Nursery Apprentice

Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and caring apprentice who is passionate about working with children and committed to developing a career in early years education.

Wage

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

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Yearly wage will be pro rata for p/t hours (pay rate is £8.00 per hour).

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

The hours would be needed flexibly between 8.00am - 4.00pm each day, depending on the needs of the nursery. Term time only.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 6 July 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

• Support children’s care, learning, and development through play
• Assist with daily routines including meals, toileting, and supervision
• Help set up and tidy activities, ensuring a safe and stimulating environment
• Maintain cleanliness, hygiene, and safety standards
  Work as part of the team and assist colleagues as needed
• Communicate effectively with children, staff, and parents
• Follow safeguarding procedures at all times
• Participate in training and apply learning in practice

Where you'll work

70 Sycamore Road
Amersham
HP6 5DR

Training

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

Training provider

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

What you'll learn

• 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 be working to achieve the Early Years Educator Level 3 Standard Apprenticeship, attending online sessions with your Tutor / Assessor for training. You will be given time each week to complete your course work.

All your lessons will be held online. You will have access to your sessions and other training materials via our e-portfolio. Laser Learning provides you 24/7 access to your work.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade A-C/9-4)
• Maths (grade A*-C / 9-4)

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

Skills

• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience

Other requirements

Essential Qualities & Attributes:

• A genuine love of working with children and supporting their development
• Warm, caring and nurturing approach towards children, families and colleagues
• Positive attitude with a willingness to get involved in all aspects of nursery life
• Proactive and engaged, showing initiative rather than waiting to be asked
• Eagerness to learn and develop professionally through both the Level 3 qualification and day-to-day experience within the nursery
• Open to listening to feedback, guidance and advice from colleagues and mentors
• Flexible and willing to “muck in” to support the wider team wherever needed
• Able to work effectively as part of a team and build positive working relationships
• Reliable, responsible and committed to maintaining high standards of care and professionalism
• Good communication skills with children, parents and staff
• Enthusiastic about creating a fun, safe and stimulating environment for children

Desirable:

• Some experience of working with children, either through placements, volunteering, babysitting or previous employment
• Basic understanding of safeguarding and child development
• Willingness to continue learning and progressing within the early years sector