Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain your full and relevant Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification whilst being paid a wage! No college to attend; hands on experience.

Wage: £16,640 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: Various shift patterns. Generally 4 day working week, working hours within Monday to Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm. 40 hours a week
Start date: Friday 2 October 2026
Duration: 1 year 6 months
Positions available: 1

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

• Support children of different ages, stages of development, and abilities, ensuring they feel safe, valued, and included
• Help create a positive, stimulating, and well-prepared learning environment
• Encourage children's independence, confidence, and curiosity through play and everyday activities
• Support daily routines including mealtimes, personal care, sleep routines, and outdoor play
• Observe and support children's learning, development, and wellbeing
• Build positive relationships with children, parents, and colleagues
• Work alongside experienced staff who will provide guidance and support throughout your apprenticeship
• Promote a safe, caring, and nurturing environment where children can thrive

Where you'll work

• Become part of our talent pool and we will match you with employers to start your apprenticeship
• Personalised support from the Apprenticeship Recruitment Team
• There's no guarantee of a placement, but the team will try their best to match you

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

Training provider: BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED
Training course: Early years educator (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

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 (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.