Senior Early Years Educator apprenticeship
The Chapel Nursery
Dartford (DA1 2GA)
Closes on Wednesday 30 September 2026
Posted on 5 June 2026
Contents
Summary
Join Super Start Nursery and take the next step in your career. This role is for qualified Level 3 Early Years Educators looking to build on their skills, gain hands-on experience, and progress within a supportive team while making a real difference to children’s development.
- Wage
-
£28,080 a year
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
When you attend the interview if your experience warrants a higher hourly rate, they will consider
- Training course
- Early years lead practitioner (level 5)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday. 7.30am - 6.30pm
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 5 October 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 9 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
This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will also
be required to carry out any other duties which may reasonably be
required of you in accordance with the needs of the employer.
You are also required to be flexible and adaptable with respect to your role.
Purpose of Role:
- The Senior Early Years Nursery Practitioner is a key member of the early years team and is responsible for delivering high quality care and learning opportunities for children based on their needs and interests
- Promote positive relationships in the early years setting
- Promote the health, safety and well-being of the children
- Support the children’s development, learning and play
- Be a Key Person carrying out all related responsibilities in
building relationships with a small group of children and their
families - Contribute to the effectiveness of teamwork
- To be a role model and be able to showcase high quality
practice with regards to individual and group work with
children - To take responsibility alongside the Nursery Management Team
for the safety, security and well-being of all children, staff and
visitors always - To ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed in line
with Local Authority and Company procedures - To support the management team in supporting the nursery to
reach an ‘Outstanding’ grade with Ofsted - To embrace, understand and promote Super Start Limited
- Childcare and to understand the role you play as part of the
team to provide high levels of care and education
Where you'll work
The Chapel
Constance Grove
Dartford
DA1 2GA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
3 SPIRIT ENTERPRISE UK LIMITED
Training course
Early years lead practitioner (level 5)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Advocate for children through their child centred approach, listening to the voice of the child; ensuring children’s rights, views and wishes are heard, respected and acted upon at all times. Offer appropriate support and influence decisions in the best interests of the child.
- Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, social, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the educational setting.
- Support and promote children’s diverse speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions to support verbal, nonverbal interactions and engagement with written communication.
- Support children to engage in a range of learning contexts such as individual, small groups and larger groups as appropriate for their play and support confidence within social experiences.
- Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
- Promote, model and support children and families to develop a healthy approach to making choices relating to personal care including eating, sleeping and physical activity.
- Analyse and articulate how all children’s individual learning can be affected by their current developmental capabilities, characteristics and individual circumstances taking into account all factors contributing to typical and atypical development.
- Ensure plans fully reflect the individual development needs and circumstances of children and actively participate in the provision of consistent care, responding quickly to the needs of the individual child.
- Plan, carry out and guide appropriate personal care routines for individual children.
- Competently action and carry out safeguarding procedures, using their professional curiosity, knowledge, insight and understanding.
- Explore and understand, challenge and question; knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children.
- Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
- Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
- Cultivate professional partnerships with parents, carers, colleagues and other professionals, presenting their understanding of the child’s journey within multidisciplinary teams to holistically support the child’s individual needs.
- Demonstrate the importance of the home learning environment, developing an effective and collaborative partnership to enhance opportunities for the child.
- Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
- Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
- Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
- Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.
- Take responsibility for supporting the key person in articulating children's progress and planning future learning possibilities including the safe use of digital technology to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
- Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
- Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of educational settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice, supporting teams and guiding change.
- Identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
- Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
- Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, prevention and control of infection, carrying out risk assessments and risk management processes in line with policies and procedures.
- Apply the principles of sustainability and segregate used resources for reuse, recycling, and safe disposal .
- Advocate for children through their child centred approach, listening to the voice of the child; ensuring children’s rights, views and wishes are heard, respected and acted upon at all times. Offer appropriate support and influence decisions in the best interests of the child.
- Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, social, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the educational setting.
- Support and promote children’s diverse speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions to support verbal, nonverbal interactions and engagement with written communication.
- Support children to engage in a range of learning contexts such as individual, small groups and larger groups as appropriate for their play and support confidence within social experiences.
- Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
- Promote, model and support children and families to develop a healthy approach to making choices relating to personal care including eating, sleeping and physical activity.
- Analyse and articulate how all children’s individual learning can be affected by their current developmental capabilities, characteristics and individual circumstances taking into account all factors contributing to typical and atypical development.
- Ensure plans fully reflect the individual development needs and circumstances of children and actively participate in the provision of consistent care, responding quickly to the needs of the individual child.
- Plan, carry out and guide appropriate personal care routines for individual children.
- Competently action and carry out safeguarding procedures, using their professional curiosity, knowledge, insight and understanding.
- Explore and understand, challenge and question; knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children.
- Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
- Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
- Cultivate professional partnerships with parents, carers, colleagues and other professionals, presenting their understanding of the child’s journey within multidisciplinary teams to holistically support the child’s individual needs.
- Demonstrate the importance of the home learning environment, developing an effective and collaborative partnership to enhance opportunities for the child.
- Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
- Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
- Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
- Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.
- Take responsibility for supporting the key person in articulating children's progress and planning future learning possibilities including the safe use of digital technology to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
- Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
- Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of educational settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice, supporting teams and guiding change.
- Identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
- Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
- Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, prevention and control of infection, carrying out risk assessments and risk management processes in line with policies and procedures.
- Apply the principles of sustainability and segregate used resources for reuse, recycling, and safe disposal .
Training schedule
- Training will take place within the nursery setting, allowing you to learn in a real working environment
- You will also receive structured support from a Development Coach, with training sessions delivered on-site once a month to support your progress
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
Level 3 Diploma in:
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Number skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
- Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
- Clear references
About this employer
The Chapel Nursery has been setup in a purpose built facility at The Chapel at West Hill in Dartford. The Chapel has been restored with careful and detailed plan to house the children nursery. The rooms are open plan and adequate toilet facilities and access to outdoor play area. We have plenty of outdoor space for children to play within the premises and boundary of the nursery providing a safe and enabling environment for children's learning and development.
https://www.thechapelnursery.com/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Up to 30% Childcare Costs for staff children
- Employee Assistance Programme
- WPA health insurance with up to £200 cash benefits
- Pension
After this apprenticeship
- Once the apprenticeship has been completed there are opportunties to apply for roles as Room Leader and Deputy across 3 sites
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
3 SPIRIT ENTERPRISE UK LIMITED
Ali Franklin
ali@3spirittraining.com
07741 082694
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035541.
Apply now
Closes on Wednesday 30 September 2026