Childcare Apprenticeship - Cranfield

Childcare Apprenticeship – Cranfield

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Join Childbase Partnership and be part of something extraordinary.

At Childbase Partnership we have been delivering childcare excellence since 1989. Our mission is to give children the best possible start in life and instil a lifelong passion for learning. Across all 44-day nurseries, Head Office, and our Training Academy of Excellence, our dedicated colleagues work together to create a lasting, positive impact in our local communities.

We are determined to be excellent and constantly strive for the best outcomes, not only for the children in our care but for every colleague too .

What makes us special?

• We are 100% employee-owned – which means we are all partners, we all have a meaningful voice, and we own our future (this includes sharing profits too, tax-free).
• ‘Number 1’ – we have earned the top spot in the prestigious Nursery World league tables for our Ofsted outcomes, all thanks to our extraordinary colleagues.
• Record-breaking Green Flag achievements, and climate-positive status – we save more CO2 than we create (take that, climate change!).
• Planting in excess of 2,000 trees in the Eden Restoration project – because the planet needs a hug too.
• Over £3.5 million raised for charity – we’re basically fundraising superheroes (without the capes).

At Childbase Partnership, our ethos is simple; we all belong , we all matter, and we all contribute so we all benefit. Our core values foster happiness, confidence, and growth, with a ‘careers not jobs’ approach, shaping the future of our extraordinary company together.

Own your future and join us as an Early Years Apprentice at our Charry Tree Day Nursery in 1 Duncan Road, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Beds, MK43 0ZU.

We are seeking a very special person to join us in this role. Someone who:

• Is naturally nurturing, caring and compassionate to others.
• Has an interest in child development and how children learn.
• Can be a positive role model to the children in their care.
• Enjoys contributing within a team environment.

Your apprenticeship will commence in September/October 2025 and will teach you how to provide outstanding care and education to young children. Your main responsibilities will be to:

• Work as part of a team to create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments across the nursery, plan and implement opportunities to enhance children’s development, and complete observations linked to the early years curriculum.
• Interact positively with all nursery users and work in partnership with colleagues and parents to ensure all children’s individual needs are met at all times whilst they are in your care.
• Adhere to nursery routines and policies and to seek guidance from your leadership team as required.
• Successfully manage your time to ensure you submit your coursework by the deadlines set by your Trainer/Assessor.

By the end of your apprenticeship you will gain:

• Either a level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification or a level 3 Early Years Educator qualification; there will be an online initial assessment during our screening stage if you don’t already hold maths and English at grade 4 or above, to determine the most suitable level of apprenticeship for you.
• Level 2 functional skills qualifications in maths and English, if you do not already have equivalent qualifications in these subjects at the required level.
• A paediatric first aid qualification.
• A permanent contract, subject to you successfully gaining your qualification, where after completion you will be appointed as a qualified Nursery Practitioner within our partnership.

Our early years apprenticeship offers you:

• A full-time role (37.5 hours a week) working with children under 5 in our nursery to gain valuable practical childcare experience.
• A varied shift pattern, usually between the hours of 07:30am-18:30pm Monday-Friday. 52 weeks of the year.
• \’Off the job\’ learning time within your working week which will support your studies.
• A Trainer/Assessor from our in-house Training Academy of Excellence, who will visit you at your nursery on a regular basis to guide and direct you.
• Regular group training sessions (usually once every 6-8 weeks) with other apprentices from across our partnership, held at our Head Office and Training Academy in Newport Pagnell (MK16 8NJ).

When you join our partnership, you will be greatly rewarded with a range of benefits, which include:

• A competitive salary: £7.57 per hour to start, rising to £10.00 per hour once you have completed 6 months in post. If you are aged 21 or over, after 12 months in post there will be a further increase to £12.24 per hour.
• From day 1: 75% discount for parents and 40% discount for grandparents at any Childbase nursery.
• Generous leave entitlement: 23 days annual leave, plus paid bank holidays.
• Exclusive rewards: Tax-free Partnership dividends, qualification reward payment, retail discounts, family fun days with free tickets to UK attractions and cycle-to-work scheme.
• Well-being support: Mental Health First Aiders, two free meals a day in the nursery, subsidised medical care, flu jabs, eye care vouchers, occupational health support, and a free will-writing service.

Please note, terms and conditions apply to some of our benefits and financial rewards.

For your application to be considered, at the time you apply you must:

• Have documentation to evidence your right to work in the UK.
• Ideally have photographic ID in the form of either a valid passport or a driving licence (full or provisional).
• Have official documentation to evidence of your national insurance number (NI card, HMRC letter or payslip).
• Have access to a computer (laptop or PC) to undertake the initial on-line assessment and to submit on-going coursework.
• Have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years.
• Be comfortable with travelling to and from the group training sessions in Newport Pagnell. We will endeavour to facilitate a lift for you, however, there may be occasions when you will need to make your own way to and from these sessions. We will pay for the costs of buses and/or trains for you.

We will need to obtain suitable references and an enhanced DBS check for you prior to employment commencing. You will also need to evidence your Right To Work in the UK and, if you hold maths and English qualifications you will need to evidence these qualifications too. If your application is successful, rest assured our dedicated apprenticeships Recruiter is on hand to support and guide you through every step of the onboarding process.

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early.