Early Years Apprentice - Little Forest Folk Wimbledon

Summary

Are you a passionate early years practitioner looking to continue to develop your career in an fully outdoor forest nursery setting? Little Forest Folk Wimbledon have a great opportunity to train as an Early Years Educator Apprentice and gain your Level 3 whilst supporting children's learning, play and development and building key relationships.

Wage

£22,464 a year

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

40 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Shifts to be agreed at offer stage.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 31 August 2026

Duration

1 year 2 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

Little Forest Folk Wimbledon is seeking a warm, enthusiastic Forest Nursery Educator Apprentice with a genuine passion for the outdoors, working with children and a desire to complete a Level 3 Early Years qualification. Come and join our beautiful, fully outdoor forest nurseries, where we are providing 2-5 year olds with an exemplary early years learning experience, to help them become the children most likely to succeed in today’s world.

About the Role

As a Forest Nursery Apprentice, you’ll be tasked with providing a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for the children aged 2-5 years, in our beautiful outdoor setting.
Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as a key person for a group of children
• Supporting planning, observations, and assessments
• Ensuring the safeguarding, welfare, and wellbeing of all children at all times
• Use your passion for the outdoors to deliver a fantastic experience for our children
• Work with your team to create an enabling environment where children can develop and learn through play
• Build strong, positive relationships with children, families, and colleagues

What We Offer

In return for your commitment, we offer:

• £500 completion bonus and £1000 loyalty bonus after 1 year
• A day off on your birthday. Everyone should spend their birthday eating cake, not at work
• Uniform allowance
• Social events throughout the year
• A fit, healthy, active job
• Discounts at our favourite outdoor retailers
• Discounted childcare
• 28 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Access to CPD and training via Noodle Now

Your Future with Us

• Supportive Team: You’ll join a welcoming team that values your contribution and supports your learning and development
• Build Your Network: Connect with early years professionals from day one
• High Employability: Most apprentices secure employment or continue further study after completing their training
• Career Progression: Many apprentices remain with us in permanent roles, progressing into higher-level positions

Where you'll work

19th WIMBLEDON SCOUT HUT
106 COTTENHAM PARK ROAD
Wimbledon
SW20 0SZ

Training

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 educator (level 3)

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.
• 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.

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 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship standard, which includes:
  Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
• Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
• Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid or Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid
• Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English (if required)

This will be delivered by your dedicated training provider, Realise.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

• Mathematics (grade 4)
• English Language (grade 4)

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

Skills

• Communication Skills
• Creative
• Customer care skills
• Friendly
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Organisation skills
• Patience

Other requirements

Enhanced DBS required and annual subscription to DSB update service.