Early Years Apprentice - Puddleducks

Summary

Are you a passionate early years practitioner looking to continue to develop your career in an award winning nursery setting? Puddle Ducks Nursery 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.

Wage

£16,744 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 5 October 2026

Duration

1 year 2 months

Positions available

3

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

Puddle Ducks Nursery in Putney, part of Bright Stars Nursery Group) is looking for a passionate and enthusiastic Nursery Apprentice who is eager to work with children and achieve a Level 3 Early Years qualification.

As an outstanding nursery that provides high-quality training and a strong support network to help you grow into an exceptional early years professional.

About the Role
As an Apprentice Nursery Educator, you will:

• Be part of a friendly, supportive, and experienced team
• Work in a truly unique setting with access to 60 acres of woodland for forest school activities
• Act as a key person for a group of children
• Support planning, observations, and assessments
• Ensure the safeguarding, welfare, and wellbeing of all children at all times
• Follow the EYFS Statutory Framework
• Help create a safe, fun, stimulating, and inclusive learning environment

Why Join Bright Stars?
At Puddle Ducks we firmly believe our team are our best asset.
We offer:

• Full apprenticeship training and ongoing support
• Nursery uniform provided
• Free lunches
• Cycle to work scheme
• 20 days holiday, plus an
• Day off for your birthday! Plus extra day for each year of continuous service
• Childcare discounts
• Annual Christmas party
• Access to a healthcare scheme
• £500 completion bonus
• £1,000 loyalty bonus after 1 year

If you’re enthusiastic, caring, and ready to start a rewarding career in Early Years, we’d love to hear from you.

Where you'll work

95 Lacy Road
Putney
SW15 1NR

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 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:

• English Language (grade 4)
• Mathematics (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
• Friendly
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Organisation skills
• Patience
• Problem solving skills
• Team working

Other requirements

• DBS and references required, DBS paid for by company