Early Years Apprenticeship

Summary

We are seeking to recruit a Nursery Apprentice to join Babraham Nursery.  The successful candidate will study towards an Early Years Practitioner or Educator Apprenticeship (Level 2 or 3) and will gain valuable on the job experience whilst undertaking a variety of nursery assistant duties.

Wage

£16,224 a year

25 days paid annual leave, plus bank holidays and 3 Christmas closure days.
Employee Assistance Program
Pension scheme

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Hours

The working hours in nursery for an Apprentice are 08:45 - 17:45 Monday - Thursday (and 08:45 - 17:15 on Fridays) The Apprentice works 4 days in Nursery and has a 7-hour day at college.

38 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 31 August 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

The Apprentice works 4 days in Nursery and has a 7-hour day at college, therefore total working hours per week are either 38.5 or 39 hours depending on the college day.

As an Apprentice at Babraham you will receive excellent benefits, study support and funding, as well as longer term career development and opportunities.

The main daily duties as an Apprentice Early Years Educator include:

• To primarily be responsible with the Senior Nursery Nurse and the staff team for a group of young children
• To be flexible and willing to work with all age groups within the base rooms of the nursery, as required
• To ensure that the child’s welfare as an individual and as a member of a group is paramount at all times
• To plan, develop and supervise suitable programmes of activity to cater for the children’s educational, social, emotional, recreational and welfare needs, ensuring that each child’s individual needs are met at all times, with support from the staff team
• To liaise with the parents/carers about their child
• To have the ability to communicate well and to participate in observing children according to the Early Years Foundation Stage, with support

Where you'll work

17-18 The Close
Babraham
Cambridge
CB22 3AQ

Training

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

Training provider

CAMBRIDGE REGIONAL COLLEGE

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

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.
• 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.

Training schedule

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

• Paediatric First Aid
• Basic Child Protection, including other safeguarding topics
• Prevent Duty Training
• Early Years Foundation Stage Training
• Child Development Training
• Cyber Security Training
• GDPR Training
• Health & Safety Training
• Support during the study day as required

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 3 or D)
• Maths (grade 3 or D)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Physical fitness

Other requirements

Early Years Apprentices need to genuinely enjoy the company of children and have an understanding that engaging with children and interacting with them through play is key to the role. Individuals must be enthusiastic and motivated, with the ability to clearly communicate with both children, staff and parents. We provide wonderful opportunities for children and need adults that are eager to learn and that can keep up with our play and learning.

The successful apprentice will need a DBS check and must be prepared to work in all rooms with children up to 5 years of age, and they must be prepared to get messy and spend periods of time outside with the children in all weathers.

Our Apprentices are required to join our monthly staff meetings which is held in the evening. Each year we also hold special events which we  ask our staff, including apprentices to attend- time off in lieu is given for completed attendance at these events.