Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

NATURE TIME CHILDCARE LIMITED

Middlesbrough (TS5 6AZ)

Closes on Sunday 12 April 2026

Posted on 19 February 2026

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Summary

Northern skills are recruiting on behalf of Nature Time Childcare who are looking for a hardworking, motivated and enthusiastic candidate to join their team. During the course of this apprenticeship, you will be learning the role of a Early Years Educator while also gaining a qualification.

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. Between 7:30am - 6pm.

30 hours a week

Start date

Sunday 26 April 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

  • Ensure the welfare, safety and development of the children through observations and assessments.
  • Be responsible for your key children, including completing 2 year check.
  • To keep records of your key children’s development and learning journeys and share this with parents, carers and other key adults in the child’s life.
  • Recording accidents in the accident book notifying a manager to report all incidents and accidents.
  • Prepare and implement a balanced and stimulating curriculum, following the children’s needs and interests.
  • Build and maintain positive relationships with parents, carers and outside agencies.
  • Attend termly staff meetings outside of normal working hours.
  • Complete professional development training deemed necessary by the manager.
  • Carry out some domestic duties, including basic food preparation.
  • To ensure good standards of safety, hygiene and cleanliness are maintained at all times.
  • Work as part of a team to ensure the smooth running of the setting.
  • Support all staff and engage in a good staff team.
  • Liaise with and support parents and other family members
  • To be involved in out of working hours activities, e.g. training, monthly staff meetings, parent evening, fundraising events etc.
  • To respect the confidentiality of all information received.
  • The Apprentice will have experience with supporting in self care i.e changing nappies etc. But Apprentice will be fully supported with this by team members until they were fully competent.

Where you'll work

71 Barnabas Road
linthorpe
Middlesbrough
TS5 6AZ

Training

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

Training provider

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

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

Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard.

Day release at Middlesbrough College once a week.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade Grade 4)

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

Skills

  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Patience

About this employer

At Nature Time Childcare, our ethos is one inspired by Reggio Emilia. We believe that children’s learning is made up equally of 3 components: the child, the parents, and the practitioners.

After this apprenticeship

Depending on the circumstances of the business upon completion of the apprenticeship programme there could be a potential position of employment available.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

MIDDLESBROUGH COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000015061.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 12 April 2026