Apprentice Early Years Practitioner

We are looking for a caring, enthusiastic, and reliable individual to join our nursery. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience supporting children's learning and development while working towards a recognised childcare qualification.

What you will do

• To provide a safe, caring, stimulating educational environment, both indoors and outdoors, at all times.
• To deliver an appropriate play based Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum that enables children to make individual progress.
• To help ensure the preschool nursery meets Ofsted requirements at all times.
• To understand and work to preschool nursery policies and procedures, including how to deal with child protection issues appropriately and how to respond to incidents, accidents, complaints and emergencies.
• To plan activities which ensure each child is working towards the early learning outcomes and provide support where necessary to get them on track towards meeting these targets.
• To be a key person. Ensuring key children's records are properly maintained, observations are carried out regularly and spontaneously where appropriate and progress is being tracked along with the guidelines set out in the ‘EYFS' and ‘Early learning goals'.
• Maintain general records at the setting, e.g. daily attendance register, accident and incident logs, risk assessments.
• To liaise closely with parents/carers, informing them about the nursery and its curriculum, exchanging information about children's progress and encouraging parents' involvement.
• To work in partnership with senior management to update and review the self-evaluation and improvement plan.
• To undertake any other reasonable duties as directed, in accordance with the preschool aims and objectives.

After the apprenticeship

The successful candidate can go onto further training, or into employment.

Skills

• Communication skills
• Organisation skills
• Presentation skills
• Administrative skills
• Creative
• Patience

Qualifications

• Desired: GCSE, English (grade 4)
• Desired: GCSE, Maths (grade 4)

Things to consider

Note: If you do not have the desirable qualifications or work experience, First Rung can assist you with training and work experience opportunities. Please do not contact the employer directly – all enquiries must go through First Rung.

About the employer

Popcorn is a family run Nursery, which opened in 1991 and that has been operating from our current location in Southgate since 1996. We offer a safe environment for children to learn and grow and we promote the development of our children through play based activities and learning. We are located in a woodlands area that provides a fun, safe and exciting environment for the children to play.

Apprenticeship details

• Course: Early years educator (level 3), Education and early years
• Apprenticeship level: Advanced (level 3)
• Training provider: FIRST RUNG LIMITED
• Expected duration: 1 Year 5 Months
• Hours: 35 hours a week. Working week: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
• Start date: 14 December 2026
• Positions available: 1
• Wage: £14,560 a year