Early Years Practitioner L2 Apprenticeship

The successful applicant will play an important role, working with colleagues to support children’s progress. They will be joining a team of knowledgeable, hardworking and motivated practitioners and will support them in ensuring high quality nursery provision.

Wage: £14,144 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age. National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices.

Hours: Monday to Friday, with a day release to college on a Tuesday. Please discuss the working week at interview. 34 hours a week.

Start date: Monday 31 August 2026

Duration: 1 year 3 months

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:

• Have an understanding of how to enable young children to make the very best progress they can, including children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Act as a key person from the Spring Term for children and maintain their records on our electronic assessment system.
• Have the ability to build trust and strong relationships with children, parents and colleagues.
• Be able to work as a member of a team to support children and their families.
• Have knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and contribute to planning the curriculum.
• Have experience of working with children 2-5 years.
• Provide and maintain stimulating learning environments for children both indoors and outdoors.
• Maintain resources and equipment.

Responsibilities:

• Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events, e.g. moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
• Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them.
• Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off-site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
• Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
• Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
• Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
• Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
• Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potting or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
• Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood.
• Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
• Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
• Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
• Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
• Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
• Use learning activities to support early language development.
• Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
• Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
• Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child’s individual plan for their care and participation.
• Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
• Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
• Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
• Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
• Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby or child’s care, play, learning and development.
• Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.

Requirements:

• GCSE in Maths (grade 3)
• Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills:

• Customer care skills
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non-judgemental

Other requirements:

• Please ensure you have researched the role, the location of the school and Shipley College.
• A DBS criminal record check, references and eligibility to work in the UK will be required.
• All applicants will be asked to submit a current CV and attend an information, advice and guidance session at Shipley College.

About this employer:

Here at Strong Close nursery we ensure high quality learning environments both indoors and outdoors with well trained, caring and committed professionals. We know that children’s well-being has a significant impact on their learning and development so happy safe children is our primary aim in order to support children’s learning and progress. Staff observe children regularly in order to inform their planning and ensure that each individual child’s needs are met.

On a successful completion of this apprenticeship the apprentice can progress to Early Years Educator. With additional experience, an Early Years Educator can become the manager of an early years setting.

Contact:

Contact for this apprenticeship is: SHIPLEY COLLEGE 01274327390

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000031768.

Apply now: Closes in 7 days (Friday 12 June 2026) After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.