Early Years Apprentice

HATCHING DRAGONS SOUTHWARK LIMITED

LONDON (SE16 5DZ)

Closes in 17 days (Tuesday 10 March 2026)

Posted on 20 February 2026

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Summary

This role offers an opportunity to gain practical experience in an early years setting while completing a level 3 apprenticeship. The apprentice will work alongside experienced practitioners to support the care, learning, and development of children from birth to five years.

Wage

£15,704 a year

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Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Between 07:30 and 18:30. Either 07.30 - 16.40 or 09.30 - 18.30, shifts. 40 hours, Monday - Friday.

40 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 17 March 2026

Duration

1 year 3 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

The apprentice will combine hands-on experience within the nursery with structured learning delivered by an approved apprenticeship provider. This role offers the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a rewarding career in early years education while gaining a nationally recognised qualification.

On a day-to-day basis, the apprentice will support the nursery team, learn core early years processes, complete assigned tasks, and develop the skills and knowledge required to meet apprenticeship standards and assessments.

Within the nursery setting, the apprentice will work with children aged 0–5 years, engaging them in stimulating, age-appropriate activities in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework. They will support children’s learning and development, promote inclusion and diversity, and help create a safe, nurturing, and inspiring environment where every child can thrive.

What your apprenticeship includes:

  • A blend of face-to-face and Skype/phone catch-ups every 4–6 weeks to review progress and receive personalised feedback
  • A mixture of on-the-job and off-the-job training, including engaging workshops and interactive webinars
  • Formal reviews every 12 weeks with your Line Manager and Apprenticeship Trainer to support your development
  • The opportunity to achieve Functional Skills in English and Maths (if you don’t already hold GCSEs)
  • A Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship qualification upon successful completion of the 15-month programme

Where you'll work

LAVENDER PUMPHOUSE
LAVENDER ROAD
LONDON
SE16 5DZ

Training

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

Training provider

LIFETIME TRAINING GROUP LIMITED

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.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade C/4)
  • Maths (grade C/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
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Team working
  • Patience

Other requirements

The role requires balancing work and study, meeting deadlines, and completing assessments alongside day-to-day duties. Some tasks may be repetitive while learning core skills.

About this employer

Hatching Dragons aims to help our young people become globally aware, confident and capable by marrying the best quality Early Years care and developmental methodologies to a bilingual ethos delivered in the safest and most nurturing of physical and social environments.

After this apprenticeship

Successful completion of the apprenticeship may lead to a permanent role, further training, or progression to a higher-level apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LIFETIME TRAINING GROUP LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017036.

Apply now

Closes in 17 days (Tuesday 10 March 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.