Early Years Apprenticeship

Summary

A passionate and supportive team, with focus on child development and outdoor learning, surrounded by huge outdoor spaces, woodlands and three buildings, one for each age group. Set on a working farm with walks regularly down the farm lane and our own woodlands where we run our own Forest School sessions.

Wage

£11,778 to £19,047.60, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Yearly incentive bonus Christmas bonus Performance bonus may lead to wage increase

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Hours

30 hours on a rota basis with one day at college.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

3

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you’ll do at work

We offer a 3 month probationary period where you will find time to settle in. Get to know routines, staff, children and parents and see what Thorne Manor is all about. During this time you will not be used in the child to staff ratios, easing the pressure and helping you to settle in
You will learn the routines we have within the Nursery and Preschool, get to know what child development looks like here, learn duties such as being in the kitchen and learn about the importance of care routines
After the three months, you'll spend time moving in each group every term, seeing how each age group is different and the role each member of staff plays in their development
It will be after this time that we start to discuss a permanent room, key children and learning about further skills such as report writing and SEN
Thorne Manor will support you fully through the Apprenticeship scheme, with focus on staff mental health and wellbeing and working alongside a team of 30 staff with a varied range of experience and qualification, there's so much to learn

Where you’ll work

THORNE FARM
HOLSWORTHY
EX22 7JD

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

PETROC

Your training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Equal to A level

Course contents

Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.

Your training plan

Level 3 Apprenticeship Diploma in Early Years in person, one day a week at Petroc, Barnstaple
First Aid trained
Manual Handling trained
Food hygiene trained
Safeguarding trained
Any further relevant training courses tailored to the role and each age group

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Problem solving skills
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

Outdoor Education

About this company

Thorne Manor Day Nursery and Preschool is an OFSTED registered childcare provider situated on a working farm on the Devon / Cornwall border. We currently have 136 children enrolled across our three buildings (age groups) and employ 30 staff.

http://www.thornemanor.co.uk (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

Early Years Practitioner
Early Years Room Coordinator
SENCO Roles
School Transition Roles
Deputy Manager
Speech and Language Mentor

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: