Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

This qualification is designed to prepare students for a rewarding career as Early Years Educators. It equips you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to work professionally with children from birth to five years, while also providing an understanding of child development up to the age of seven.

Successful completion of the course allows you to enter the workforce as a qualified Early Years Educator with a licence to practise, or to progress on to higher education. Prior to starting the apprenticeship, an initial assessment will be carried out to determine the most appropriate level of study for you, ensuring the course meets your individual learning needs and career goals.

This apprenticeship provides the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to become a confident and capable Early Years Educator. By choosing this qualification, you will be prepared for a meaningful and rewarding role working with young children, with the potential to progress into leadership positions in the future.

As an Early Years Educator, you will:

• Plan and supervise both child-initiated and adult-led activities, tailored to each child’s individual needs and interests
• Support children in developing key numeracy and language skills through play-based learning
• Take on key person responsibilities to help ensure every child feels safe, secure, and supported
• Observe children’s development and adapt their learning experiences accordingly
• Meet individual care needs, including feeding, changing nappies, and administering medication
• Work in partnership with colleagues, parents/carers, and other professionals to support each child’s development.

With experience, you may progress to become a manager within an early years setting. All students will undergo the necessary checks in line with EYFS requirements to ensure suitability for working with children.

Throughout this 18-month apprenticeship, you will attend college one day every four weeks, with the remainder of your time spent gaining valuable hands-on experience in the workplace. This structure allows you to apply your learning directly to real-life early years settings.

The course covers a range of essential topics that will enhance your practical skills and deepen your understanding of early years care. You will learn how to:

• Support healthy lifestyles for children through the provision of nutritious food
• Promote children's emotional well-being and development
• Understand and implement safeguarding procedures
• Maintain high standards of health and safety in childcare environments
• Support children's speech, language, and communication development.

This combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience will prepare you to become a confident and competent Early Years Practitioner.

During your apprenticeship you will attend college one day every four weeks, with the other days spent with your employer. As an apprentice you will be allocated a tutor and an assessor, who will come out to visit you onsite.

Completing this course will prepare you for a rewarding career as an Early Years Educator or in related roles such as nursery nurse or childminder. These professionals play a vital role in supporting young children’s learning, development, health, and safety.

You will be equipped to work in a variety of early years settings, including full day care, children’s centres, pre-schools, reception classes, or as a childminder. Depending on the role, you may work independently or supervise others to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, which sets the government standards for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to five years old.

This qualification offers a strong foundation for a meaningful career making a positive impact on children’s lives.

You will be allocated a designated tutor to guide you through your apprenticeship. We have a team of staff dedicated to providing learning support if required, as well as a Wellbeing Team that is on hand to offer guidance, support and help when needed.

Click here for learning support: https://wvr.ac.uk/college-life/learning-support

Warrington & Vale Royal College has a long history of delivering bespoke, high-quality apprenticeships across a wide range of sectors. We take pride in our apprentices and ensure they leave us with the skills they need to forge a career in their chosen industry. We work with all manner of employers to ensure all parties’ interests are met throughout the apprenticeship journey. We also have a dedicated apprenticeship matching service which matches your skills to a suitable apprenticeship employer.

Ideally you will have GCSE English and maths at grade 4/C or above. It would be beneficial if you have completed a level 2 qualification, but this is not essential.

You must hold at least one level 2 functional skills qualification in English or maths and must achieve the other as part of your apprenticeship. An initial assessment will be required to assess your level and individual needs.

You must be working in a job role that will allow you to demonstrate competencies in the workplace.

You may wish to purchase related text books. There may be a charge for you to undertake a First Aid qualification which costs approx. £30.