Childcare Apprenticeship in Gloucester

Ridgemount Cottage Nursery School is a long established, family run nursery in the heart of Brockworth. It offers a warm, nurturing environment for children from babies up to preschool age, with a strong focus on outdoor learning and exploration. The setting includes woodland areas, gardens, and adventure spaces that encourage curiosity, creativity and confidence. Indoors, children benefit from cosy, natural play spaces designed to support a wide range of interests and developmental stages. The nursery embraces community involvement, with regular local visits and family events to help children feel connected to the world around them.

An Early Years Apprentice plays a hands‑on role in supporting the care, learning, and development of young children while working toward their Level 3 Early Years qualification. They help create a warm, nurturing, and engaging environment where children feel safe, valued, and inspired to learn through play. Apprentices assist with daily routines such as mealtimes, personal care, activity setup, and tidying, while gradually taking on more responsibility as their confidence and skills grow. As they progress, they begin to observe children's development, contribute ideas for activities, and support planned learning experiences in line with the EYFS framework. Throughout the apprenticeship, they learn from experienced practitioners, developing strong communication skills, safeguarding awareness, and the ability to build positive relationships with children and families.

Responsibilities

• Support daily routines such as meal preparation, personal care, tidying, and creating a safe, welcoming environment for children.
• Assist in delivering play‑based activities, helping children learn through exploration, creativity, and social interaction.
• Observe and record children's development, sharing insights with senior practitioners to support planning and next steps.
• Build positive relationships with children, families, and the team, demonstrating warm, caring, professional behaviour.
• Follow safeguarding, health & safety, and EYFS guidance, ensuring children's wellbeing is always the top priority.
• Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting.
• 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.
• 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.

Qualifications

• Must already hold Level 2 Early Years Practitioner (grade Pass).
• Must study toward Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Level 3 over 18 months.
• Potential to be offered a full‑time role after successful completion.
• Creative, Initiative, Patience.

Ridgemount Cottage Nursery began its story in 1994, when the doors of a lovingly converted dairy opened to welcome just one child. From those humble beginnings, we’ve blossomed into a vibrant, joyful community full of laughter, discovery, and a touch of delightful messiness! While much has changed over the years, our core values remain the same: to create a warm, nurturing, and playful environment where every child feels safe, encouraged, and free to be their brilliant, unique self.