Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard

Please contact a member of TEC Apprenticeships for further details on apprenticeship opportunities at myapprenticeship@grimsby.ac.uk or call 01472 311222.

As an apprentice, you will be working with an employer and earning at the same time as training on the job and studying for a qualification. The duration of this apprenticeship is approximately 18 months. This is a wholly-workbased apprenticeship, with no college attendance.

This occupation is found in a range of maintained and private, voluntary, and independent settings such as full day care, children's centres, pre-schools, reception classes, playgroups, nursery schools, home based provision, hospitals, social care settings, out of school environments, and local authority provision.

The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide high quality early education and care to children. Through an evidence based approach, they provide opportunities and learning experiences for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Early years educators follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by government for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to 5 in both indoor and outdoor environments.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with children, parents, carers, colleagues, and wider multi agency professionals such as health visitors, early help services, social workers, and speech and language therapists. This includes supporting children with SEND.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for ensuring a safe and secure environment for children's learning. They ensure that the learning environment and provision is inclusive and supports all children, and demonstrate a clear understand of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Early years educator's teach and facilitate children's learning play. They apply the observation, assessment, and planning cycle to support progress and children's development. An early years educator will act as the key person for one or more children within their setting.

Apprenticeships are an ideal way to earn and learn, as an Apprentice you are fully employed and will have one of our industry-experienced work-based trainers visiting you in your workplace. As an Apprentice, you will have access to the Institute facilities as well as ongoing support and guidance. In order to do an apprenticeship, you need a job as well as a training provider - you can apply for vacancies by sending your CV to employers to ask if they would be willing to take you on as an Apprentice. If successful, you can then contact us telling us who the employer is and their contact details so we can make the arrangements for you to be assessed and speak to the employer. You can also apply for vacancies at www.apprenticeships.gov.uk. If you complete a Lincs2 application form for an apprenticeship expressing an interest in an apprenticeship, we will contact you to advise you about contacting employers and using the apprenticeship website to look for vacancies. You can email the TEC Apprenticeship team at myapprenticeship@grimsby.ac.uk , or call on 01472 311222.

Apprenticeships are now assessed independently by End-Point-Assessments. You will be booked in for your end point assessment once you have completed the criteria to be entered (this includes completing your Functional Skills requirements). The assessment will include a knowledge test, practical test, and Interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence.

A level 3 apprenticeship typically requires maths and English at GCSE grade 4 or higher.

If you don’t already have maths and English qualifications at grade 4 or above, you’ll have the opportunity to up-skill whilst on-programme. We have our own dedicated maths and English Tutors who will support you to complete Functional Skills qualifications, and can also support you through GCSE re-sits too.

Successful students may progress directly into employment, or onto a higher level apprenticeship.