Early Years Educator Apprenticeship (KT)

SHAPES DAY NURSERIES LTD

Epsom (KT18 7RL)

Closes on Saturday 21 March 2026

Posted on 22 January 2026

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Contents

Summary

This apprenticeship is ideal for someone with some prior knowledge and experience within a nursery or school setting and especially someone passionate in childcare and early years, looking to further their career

Wage

£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

The pay may be negotiated and may rise after a probation period has been successfully completed.

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Apprentices are required to be as flexible as possible to meet the needs of the business. The average working week will be between 30-40 hours, Monday to Friday. Shifts to be confirmed

30 hours a week

Start date

Saturday 4 April 2026

Duration

1 year 2 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

  • Providing an excellent range of activities that ensures that the child learns whilst having fun
  • Supporting children’s learning and development, including
  • supporting planning and observations
  • Preparing and maintaining the environment and resources for the children
  • Preparation of food for breakfast, snack and afternoon tea
  • Supporting children’s self-help needs
  • Being creative and enthusiastic
  • Following safeguarding rules
  • Undertaking First Aid training as required
  • Undertaking training as appropriate to meet any changes in standards or appropriate legal requirements as required
  • Ensuring that all Health and Hygiene requirements are always adhered to

Where you'll work

21 West Street
Epsom
KT18 7RL

Training

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

Training provider

SWIFT ACI

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

  • You will gain a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification at the end of the course
  • All training is completed remotely via teams; your tutor will be there to support you throughout and visit your setting
  • Online remote training sessions will take place once every week for the first 8 weeks and they’ll be scheduled in as and when
  • You will complete your Level 3 Paediatric First Aid
  • This Apprenticeship requires dedication, commitment and punctuality for you to be successful
  • This apprenticeship will open doors to a variety of future roles and career paths within the Childcare Sector
  • Training will take place in the workplace
  • You will need to attend online training with your Assessor for 10 days out of your 13-month apprenticeship, for your classroom-based learning and you will be working within the nursery for the rest of the time with the support of your dedicated childcare assessor
  • Paediatric first aid training

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

GCSE or equivalent Maths and English (grade (Grade 4/C L2))

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
  • Problem solving skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Number skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness

About this employer

Shapes Day Nursery- Epsom is fully equpped with a smart board, frequently repalced toys, fresh updated furnishings and resources where children will be able to run off steam in the garden or indoor soft play area 

https://www.shapesdaynursery.co.uk/epsom-day-nursery/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

After completion, you will develop into a Level 3 practitioner, with the potential of a permanent position upon successful completion
There is also the potential to go into other childcare orientated roles e.g., social work, teaching, managerial roles etc.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SWIFT ACI

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000010056.

Apply now

Closes on Saturday 21 March 2026