Childcare Apprenticeship (level 3) in Oxford

Responsibilities

• 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.
• 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 while they are in your care.
• Adhere to nursery routines and policies and seek guidance from your leadership team as required.
• Successfully manage your time to ensure you submit your coursework by the deadlines set by your assessor/tutor.
• 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 those who require SEND or EAL support.
• Promote and facilitate children\’ 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 environments that enable children to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child\’s voice.
• Apply strategies that support children\’ 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 experiences based on the setting\’s curriculum and pedagogy.
• Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.

Training Schedule

This apprenticeship will provide you with the opportunity to learn how to provide outstanding early years care and education. By the end of your apprenticeship with us you will gain:

• Level 3 Early years educator qualification; there may be an online assessment during our shortlisting stage to determine the right level of apprenticeship for you.
• Appropriate functional skills qualifications in maths and English, if you do not already have equivalent qualifications in these subjects when you commence your apprenticeship.
• A paediatric first aid qualification.

Our early years apprenticeship offers you:

• The opportunity to gain valuable, practical childcare experience, working with children aged 0-5 years in a nursery setting.
• ‘Off the job’ learning time within your working week which will support your studies.
• A childcare trainer/assessor from our in‑house training academy of excellence, who will visit you at the nursery on a regular basis to guide and direct you.
• Group training sessions, with other apprentices from across our partnership, held at our academy in Newport Pagnell; there are 11 sessions as part of the level 3 course.
• A permanent contract subject to you successfully gaining your qualification, where after completion you will be appointed as a qualified Nursery Nurse within our partnership.
• Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English (if required).
• GCSE in:
  
  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Key Skills & Attributes

• Communication skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non‑judgemental
• Patience

Application Requirements

To have your application considered you must, at the time of application:

• Evidence your NI number and right to work in the UK.
• Have a valid photographic ID (passport or driving licence).
• Have access to a computer.
• Be a resident in the UK for at least 3 years.
• Be comfortable travelling to the training sessions in Newport Pagnell.

Benefits

• ‘Congratulations’ payment of £300 once you have successfully completed the level 3 apprenticeship.
• The potential for an annual tax‑free dividend payment.
• ‘Recommend a friend’ bonus of £1,000 every time you successfully refer someone to join our partnership.
• Childcare discount from day one; 75% for your own children and/or 40% for your grandchildren.
• Fully paid enhanced DBS check.
• Complimentary breakfast, lunch and refreshments when you are at work.
• 23 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy and sell days.
• Annual conference and awards event, at which individual and team achievements are recognised.

Remuneration & Hours

£17,131 a year.

As an apprentice at Childbase Partnership, you will be paid an hourly pay rate of £7.57. This will increase to £10.00 an hour after 6 months in post.

Hours: You will work varied shifts Monday–Friday, usually between 07:15 and 18:30, 38 hours a week.

Start date: Monday 15 December 2025. Duration: 1 year 4 months.

About Us

Childbase Partnership has delivered childcare excellence since 1989. We are employee‑owned and have earned the top spot in the Nursery World league tables for our Ofsted outcomes. We are climate‑positive, having planted over 2,000 trees, and we have raised over £3.5 million for charity.