Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

Little Starlings

Glastonbury (BA6 9SP)

Closes in 23 days (Saturday 28 February 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 30 January 2026

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Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person to join our newly acquired nursery Little Starlings in Meare. The role will be varied and exciting, giving you an opportunity to work within a lovely village nursery where children's care, development and learning is at the centre of everything we do.

Wage

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

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, various shifts and hours to be confirmed.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 16 March 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

We are currently looking to recruit an apprentice to become part of our nursery team at Cuddles and Care and would welcome applications
from people looking to develop a career or progress within Early Years Education.

Duties will include:

  • Supporting the daily routine of the nursery
  • Providing a fun, safe and nurturing environment
  • Working as a team
  • Planning and delivering activities

Where you'll work

St. Marys Road
Meare
Glastonbury
BA6 9SP

Training

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

Training provider

UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP

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

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

Training will take place weekly at Strode College

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4/C)
  • Maths (grade 4/C)

Desirable qualifications

Other in:

Early Years (grade Pass)

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
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

  • If you are aged 16-18 and do not hold a Level 2 Early Years qualification, you will enrol onto a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship and then progress to the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship
  • If you are 19+ and do not hold a Level 2 Early Years qualification, the Level of apprenticeship will depend on your prior experience
  • You will need to pass a DBS check

About this employer

Little Starlings is a preschool, after school and holiday provision situated within the grounds of Meare Village Primary School. We offer childcare places for children aged between 2 and 12 years, opening from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

After this apprenticeship

A permanent position will be on offer following successful completion of the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000011921.

Apply now

Closes in 23 days (Saturday 28 February 2026 at 11:59pm)