L5 Early Years Lead Practitioner Apprenticeship

HORSPATH NURSERY

OXFORD (OX33 1RY)

Closes on Sunday 11 January 2026

Posted on 13 November 2025

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Summary

Shoots Training are looking for an enthusiastic, reliable and hardworking individual to complete their Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner Apprenticeship at Horspath Nursery, Oxford. Within this role you will be required to support the children’s learning and development and ensure that safeguarding procedures are being followed at all times.

• Wage:

  Competitive

  Competitive wage offered

  Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  £15.09 per hour Term Time Only

• Training course: Early years lead practitioner (level 5)
• Hours: Horspath Nursery is open from 7:15am – 5:45pm Monday to Friday Term time only but offer holiday club and wrap around care

  30 hours a week

• Start date:

  Sunday 25 January 2026

• Duration:

  2 years

• 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

• Have a full and relevant level 3 qualification in Childcare.
• Be an inspiring practitioner with a sound knowledge of child development.
• Be proficient in leading the delivery of all aspects of teaching and learning.
• Have strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Display a caring and nurturing attitude towards the children in your care
• Act as designated key person for an allocated number of children.
• To observe, plan and assess children’s learning and development within the EYFS framework.
• Develop positive partnership with parents
• Safeguarding & Child WelfareEnsure a safe, secure, and nurturing environment for all children
• Follow safeguarding and child protection procedures in accordance with statutory guidance
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to GDPR and data protection policies
• Inclusion & Special Educational Needs (SEN)Support children with additional needs, ensuring inclusive access to learning opportunities
• Work collaboratively with external agencies and professionals to implement tailored support strategies
• Promote equality, diversity, and inclusive practices throughout the setting

Where you'll work

BLENHEIM ROAD
HORSPATH
OXFORD
OX33 1RY

Training

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

Training provider

SHOOTS TRAINING LIMITED

Training course

Early years lead practitioner (level 5)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• 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.
• Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, social, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the educational setting.
• Support and promote children’s diverse speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions to support verbal, nonverbal interactions and engagement with written communication.
• 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.
• Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Plan, carry out and guide appropriate personal care routines for individual children.
• 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.
• Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
• Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
• Cultivate professional partnerships with parents, carers, colleagues 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.
• Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
• Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
• Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
• 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 including the safe use of digital technology to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
• Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
• Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of educational settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice, supporting teams and guiding change.
• Identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
• Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
• Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
• 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.
• Apply the principles of sustainability and segregate used resources for reuse, recycling, and safe disposal .
• 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.
• Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, social, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the educational setting.
• Support and promote children’s diverse speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions to support verbal, nonverbal interactions and engagement with written communication.
• 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.
• Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Plan, carry out and guide appropriate personal care routines for individual children.
• 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.
• Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
• Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
• Cultivate professional partnerships with parents, carers, colleagues 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.
• Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
• Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
• Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
• 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 including the safe use of digital technology to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
• Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
• Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of educational settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice, supporting teams and guiding change.
• Identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
• Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
• Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
• 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.
• Apply the principles of sustainability and segregate used resources for reuse, recycling, and safe disposal .

Training schedule

• Shoots is your one-stop shop for short courses, apprenticeships, and the must-have qualifications you’ll need to succeed in the early years, childcare, education, and caresectors.
• Shoots training is always personalised (because every learner is different). That means the right resources to help you thrive on the course that’s right for you. Our e-portfolio system, Aptem, puts everything you’ll need at your fingertips, while our training team
  will guide and support you at every step of your learning journey.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade A*-C or 4-9)

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
• Presentation skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

Must be able to gain a clear DBS Must be able to drive or have a consistent and reliable mode of transport to commute as location isn’t easy to get to and buses aren’t reliable

About this employer

At Horspath Nursery we feel that Children’s early years are the most important years of their lives. We strive to provide high quality childcare and education for all children’s individual needs. We provide this by being positive, respectful, relaxed with the nursery having a homely, welcoming feel. We provide support and learning opportunities that are age appropriate for all children and their families. We feel that working in partnership with parents is vital for effective learning and development for all children. This is achieved by building relationships with children and their families. The learning environment is key to providing children with a sense of security, belonging and effective learning.

https://www.horspathnursery.org.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Pension Uniform School holidays paid pro rata

After this apprenticeship

Potential to gain permanent employment at the setting

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SHOOTS TRAINING LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000000105.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 11 January 2026

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