Early Years Practitioner / Nursery Apprentice

KINGS SCHOOLS TAUNTON LTD

Taunton (TA2 8AA)

Closes in 24 days (Monday 9 March 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 11 February 2026

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Summary

Join our fabulous nursery team to ensure that all children age 0-5 attending the setting are happy and receive the highest quality of care possible, while completing the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship. The successful candidate will be responsible to our Nursery Manager and through them to the Head of Pre-Prep and Headteacher.

Wage

£15,704 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)

Apprentice wage in line with government guidance and experience.

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
40 hours per week, including study time. This is an all year-round role.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 14 September 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

Safeguarding:

  • Share responsibility with nursery staff for all children’s safety and wellbeing
  • Actively promote and safeguard the welfare of all children in their care
  • Ensure staff follow Child Protection procedures effectively
  • Remain vigilant regarding the Whistleblowing, Acceptable Use, and Intimate Care Policies

Child Care & Education:

  • Build strong, supportive relationships with children
  • Provide high‑quality physical, emotional, social and educational care
  • Work in close partnership with parents, carers and families; delivering exceptional customer care
  • Support children to settle in and establish secure routines
  • Foster emotional security and positive attachments
  • Encourage curiosity and exploration through well‑scaffolded play
  • Maintain excellent care standards to ensure children are happy and thriving
  • Demonstrate inclusive practice and support children with additional needs
  • Ensure children receive healthy, nutritious meals in collaboration with the cook
  • Build strong professional links with King’s College Prep and external agencies

Planning & Assessment:

  • Contribute to planning, development, monitoring and evaluation as directed by the Nursery Manager/Deputy/Room Leader
  • Plan engaging EYFS‑appropriate indoor and outdoor learning experiences
  • Observe learning, gather evidence and report progress using the nursery’s online system
  • Maintain accurate, effective children’s records

Compliance; Health & Safety

  • Share responsibility for maintaining health, safety and cleanliness across the nursery
  • Uphold children’s cleanliness in line with the Intimate Care Policy
  • Follow all Health and Safety procedures consistently
  • Understand all emergency and security processes (e.g., fire, security, drop‑off/collection)
  • Maintain excellent hygiene in bedding, nappy‑changing and food‑prep areas
  • Comply with the EYFS statutory framework and relevant legislation (Children Act 1989 & 2004)

Communication

  • Communicate professionally with parents/carers and build positive relationships
  • Listen to and consider information shared by families about their child
  • Provide daily and developmental feedback verbally, in writing or via nursery software

Professional Development:

Complete all elements of the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship, including:

  • Off-the-job training
  • Coursework and portfolio building
  • Observations and assessments
  • Take responsibility for own learning and development, seeking feedback and acting on it

Staff

  • Contribute to a strong, effective staff team.
  • Carry out additional tasks as reasonably requested by line management

General

  • Attend staff meetings
  • Participate in Inset training
  • Attend and assist with out‑of‑hours activities such as training, planning meetings and events
  • Maintain a high standard of timekeeping and personal presentation

Where you'll work

King S College Prep School
Kingston Road
Taunton
TA2 8AA

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

To register for our Meet the Employer morning on Tuesday 3rd March, please click on the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=2olB5Qr_cU-BWbZuTQZNQA2Fv9PbE-tJhJi58c7NJt5UQkQ5TklKM09TMVIzMjRMMjdTNlJPOURXMiQlQCN0PWcu&origin=QRCode

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Creative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Cheerful
  • Caring
  • Eager to learn
  • Great with children
  • Team player

Other requirements

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and suitable references. The nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment.

About this employer

This is a school alive with energy, warmth, and laughter. Here, children are free to explore, discover, and develop into their best selves, supported by expert teaching and exceptional pastoral care.

https://www.kings-taunton.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

  • Friendly mentors who will support you every step
  • High-quality training
  • A joyful, nurturing early years environment
  • Meals provided during term time working hours

After this apprenticeship

  • Upon successful completion of this apprenticeship, candidates become qualified and may pursue career advancement opportunities such as full-time employment and senior practitioner positions

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000014780.

Apply now

Closes in 24 days (Monday 9 March 2026 at 11:59pm)