If you are looking to hire a new early years practitioner have you considered taking on an apprentice?
Not only we will help you recruit, we will also support and train your apprentice while they are working full-time in your nursery, pre-school other setting. Hiring an apprentice is a great way of expanding your business.
Key information
Key information about this apprenticeship programme, with the main details like the level, duration and industry/sector. Full details about this standard can be found on the Skills England website.
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Level: 2 (Intermediate)
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Duration: 15 months
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Training location: Workplace
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Mode of Attendance: Employer based
- Industry/sector: Education and early years
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Maximum funding available: £5,000.00
Apprenticeship overview
Work and interact directly with children on a day to day basis supporting the planning of and delivery of activities.
The key skills, knowledge, behaviours and duties that will be carried out by the apprentice as part of this apprenticeship.
Skills developed
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
Further information
- Assistant childminder
- Early years practitioner
- Nanny and early years worker
- Nursery assistant
- Nursery nurse
- Nursery practitioner
This occupation is found in a range of private and public setting including; full day care, children’s centres, pre-schools, reception classes, playgroups, nursery schools, home based provision, hospitals, social care settings, out of school environments, family hubs, and local authority provision to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by government for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 in both indoor and outdoor environments.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to work and interact directly with children on a day to day basis supporting the planning of and delivery of activities, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes within the ethos of the provision. An EYP works as part of a professional team ensuring the welfare and care for children under the guidance and supervision of an Early Years Educator, teacher or other suitably qualified professional in the Early Years Workforce. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with parents, children, colleagues and wider multi agency professionals and partners such as health visitors, social workers and speech and language therapists. Individuals will undergo all checks as per the EYFS requirements to ensure suitability to work with children.
Due to the nature and level of responsibility it is not anticipated that the role would have any budgetary or leadership responsibilities. They will be responsible for supporting child initiated and adult led activities based around the needs and interests of each individual child, supporting children’s learning through planned, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes and working as part of a team to ensure each child feels safe and secure. An EYP will also support the observation and assessment of each child and contribute to their learning experiences and assist with the care needs of the individual child such as teeth, skin, hair, feeding, changing nappies and toileting under direction of a more senior member of the team. They will also work in partnerships with other colleagues, parents or carers or other professionals, with support from a more senior member of the team, to meet the individual needs of each child. They will also have a responsibility for ensuring that they recognise when a child is in danger or at risk of serious harm or abuse and contributing to the health and safety of the children, staff and others on the premises.
Hire an apprentice today!
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Information provided for this apprenticeship programme is sourced from the Skills England formerly the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). For the information authored by Skills England, this was last modified on 1st August 2025.
