Early Years Educator Apprenticeship
Early Years Educators work in a variety of childcare and education settings, including nurseries, pre-schools, children’s centres, reception classes and home-based provision. They play a vital role in supporting children’s learning, development and wellbeing from birth to five years of age.
Throughout the programme, learners develop the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality early education and care in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). They create safe, inclusive and engaging learning environments that support every child’s individual needs, including children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Working closely with children, parents, carers and other professionals, Early Years Educators help children learn through play, exploration and planned activities. They observe, assess and support children’s development, promoting confidence, communication, wellbeing and positive outcomes.
As part of their role, apprentices learn how to safeguard children, build strong relationships with families, support children’s emotional and social development, and act as a Key Person for individual children. They may also take on additional responsibilities within the setting and contribute to leading best practice.
On completion, learners will be equipped to work confidently within a range of early years settings, supporting children to thrive, learn and reach their full potential.
As part of the Apprenticeship, you will have monthly workplace visits from a Learning Development Advisor, with 6 hours per week off the job training which will be tracked. You will build a portfolio showing your work-based evidence.
We offer this apprenticeship at our Skipton and Scarborough campuses. The duration of the apprenticeship programme will differ depending on which location you apply for. Apprenticeships delivered at our Scarborough Cayley Court campus require you to attend the Scarborough campus once every two weeks, whereas apprenticeships delivered at our Skipton campus require you to attend College one day a week.
What you will study
- Safeguarding, child protection and wellbeing
- Equality, diversity, inclusion and children’s rights
- Health, safety and risk management
- Child development from birth to age seven
- SEND and inclusive practice
- The Key Person role and professional responsibilities
- Working with parents, carers and other professionals
- Attachment, relationships and emotional wellbeing
- Creating enabling indoor and outdoor learning environments
- Play, learning and early years curriculum approaches
- Observation, assessment and planning for children’s development
- Reflective practice and professional development
- Safeguarding and child protection
- Health, safety and risk management
- Communication and partnership working
- The Key Person role
- Supporting children’s learning and development
- Observation, assessment and planning
- SEND and inclusive practice
- Promoting communication, wellbeing and emotional development
- Creating enabling learning environments
- Supporting transitions and significant life events
- Delivering child-led and adult-led learning experiences
- Reflective practice and professional development
- Confident to have difficult conversations
- Child-centred and empathetic, valuing equality, diversity, and inclusion and the uniqueness of each child
- Vigilant and act with professional curiosity
- Caring, compassionate and sensitive
- Honest, open, respectful, and a role model
- Self-motivated, using initiative and proactive
- Playful and creative
- Reflective and reflexive and committed to CPD
- Paediatric First Aid or Emergency Paediatric First Aid Level 3
What's Next?
Careers
- Manager of an Early Years Setting
