Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship

YEOVIL OPPORTUNITY GROUP

YEOVIL (BA20 2BX)

Closes in 13 days (Monday 26 January 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 12 January 2026

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Contents

Summary

Working with a team of highly qualified SEND EY professionals, you will learn how to support children under 5 & launch your career in specialist childcare. Previous apprentices have gone on to further education, becoming teachers, paediatric nurses, therapists & specialist learning support assistants.

Wage

Competitive

Competitive wage offered

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Term Time only- average 6 hours per day.
30 hours per week.

Salary- £9,852.75

Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Term-time only- average 6 hours per day.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 2 February 2026

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

  • Support staff on a daily basis to ensure that the care, educational, emotional and health needs of the children attending the Group are met in line with legislative requirements.
  • Work with the specialist team to support the progress of children and to begin to observe, record and assess their progress.
  • To ensure that children are safe in the Group and to be aware of appropriate action if any safeguarding concerns arise.
  • Maintain confidentiality in relation to the children worked with and their families.
  • Attend weekly staff meetings, weekly planning meetings, supervisory sessions, annual appraisals and training as required.

Where you'll work

BALIDON HOUSE
SUMMERLANDS HOSPITAL
PRESTON ROAD
YEOVIL
BA20 2BX

Training

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

Training provider

YEOVIL COLLEGE

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

The apprenticeship training is delivered through a combination of workplace learning and regular college attendance. This training will teach you the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the Early Years Practitioner Level 2 standard. On completion, the apprentice will receive the Early Years Practitioner Level 2 qualification. Functional Skills in Maths and English may also be required, depending on current level.   

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade Grade 9 – 4 / A* - C)
  • Maths (grade Grade 9 – 4 / A* - C)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

You MUST be prepared to commit to your work and training for the duration of the apprenticeship. In some cases, you may be required to have a telephone interview with Yeovil College prior to your application being passed on. If a suitable candidate is found prior to the advertised closing date, it may close earlier, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

About this employer

Yeovil Opportunity Group is a Special Educational Needs provision that runs from Monday to Friday 9.00am until 12.00pm. The children that attend the group have identified needs and are usually referred to us by professionals or by parents.  We are an equal opportunities setting and welcome all children regardless of their needs.

http://www.yog.org.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Previous apprentices have gone on to further education, becoming teachers, paediatric nurses, therapists and specialist learning support assistants.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

YEOVIL COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000008136.

Apply now

Closes in 13 days (Monday 26 January 2026 at 11:59pm)