Apprentice Nursery Practitioner in Warrington

Exciting opportunity available for two new apprentices to join Cottontails Day Nursery, working alongside an experienced team. All nurseries are teacher-led, providing high-quality childcare and education for all children.

Wage: £15,808 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

Hours: Between 7.30am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday (38 hours per week)

Duration: 1 year 3 months

Start date: Monday 24 August 2026

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:

• Day-to-day care for the children, including personal care, mealtimes, planning activities and carrying them out daily with the children
• Teaching social, physical and emotional skills
• Safeguarding the children
• Following company policy and procedure, health & safety
• Meeting and speaking to parents & carers, working as part of a team, following routine

Where you'll work: MERCER STREET, BURTONWOOD, WARRINGTON, WA5 4JJ

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

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, including types of abuse such as domestic, neglect, physical, emotional and sexual abuse
• 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, dispose of waste safely and use correct personal protective equipment
• Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following manufacturers’ instructions and provision 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 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, 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, potty/toilet training, skin, teeth and hair care 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 (both verbal and non-verbal)
• Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication and 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 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 statutory and provision 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 care and participation
• Work in ways that value and respect 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 cooperatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and 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

You will complete a minimum of 6 hours of off-the-job training each week, which will take place at Cottontails Day Nursery.

Requirements:

• No previous qualifications are required although the employer can offer a level 3 position for candidates with prior experience or prior L2 Early Years qualification
• The position will be offered subject to satisfactory completion of DBS checks
• References will be required

About this employer: Cottontails employ a first-class, fully qualified and extremely loyal staff who are totally dedicated to their chosen profession and relish the wonderful opportunity to work with the youngest and most precious members of the community on a daily basis. The employer is offering the opportunity for a successful candidate to progress in the job role and lots of continuous professional development available.

Contact: ST HELENS COLLEGE, apenquiry@sthelens.ac.uk, 01744 623521

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000034613.