Early Years Apprenticeship
CHILTERN TRAINING LTD
Reading (RG30 4EX)
Closes on Friday 25 September 2026
Posted on 9 March 2026
Contents
Summary
You will be working full time at Dickory Docks D Nursery as a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Apprentice. This will include gaining your practical experience and you will attend monthly lessons at Chiltern Training to gain your knowledge. Duties include: supervising children, organising activities and encouraging children's development.
- Wage
-
£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years practitioner (level 2)
- Hours
-
You will work full time, 40 hours per week. Monday to Friday, with shifts ranging from 7.00am - 7.00pm.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Wednesday 30 September 2026
- Duration
-
1 year
- 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
- Supervising children
- Organising activities
- Encouraging children's development
- Updating childrens records
- Working closely with parents and staff
- Preparing food and drinks
Where you'll work
Cockney Hill
Tilehurst
Reading
RG30 4EX
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
CHILTERN TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
Training schedule
You will attend monthly classes at Chiltern Training Ltd, One Valpy Street, 20 Valpy Street, Reading, RG1 1AR. You will study Early Years Level 2 Diploma and Functional Skills in Maths and English.
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Kindness
- Caring
Other requirements
You will have to pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
About this employer
We first established in July 1997 in the D-Block of Prospect school. Due to large demand, we quickly built a separate Pre School in 2003. We are proud to be delivering childcare to local children for nearly 30 years!
We are an ‘Educational’ Day nursery because we believe in nurturing our children by “Learning to Play …..Playing to Learn”. This sums up our ethos and our facilities provide ample opportunities for children. Our curriculum is rich and varied, and introduced through core books. Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to provide the care, support, and learning and development for each child. We have a very strong parent partnership fostered over many years.
We are a large day nursery, comprising of two separate buildings to house out Babies, Toddlers, and Pre School sections. The ‘D-Block’ is part of Kings Academy Prospect, and houses our Baby and Toddler Rooms. The Pre School is in a separate building. Each of the section its own outdoor play area, and a common garden where children can explore a much bigger area. We also have the Holiday Club to support parents of children who are not in nursery.
We cater for children aged from 6 weeks to under 5 years. We also have a Holiday Club that caters for children up to the age of 8 years old. We are open 51 weeks of the year, and close Bank Holidays and for 1 week between Christmas and New Year.
At our last OFSTED inspection in May 2023 we were rated GOOD in all areas. This highlights the commitment of the Nursery Manager, and the rest of the team. You can access the inspection report link.
We are incredibly proud of the setting and the positive outcomes for children. We have many parents whose children have all grown up with us and they appreciate the unique culture and atmosphere of our nursery.
After this apprenticeship
Once completing your Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce you can progress onto your level 3.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
CHILTERN TRAINING LIMITED
Admissions Team
enquiries@chilterntraining.org
0118 95 66995
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000020008.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 25 September 2026