Summary
Working in a childcare setting with children ranging from ages 0 - 5. You will be working towards an Advanced Diploma Early Years. Your apprenticeship will last for 13 months. This apprenticeship requires dedication, commitment and punctuality for you to be successful.
Wage
£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
The pay may be negotiated and may rise after a probation period has been successfully completed.
Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, shifts to be confirmed.
30 hours a week
Start date
Tuesday 3 February 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
* Working in a childcare setting with children ranging from ages 0-5
* Completing a variety of day-to-day childcare tasks to ensure that children’s needs, welfare and education are catered for. This can include helping children to learn numeracy and language skills through games, taking part in singing, role-playing and storytelling and more
* Also, being able to liaise with external customers and parents, to provide a high level of service for the childcare setting
* Meets the care needs of the individual child, such as feeding, changing nappies and administration of medicine
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
* 12 Parsons Mead, Croydon, CR0 3SL
* CARTER HOUSE, 40 SYDENHAM ROAD, CROYDON, CR0 2EF
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
* You will be working towards an Advanced Diploma Early Years and a first aid qualification
* Your apprenticeship will last for 13 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 and punctuality for you to be successful
* This apprenticeship will open doors to a variety of future roles and career paths within the childcare sector
* Training will take place in the workplace
* You will need to attend online training with your assessor for 10 days out of your 13-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
* Undertaking Paediatric First Aid training as required
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
GCSE or equivalent Maths and English (grade (Grade 4/C L2))
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
* Problem solving skills
* Number skills
* Team working
* Creative
* Initiative
* Non judgemental
* Patience
* Physical fitness
Other requirements
passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check