Early Years Specialist Apprenticeship

Summary

Working in a childcare setting with children ranging from ages 0 to 5. You will be working towards an Advanced Diploma in Early Years. Your apprenticeship will last for 14 months. This apprenticeship requires dedication, commitment & punctuality for you to be successful.

Wage

£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

Apprentices are required to be flexible to meet the needs of the business, and punctuality is key. Working as part of a team and using ones own initiative are essential. The average working week will be 30 hours, Monday-Friday, shifts to be confirmed

30 hours a week

Start date

Wednesday 16 September 2026

Duration

1 year 2 months

Positions available

2

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

• Creating a fun, engaging and safe environment for the children
• Teaching within the EYFS requirements
• Partaking in a range of indoor and outdoor activities
• Supporting the children with a range of self-care needs, such as feeding and personal hygiene
• Communicating with other team members and parents
• Working in a childcare setting with children ranging from ages 0–5
• Also, being able to liaise with external customers, parents, and provide a high level of service for the childcare setting

Where you'll work

2 Mallow Walk
London
SE8 3GS

Training

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

Training provider

SWIFT ACI

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

Level 3 Advanced Diploma Early Years Educator 

• You will be working towards an Advanced Diploma Early Years
• Your apprenticeship will last for 14 months, where you will be supported by a dedicated assessor throughout your apprenticeship, as well as a mentor and other staff within the nursery
• This apprenticeship requires dedication, commitment & punctuality for you to be successful
• This apprenticeship will open doors to a variety of future roles & career paths within the childcare sector
• Training will take place in the workplace
• You will need to attend online training with your assessor for 1 day a week for the first 8 weeks of your 14-month apprenticeship, for your classroom-based learning and you will be working within the nursery for the rest of the time with the support of your dedicated childcare assessor
• You will complete a qualification in paediatric first aid
• Supporting the development of the childcare provision
• Providing an excellent range of activities that ensures the child learns whilst having fun
• Assisting in meeting Ofsted requirements
• Being a team player
• Providing challenging and stimulating activities for children appropriately. Responsibility for equal opportunity in delivery
• Supporting children’s learning and development
• Supporting children’s self-help needs
• Being creative and enthusiastic
• Following safeguarding rules and regulations
• Apprenticeship is 14 months in duration
• Working in a nursery setting full-time, with a minimum of 30 hours per week
• Attending online group classroom session 1 day a week for the first 8 weeks
• Updating online portfolio in a timely manner to meet deadlines
• Training schedule will be communicated once the candidate is successful

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths & English (grade C/4 or above)

Functional Skills in:

Maths & English (grade Level 2)

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

Skills

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Presentation skills
• Administrative skills
• Number skills
• Analytical skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Physical fitness

Other requirements

You will need to attend online training with your Tutor for 1 day a week for the first 8 weeks of the apprenticeship. A laptop/PC will be essential for your online classroom-based learning. You will be working the remainder of the time within the nursery with the support of your dedicated childcare assessor and the staff in the nursery.