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Monkey Puzzle Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner apprenticeship West Norwood

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Room Leader
The role of Room Leader is to work alongside the management team to provide a high level of professional leadership and management to all playroom-based staff and to ensure that all children receive the highest possible standards of care and education.
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.
- Able to ensure the safety and welfare of children through a confident knowledge of Safeguarding processes and procedures.
- Able to conduct child observations and assessments with a strong understanding of child development.
- Exceptional knowledge of the current Early Years Inspection Framework
- Health and safety awareness
- Knowledge of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and the required support systems put in place.
Where you'll work
445 Norwood Road
London
SE27 9DN
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WMC TRAINING LTD
Training course
Early years lead practitioner (level 5)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Advocate for children through their child centred approach, listening to the voice of the child; ensuring children’s rights, views and wishes are heard, respected and acted upon at all times. Offer appropriate support and influence decisions in the best interests of the child.
- Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, social, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the educational setting.
- Support and promote children’s diverse speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions to support verbal, nonverbal interactions and engagement with written communication.
- Support children to engage in a range of learning contexts such as individual, small groups and larger groups as appropriate for their play and support confidence within social experiences.
- Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
- Promote, model and support children and families to develop a healthy approach to making choices relating to personal care including eating, sleeping and physical activity.
- Analyse and articulate how all children’s individual learning can be affected by their current developmental capabilities, characteristics and individual circumstances taking into account all factors contributing to typical and atypical development.
- Ensure plans fully reflect the individual development needs and circumstances of children and actively participate in the provision of consistent care, responding quickly to the needs of the individual child.
- Plan, carry out and guide appropriate personal care routines for individual children.
- Competently action and carry out safeguarding procedures, using their professional curiosity, knowledge, insight and understanding.
- Explore and understand, challenge and question; knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children.
- Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
- Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
- Cultivate professional partnerships with parents, carers, colleagues and other professionals, presenting their understanding of the child’s journey within multidisciplinary teams to holistically support the child’s individual needs.
- Demonstrate the importance of the home learning environment, developing an effective and collaborative partnership to enhance opportunities for the child.
- Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
- Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
- Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
- Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.
- Take responsibility for supporting the key person in articulating children's progress and planning future learning possibilities including the safe use of digital technology to communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
- Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
- Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of educational settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice, supporting teams and guiding change.
- Identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
- Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
- Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, prevention and control of infection, carrying out risk assessments and risk management processes in line with policies and procedures.
- Apply the principles of sustainability and segregate used resources for reuse, recycling, and safe disposal.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
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Training schedule
Over the course of 18-24 months (dependent upon the level of course an apprentice is being enrolled onto), you will study things such as the principles of healthcare and safeguarding, person-centred care & support, physiological measurements, basic life support, dementia, cognitive & mental health support, moving, handling and infection control, supporting daily living, lifespan development and healthcare needs, duty of care and legislation.


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Higher level courses go into more depth within different pathways such as dementia, learning disabilities and autism, children & adolescent mental health, combined therapies, complex care, maternity, mental health, rehabilitation, substance misuse and acquired brain injury (these topics may differ).
Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship programme, you will achieve a Level 2 or 3 qualification and a TQUK Diploma in Care.
We and our employer partners are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, so a DBS check will be required for this role. To make you aware, this position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all convictions, cautions and bind-overs, including those regarded as ‘spent’ must be declared, and you will be asked about these during the recruitment process.
Our delivery of training is through blended learning. Supported by one of our sector specialist tutors, they will deliver teaching sessions using various methods including face-to-face teaching, Skype, Facetime, telephone and peer virtual classroom whilst using our interactive multi-sensory teaching resources. Teaching sessions are normally bi-weekly or monthly, depending on the learner’s preferred learning style. Additionally, the tutor will provide the support required to ensure the learner enjoys and ultimately successfully achieves their goals and completes their training. We want learners to feel that our team are approachable at any stage of their learning journey.
You will initially take an online assessment that will help us to understand your learning style and needs, then we will tailor your learning experience accordingly. We ensure that you stay on track to complete your programme on time by managing your expectations through our state-of-the-art e-portfolio system. At the end of your programme, your learnt knowledge, skills and behaviours will be assessed by an independent assessor in your end-point assessment (EPA).
As part of the apprenticeship, alongside your job role, 20% of your time in work must be dedicated to developing new skills. This can be any time devoted to learning and improving new skills without interruption.
Essential qualifications
A Level in:
- Early Years Educator Level 3 (grade Level 3)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Offer of permanent employment
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