Level 3 Early Years Apprenticeship

Role Overview

To assist lead educators in managing daily routines, ensuring child safety, and facilitating physical, emotional, and social development through play, meals, and educational activities.

What You'll Do at Work

• Setting up play areas, preparing the classroom, toys, and learning materials before children arrive
• Greeting families: Welcoming parents and children, taking attendance, and receiving specific daily instructions from guardians
• Supporting activities, running planned arts, crafts, music, and storytelling sessions to build motor and language skills
• Supervising outdoor play. Monitoring children closely on playground equipment to ensure safety
• Encouraging social skills, teaching children how to share, cooperate, and resolve conflicts peacefully
• Guiding small groups. Overseeing designated groups of children during independent play or structured lessons
• At mealtimes, helping younger children feed themselves
• Nappy changing and toileting: Accompanying children to the bathroom, and supporting toilet training
• Promoting hygiene habits: Ensuring children wash their hands regularly, especially before meals and after outdoor play
• Monitoring rest periods: Setting up cots or mats and settling children down for scheduled nap times
• Disinfecting toys, tables, and high-use equipment throughout the day to prevent the spread of germs. End-of-day cleanup: Sweeping, vacuuming, sorting toys, and preparing the physical space for the next morning

Training

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

Training Provider

LONDON SOUTH EAST COLLEGES

Training Course

Early years educator (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels

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.