Early Years Apprentice

Summary

Step into a role where every day brings the chance to inspire, support, and nurture young learners aged 3+. As part of the Shine team, you’ll spark children’s curiosity through play, creativity, and active learning, while providing the care and stability they need to thrive.

Wage

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

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

You will be expected to work over the school holidays to assist with holiday club. 

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Friday, exact hours to be agreed between the apprentice and their manager.

30 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 September 2026

Duration

1 year 6 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

• Motivate and stimulate children’s learning and development through facilitation of play, creative, and sports activities
• Provide care and offer an appropriate level of support to children, providing them with a secure and stimulating environment
• Organise and make imaginative use of resources to ensure engaging, high-quality care
• Liaise and support parent/carers of children by sharing positive and constructive feedback about Shine sessions
• Act as the Key Person for a cohort of children, supporting transitions and monitoring their wellbeing
• Ensure the health and safety of all children and staff are maintained, acting appropriately in an emergency situation ensuring that the safety and well-being of the children is paramount at all times
• Comply with all Ofsted requirements, demonstrating a clear understanding of the Early Years Framework in the context of Shine
• Implement and champion Shine policies and procedures
• Act with integrity, adhering to the safeguarding practices detailed within relevant legislation and policies

Where you'll work

Shine Sports Ground
Lime Trees Road
Horfield Bristol
BS6 7XW

Training

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

Training provider

SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND STROUD COLLEGE

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

You will attend the Filton Campus of SGS College fortnightly for learning and then independent study for the weeks in between to work towards your portfolio

More training information

You will be required to work across multiple settings, so you will need to be confident about using public transport, or have access to alternative means of transport consistently

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 4 and above)
• Maths (grade 4 and above)

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

Skills

• Communication skills
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

• Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• This role also includes working during school holidays as part of our Holiday Club provision, ensuring high‑quality care and engaging activities for children throughout the year
• You will be required to work across multiple settings, so you will need to be confident about using public transport, or have access to alternative means of transport consistently