Early Years Educator Apprentice (Level 3)

HAPPYFEET PRESCHOOL PENGUINS LIMITED

Scunthorpe (DN15 9RG)

Closes in 14 days (Friday 27 November 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 12 November 2026

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Summary

We’re seeking an enthusiastic and caring Early Years Educator Apprentice to join our team. Gain hands-on experience supporting young children while working towards a qualification. Learn from experienced practitioners, develop key skills, and help create a safe, happy and stimulating environment where children can thrive.

Wage

£15,600 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday 7.30am-3.30pm

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 7 December 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

General duties including:

  • Supporting children with their learning, play and development through fun, engaging and age-appropriate activities.
  • Helping to create a safe, welcoming and stimulating environment where children feel happy, secure and confident.
  • Supporting children's personal, social and emotional development, encouraging positive relationships and independence.
  • Assisting with daily routines, in line with the setting's policies and procedures.
  • Observing children's progress and contributing to assessments and records of their development.
  • Working alongside experienced early years practitioners to plan and deliver activities that meet children's individual needs.
  • Building positive relationships with parents, carers and colleagues to support children's learning and wellbeing.
  • Following safeguarding, health and safety, and confidentiality procedures to ensure the welfare of all children.
  • Attending college or training sessions and completing coursework and assessments required for the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship.

Where you'll work

School House, Winterton School
Newport Drive, Winterton
Scunthorpe
DN15 9RG

Training

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

Training provider

DN COLLEGES 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

Training will be at North Lindsey College where you will access a wide range of facilities on offer.

Day release:

  • You will undertake the Level 3 Early Years Educator standard.
  • You will undertake Functional Skills for English and/or Maths if needed.

You will undertake both on and off-the-job training by a team of industry qualified professionals to give you the best skills, knowledge and experience that will help you become an early years educator of the future!

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4/C)
  • Maths (grade 4/C)

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
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Number skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • A caring and positive attitude
  • An enthusiasm for working with
  • willingness to learn
  • develop new skills
  • Reliability and a responsible
  • importance of safeguarding

Other requirements

You must be able to travel to and from work and college.

Apprentices are paid for their normal working hours and training that's part of their apprenticeship (usually one day per week).

The Apprenticeship National Minimum Wage guide is updated every April (ANMW): https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

We need to ask all applicants whether they have any relevant criminal convictions and or pending investigation as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Relevant meaning offences against a person, whether violent or sexual, offences involving drugs or controlled substances, or theft. A declaration of a relevant Criminal Conviction will result in a Risk Assessment being carried out to determine whether the applicant poses a risk to the welfare or safety of others. This does not include warnings, cautions, reprimands and (for example) speeding fines/points.

A YES ANSWER DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY EXCLUDE YOUR APPLICATION.

About this employer

At Happy Feet Childcare we pride ourselves in providing a safe and secure environment for children and we ensure we support children’s learning through carefully planned play activities that are fun and appropriate to each child's individual needs.

https://www.happyfeetchildcare.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

Successful completion of the apprenticeship could lead to a higher-level apprenticeship or full-time employment for the right candidate.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

DN COLLEGES GROUP

Sarah Barnard

sarah.barnard@dncolleges.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000064022.

Apply now

Closes in 14 days (Friday 27 November 2026 at 11:59pm)