Early Years Educator

Early Years Educators, and other job roles such as nursery nurses and childminders, are highly trained professionals who play a key role in ensuring that young children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.

Duties include: working on their own or supervising others to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by the Government for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old.

Who is this for?

Depending on your setting, your title may vary but typical job titles for this apprenticeship include: 

Nursery Nurse and Childminders within a range of settings including full day care, children’s centres, preschools, reception classes and in a home setting as Childminders.

What is covered?

During the programme, you will be taught and assessed on the following knowledge, skills and behaviours.  Teaching is delivered through monthly two-hour-long workshops, supported with regular 1:1 coaching, self-led learning and assessments.

Knowledge

K1: The significance of attachment and how to promote it effectively.

K2: A full range of underpinning philosophical approaches and theories to how children learn and develop. And the influence these have.

K3: Current early education curriculum requirements such as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

K4: Understanding the potential effects of, how to prepare for, and helping children through any transitions and significant events in their lives. 

K5: Expected patterns of children’s development from birth to age 5. And an understanding of development from age 5 to 7.

K6: Prevention and control of infection, through ways such as handwashing, food hygiene, and dealing with spillages safely. 

K7: An understanding of why health and well being are important for babies and children.

K8: The legal guidance and requirements on health and safety, security, safeguarding, promoting the welfare of children and confidentially of information. 

K9: The importance of a child’s holistic development of:

-speech, language and communication.

– personal, social and emotional development.

– physical development.

K10: The importance of promoting diversity, equality and inclusion. Reflecting fully cultural differences and family circumstances.

K11: An understanding of how a child’s learning and development can be affected by, their stage of development and individual circumstances, such as moving school, the birth of a sibling, family breakdown, and adoption and care. 

K12: The range of strategies for developing early literacy and mathematics. And systematic synthetic phonics in the teaching of reading.

K13: Recognition of when a child might need additional support such as, where a child’s progress is less than expected. How to assess within the current early education curriculum framework using a range of assessment techniques such as practitioners observing children. 

K14: The safeguarding policies and procedures, including child protection. To recognise when a child is in danger or at risk of abuse and know how to protect them. Types of abuse include domestic, neglect, physical, emotional, and sexual.

Skills

S1: Plan and carry out suitable physical care routines depending on age, stage and needs of a child.

S2: Identify the needs, interests and stages of development of individual children

S3: Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan next steps and shape learning opportunities. 

S4: Discuss children’s progress and plan the next stages in their learning with the key person, colleagues, parents and/or carers.  

S5:Carry out and record observational assessment accurately.

S6:Maintain accurate and coherent records and reports. Sharing information only when it’s appropriate, to ensure the needs of all children are met. Such as emotional, physical, psychological and cultural. 

S7: Undertake risk assessments and risk management in line with policies and procedures.

S8: Undertake tasks to ensure the prevention and control of infection for example hand washing, food preparation and hygiene, dealing with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste and using correct personal protective equipment.

S9: Communicate effectively in English in writing and verbally. For example, in the recording of administration of medicine, completing children’s observational assessments and communicating with parents and other professionals.

S10:Work co-operatively with colleagues and other professionals to meet the needs of babies and children and enable them to progress.

S11: Work in partnership with parents and/or carers to help them recognise and value the significant contributions they make to the child’s health, well-being, learning and development.

S12: Plan and provide activities to meet additional needs, working in partnership with parents and/or carers and other professionals, where appropriate.

S13: Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.

S14: Promote healthy lifestyles for example by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy and balanced meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day.

S15:Model and promote positive behaviours expected of children such as turn-taking and keeping reactions and emotions proportionate.

S16: Support children’s group learning and socialisation.

S17:Support children to manage their behaviour in relation to others.

S18: Plan and lead activities, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes which include the learning and development areas of current early education curriculum requirements.

S19: Encourage parents and/or carers to take an active role in the child’s play, learning and development.

S20: Support and promote children’s speech, language and communication development.

S21: Engage ineffective strategies to develop and extend children’s learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.

S22: Ensure plans fully reflect the stage of development, individual needs and circumstances of children and provide consistent care and respond quickly to the needs of the child.

S23:Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.

S24: Provide learning experiences, environments and opportunities appropriate to the age, stage and needs of individuals and groups of children.

S25: Analyse and explain how children’s learning and development can be affected by their stage of development and individual circumstances such as the needs of children learning English as an additional language from a variety of cultures

Behaviours

B1: Honesty, Trust and integrity. Building trust by working in a confidential, ethical, and empathetic manner with common sense and professional attitude.

B2: Being team focused, working effectively with colleagues and other professionals to support the learning and development of others through mentoring and sharing of professional expertise and experience.

B3: Acting with Care and Compassion provides the very best childcare to every child every day combined with the ability to professionally challenge poor practice

B4: Display commitment to improving the outcomes for the children through inspiration and child-centred care and education.

B5: Working in a non-discriminatory way, by being aware of differences and ensuring all children have the same access to opportunities to learn, develop and reach their potential.

B6: Taking account of the fundamental British values including democracy, the rule of the law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, within working practice.

Apprentices must complete the Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid. (RQF) or Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid (RQF) Or complete a first aid course delivered by one of the following types of organisations as per the EYFS requirements. Voluntary aid society, member of a trade body with an approval and monitoring system, or acknowledged by the Health and Safety Executive