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Early Years Apprentice

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Are you looking to train in Early Years Childcare?
Friendly, local nursery in Wickham, Hampshire is looking for a Level 2 Nursery Apprentice to join their team. Work and interact directly with children on a day-to-day basis, supporting the planning of and delivery of activities.
As a Nursery Apprentice, you will contribute to a high-quality, caring environment for children.
Requirements
- GCSE in: English (grade 4 or C and above), Maths (grade 4 or C and above)
- Please check that you can travel to this employer on a daily basis before applying.
- Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
- N.B If the candidate already holds a valid Level 2 Early Years qualification or sufficient experience, the Level 3 standard is available on an 18-month basis.
Responsibilities
- Creating warm, friendly, and stimulating atmosphere in which the children can develop emotionally, socially, and educationally
- Under supervision, you will provide all aspects of care for children, including washing, changing, and feeding
- Acting as key worker to a small group of children and recording observations and planning for them
- Assisting with meeting the personal and emotional needs of individual children
- Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
- Being aware of the nurseries' policies and procedures and ensure they are adhered to
- Completing all work to desired timescales as set by Showcase Tutor
- Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
- Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
- 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.
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- Training course: NCFE/CACHE Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner
- Functional Skills: English and maths at level 1 minimum (unless exempt)
- End Point Assessment
- Training was completed via work-based visits at the nursery and 6 hours of off-the-job training provided, including 4 hours of study time provided for coursework
- Upon completing your apprenticeship, you may be offered the opportunity to progress to Level 3 or get offered a full-time position and further training
About Happy Mindz
Happy Mindz is owned and managed by husband and wife team Shane and Claire. They are both qualified early years teachers with over 20 years of combined experience. They have dedicated spaces for babies through to 5 year olds. Each room in the setting is resourced with staff and equipment relevant to the needs of those children as well as the seven areas of learning identified in the early years foundation stage. The pre-schoolers and babies have access to the large, well maintained garden area which is cleverly designed to encourage learning through outdoor play and is a space for children to grow and develop as individuals.
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