to be a happy, inclusive and successful community. Within a safe, positive and supportive environment, our children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and well-being. We promote a love of learning, which encourages our children to aim high and become valuable members of society. We pride ourselves on being a school at the heart of the Firthmoor, involving pupils, parents and the wider community in our achievements
After this apprenticeship
There may be an opportunity to secure a long-term position after successful completion of the apprenticeship.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DARLINGTON COLLEGE
Nagina Patrai
npatrai@darlington.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000349895.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Friday 5 December 2025 at 11:59pm)
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