Early Years Apprenticeship

We are seeking to recruit a Nursery Apprentice to join Babraham Nursery. The successful candidate will study towards an Early Years Practitioner or Educator Apprenticeship (Level 2 or 3) and will gain valuable on the job experience whilst undertaking a variety of nursery assistant duties.

What you'll do

The Apprentice works 4 days in Nursery and has a 7-hour day at college, therefore total working hours per week are either 38.5 or 39 hours depending on the college day.

As an Apprentice at Babraham you will receive excellent benefits, study support and funding, as well as longer term career development and opportunities.

The main daily duties as an Apprentice Early Years Educator include:

• To primarily be responsible with the Senior Nursery Nurse and the staff team for a group of young children
• To be flexible and willing to work with all age groups within the base rooms of the nursery, as required
• To ensure that the child's welfare as an individual and as a member of a group is paramount at all times
• To plan, develop and supervise suitable programmes of activity to cater for the children's educational, social, emotional, recreational and welfare needs, ensuring that each child's individual needs are met at all times, with support from the staff team
• To liaise with the parents / carers about their child
• To have the ability to communicate well and to participate in observing children according to the Early Years Foundation Stage, with support

Training

• Paediatric First Aid
• Basic Child Protection, including other safeguarding topics
• Prevent Duty Training
• Early Years Foundation Stage Training
• Child Development Training
• Cyber Security Training
• GDPR Training
• Health and Safety Training
• Support during the study day as required

After the apprenticeship

• Successful candidates can choose to start a level 2 or level 3 qualification, meaning that once complete they are able to work as a qualified staff member in a nursery
• Those who complete a level 2 are able to progress onto a level 3 to become the higher level Early Years Educator and those individuals who complete a level 3, are also able to move onto a degree level qualification
• They are able to take on further responsibilities and leadership roles within settings should they wish to
• The level 3 provides greater career progression, opening up opportunities to work within hospitals, schools and within the community to support children in varying ways

Skills

• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Physical fitness

Qualifications

• Essential: GCSE, English (grade 3 or D)
• Essential: GCSE, Maths (grade 3 or D)

Things to consider

Early Years Apprentices need to genuinely enjoy the company of children and have an understanding that engaging with children and interacting with them through play is key to the role. Individuals must be enthusiastic and motivated, with the ability to clearly communicate with both children, staff and parents. We provide wonderful opportunities for children and need adults that are eager to learn and that can keep up with our play and learning.

The successful apprentice will need a DBS check and must be prepared to work in all rooms with children up to 5 years of age, and they must be prepared to get messy and spend periods of time outside with the children in all weathers.

Our Apprentices are required to join our monthly staff meetings which is held in the evening. Each year we also hold special events which we ask our staff, including apprentices to attend- time off in lieu is given for completed attendance at these events.

Benefits

• Cycle2work scheme and travel to work schemes
• Onsite, subsidised gym membership and tennis courts

About the employer

Babraham Nursery is a workplace nursery primarily for the use of staff at the Babraham Institute, we also provide spaces for the Babraham Research Campus and the wider community too. The Babraham Institute itself is a charity, which is world-renowned for its research in life sciences that leads to new medicines and treatments for human diseases.

Babraham Nursery has been open since 1990 and are registered to accommodate up to 90 children from six weeks to five years old. Historically we have been rated as outstanding by Ofsted, and continue to be so.

Although we have easy travel links to Cambridge or Haverhill we are located in a quiet corner of Babraham village. Despite employing 40 members of staff we are an extremely supportive and friendly organisation and we are often described as having a warm, friendly atmosphere, whilst parents and staff say that there is a real sense of community. We have a highly qualified, extremely knowledgeable team who would be able to offer an apprentice an excellent opportunity to gain a wealth of experience.

Apprenticeship details

• Course: Early years practitioner (level 2), Education and early years
• Apprenticeship level: Intermediate (level 2)
• Training provider: CAMBRIDGE REGIONAL COLLEGE
• Expected duration: 1 Year 6 Months
• Hours: 38.5 hours a week. Working week: The working hours in nursery for an Apprentice are 8.45am - 5.45pm Monday - Thursday (and 8.45am - 5.15pm on Fridays) The Apprentice works 4 days in Nursery and has a 7-hour day at college.
• Start date: 7 December 2026
• Positions available: 1
• Wage: £16,224 a year