Level 3 Early Years Apprentice

Summary

We are looking for a caring and enthusiastic Level 3 Early Years Apprentice to join our brand-new day nursery opening this summer at Bucklebury Farm Park. This is a new venture and we're looking for an apprentice to join us on this exciting journey!

Wage

£15,600 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

Monday to Friday, hours between 8.00am and 6.00pm. 1 hour lunch break.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 27 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

Our small, homely setting is all about nurturing curiosity, creativity, and confidence through hands-on experiences and a love for the great outdoors. This is a wonderful opportunity to be part of something special from the very beginning, working closely with a supportive team to create a warm and inspiring environment for young children to grow and thrive.

Duties and responsibilites will include:

• Provide high-quality care and education to young children in accordance with the EYFS framework.
• Plan, deliver and evaluate engaging activities tailored to individual children’s needs and developmental stages.
• Observe, assess and record children’s progress, supporting learning plans and next steps.
• Promote children’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual development.
• Build positive relationships with children, parents/carers and colleagues.
• Ensure safeguarding, health and safety procedures are followed at all times.
• Maintain a clean, safe and welcoming learning environment.
• Support children’s personal care routines, including feeding, toileting and nappy changing where required.
• Encourage positive behaviour and support children’s emotional well-being.
• Work collaboratively as part of the early years team to maintain high standards of practice.

This position is set rurally so staff need to have their own reliable transport to and from the nursery.

Please note: The start date for this vacancy is an estimate. The nursery is awaiting Ofsted registration and the employer hopes to offer a July or August start for the role/apprenticeship.

Where you'll work

BUCKLEBURY
READING
RG7 6RR

Training

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

Training provider

NEWBURY COLLEGE

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

The successful candidate will have access to many online CPD courses, staff support and weekly time out. They will also take part in onsite training that takes place during meetings.

They will also be supported by a Development Coach from Newbury College who will support and oversee their Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship. The apprentice will be required to attend monthly sessions at Newbury College and their Development Coach will also meet with them regularly for reviews and observations in the workplace.

More training information

Alongside your daily job, you will be undertaking the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard with Newbury College.

For your apprenticeship, you are required to attend Newbury College (Monks Lane, West Berkshire, RG14 7TD) one day a month. In addition to the support you will receive from the Bucklebury Farm Day Nursery Team, you will also have the support of a Development Coach from Newbury College.

At the end of your Apprenticeship, you will be required to take an End Point Assessment to show your competency in the required Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade Grade 4/C or above)
• Maths (grade Grade 4/C or above)

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

• Any subject (grade Grade 4/C or above)
• Any subject (grade Grade 4/C or above)

Other in:

Early Years (grade Pass)

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

Skills

• Teamwork
• Excellent communication skills
• Organisational skills
• A love for the outdoors
• Enthusiastic
• Patient
• Reliable
• Good work ethic

Other requirements

Apprentices and all staff are required to pass an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.