Early Years Educator Apprentice

NEXT STEP CHILDCARE LTD
Somerset (BA4 6QL)
Closes in 18 days (Tuesday 3 November 2026 at 11:59pm)

Summary

An apprenticeship at Next Steps Childcare is ideal for someone with a natural flair for working with young children. You'll engage in play, support daily care routines, and help children thrive. We will train you in safeguarding, paediatric first aid, food hygiene, and more. Enthusiasm, confidence, and a genuine love of children are essential.

Wage: £14,976 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
Training course: Early years educator (level 3)
Hours: Monday to Friday 08.30-17.30 shifts. 36 hours a week
Start date: Friday 27 November 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

We are looking for an enthusiastic, caring, and motivated individual to join our nursery team as a Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprentice. As an apprentice, you will support the nursery team in providing a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment where children can learn, develop, and thrive. You will work closely with experienced practitioners to build your knowledge and skills in child development, safeguarding, play-based learning, and professional childcare practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Support children’s learning and development through play, activities, and positive interactions.
• Assist with daily routines, including meals, personal care, sleep times, and transitions throughout the day.
• Encourage children’s independence, confidence, and social development.
• Help create a safe, stimulating, and inclusive environment for all children.
• Build positive relationships with children, parents, carers, and colleagues.
• Observe and support children’s individual needs and developmental progress.
• Follow nursery policies and procedures, including safeguarding, health and safety, and confidentiality.
• Work as part of the nursery team whilst completing all apprenticeship training and coursework.

Where you'll work

Bath & West Showground
Evercreech
Shepton Mallet
Somerset
BA4 6QL

Training

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

Training provider: UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP
Training course: Early years educator (level 3)

What you'll learn

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.