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Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship level 2
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As an Apprentice Early Years Practitioner, you will work as part of a supportive nursery team to create a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment where children can learn and develop through play.
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 practitioner (level 2).
Hours:
5 days a week, 8 hours a day. Days and shifts TBC. 40 hours a week.
Start date:
Tuesday 1 September 2026.
Duration:
1 year.
Positions available:
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Apprentice Early Years Practitioner to join our nurturing team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about working with children and eager to develop a professional career in early years education. You will receive hands-on experience within our Montessori-inspired nursery while completing your apprenticeship training with our trusted learning providers.
As an apprentice, you will work alongside experienced practitioners to deliver a warm, engaging, and stimulating environment where every child can thrive. You will be supported to understand and apply the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles and the Montessori approach, gaining practical skills and knowledge in child development, safeguarding, and inclusive practice.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support the planning and delivery of age-appropriate activities that promote learning through play and exploration
- Assist with daily routines such as meal times, toileting, dressing, and rest periods, ensuring children’s individual needs are met
- Help to maintain a safe, clean, and welcoming environment following health, safety, and hygiene procedures
- Build positive, trusting relationships with children, parents, and colleagues
- Observe and record children’s progress, contributing to assessments and learning journals under the guidance of qualified staff
- Follow nursery policies and procedures, including safeguarding, confidentiality, and equal opportunities
- Participate fully in training, team meetings, and professional development opportunities
- Reflect on your practice and take initiative in your learning journey throughout the apprenticeship
What We Offer:
- Given in-house Montessori training relevant to the age groups they will be working with
- Paediatric first aid training, safeguarding training, food allergens and food hygiene with all employees
- Ongoing mentoring and professional development within a high-quality early years setting
- Supportive, friendly team and positive working environment
- Opportunities for career progression upon completion of the apprenticeship
- Additional staff benefits such as home-cooked meals, wellbeing support, and extra holiday days
Where you'll work
73a Tenison Rd, CB1 2DG
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Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED
Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels opens in new tab
What you'll learn
Course contents
- 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 schedule
Your full role and responsibilities will be set out by your employer. They will provide you with all of the on-the-job training you need to up-skill in your role, and your 20% off-the-job learning will be incorporated as part of your working day.
You will be working towards the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprenticeship standard, which includes:
- Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours
- Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Qualification
- Functional skills in maths and English if required
This will be delivered by your dedicated training provider, Realise.
Desirable qualifications
- GCSE in:
- English Language (grade 4)
- Mathematics (grade 4)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
About this employer
Three operational Montessori nursery sites, Cambridge Montessori, Smiths Children Montessori, and Montessori Cottage Linton. Awaiting opening Montessori Cottage Saltburn. Looking for positions at all three sites.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay opens in new tab.
Career progression
Further training in Montessori
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED
Asia Khan
Asia.Khan@realisetraining.com
0333 444 3973
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000040767.
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