Early Years Apprenticeship

Cottage Pre-School

LEWES, BN7 1PL

Closes in 27 days (Thursday 28 November at 11:59pm)

Posted on 28 October 2024


Summary

The Cottage Pre School, based in Lewes are recruiting for an Early Years Apprentice. The purpose of the role will be to help support the day to day running of the setting, engaging with children, playing alongside them. You will gain knowledge of the Early Years, understanding the EYFS and how this is implemented within the setting.

Annual wage
£11,830 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

The position is term time only so you will be paid pro rata for 43.6 weeks of the year. Actual salary is £9919 per year.

Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Hours
8:30am - 3:30pm, Monday - Friday (term time only).

35 hours a week

Possible start date

Monday 2 December

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.

What you’ll do at work

  • To engage with children and play alongside them. 
  • To work as part of a team.
  • To support the day to day set up including setting up the room to meet children's needs, and tidying away at the end of the each day.
  • To be willing to learn the basics of the EYFS to support our setting.
  • To help prepare and serve food along with support from manager or other staff.

Where you’ll work

ST MARY'S SOCIAL CENTRE

CHRISTIE ROAD

LEWES

BN7 1PL

Training

An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.

College or training organisation

EAST SUSSEX COLLEGE GROUP

Your training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Equal to GCSE

Course contents
  • Support babies and young children through a range of transitions.e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling
  • Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • Identify risks and hazards in the work setting and during off site visits.relating to both children and staff
  • Demonstrate skills and understanding for the prevention and control of infection, including hand washing, food preparation and hygiene, dealing with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
  • Use equipment, furniture and materials safely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and setting’s requirements.
  • Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
  • Promote health and wellbeing in settings 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, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning/complimentary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty/toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
  • Communicate with all children in ways that will be understood, including verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
  • Use a range of communication methods to exchange information with children and adults.
  • Work with colleagues to identify and plan enabling environments, activities (both indoors and outdoors), play opportunities and educational programmes (both adult led and child initiated) to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
  • Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
  • Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, sharing results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory framework and setting’s requirements.
  • Use learning activities to support early language development.
  • Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
  • Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
  • Support the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing (the graduated approach) of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
  • Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
  • Use feedback, mentoring and/or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
  • Work alongside parents and/or carers and recognise their role in the baby’s/child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
  • Encourage parents and/or carers to take an active role in the baby’s/child’s care, play, learning and development.
  • Demonstrate how to share information with parents/carers about the importance of healthy balanced diets, looking after teeth and being physically active.
  • Support babies and young children through a range of transitions.e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling
  • Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • Identify risks and hazards in the work setting and during off site visits.relating to both children and staff
  • Demonstrate skills and understanding for the prevention and control of infection, including hand washing, food preparation and hygiene, dealing with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
  • Use equipment, furniture and materials safely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and setting’s requirements.
  • Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
  • Promote health and wellbeing in settings 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, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning/complimentary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty/toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
  • Communicate with all children in ways that will be understood, including verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
  • Use a range of communication methods to exchange information with children and adults.
  • Work with colleagues to identify and plan enabling environments, activities (both indoors and outdoors), play opportunities and educational programmes (both adult led and child initiated) to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
  • Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
  • Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, sharing results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory framework and setting’s requirements.
  • Use learning activities to support early language development.
  • Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
  • Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
  • Support the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing (the graduated approach) of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
  • Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
  • Use feedback, mentoring and/or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
  • Work alongside parents and/or carers and recognise their role in the baby’s/child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
  • Encourage parents and/or carers to take an active role in the baby’s/child’s care, play, learning and development.
  • Demonstrate how to share information with parents/carers about the importance of healthy balanced diets, looking after teeth and being physically active.
  • Your training plan

    • As part of the apprenticeship you will complete the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprenticeship standard. You will receive a grade Pass or Distinction on completion.
    • In addition to the apprenticeship standard you will complete Level 1 Functional Skills in maths and English, if you don't have GCSEs grades C/4 or above or equivalent. The delivery will take place in the workplace and the final exams at one of East Sussex College's campuses. You will then be upskilled to level 2.
    • The apprenticeship will be delivered fully in the workplace, and you will have assessor meetings every 4-6 weeks and workplace reviews every 10-12 weeks to monitor your progress. There will also be monthly workshops.
    • The employer will also consider applications from those that want to complete the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship. For those wishing to study at Level 3, you must have a few years’ experience of working in a childcare setting and/or a Level 2 Childcare qualification.

    Requirements

    Desirable qualifications

    GCSE or equivalent in:

    • English (grade 4/C)
    • Maths (grade 4/C)

    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

    • Team working
    • Enjoys working with children

    Other requirements

    Within walking distance of Lewes town centre (Bus route and train station) 25-30 minute walk away. We have a large car park onsite (free). There is a shop within 10 minute walk from the setting and a large park opposite. Everyone is entitled to a 20 minute break each day, and an hour a week to catch up on paperwork. The apprentice will receive 6 hours a week to complete course work within the setting. We are a small team of 6 and use Whatapp to communicate outside of work. We often arrange staff get togethers a couple of times year, usually Christmas and end of year celebrations. This is optional to attend but a great way to get to know each other as staff.

    About this company

    At Cottage we are a charity run setting and take children aged from 2-4 years. We are term time only setting opening 9-3 for the children Monday- Friday. We are a small team and we work from 8:30-3:30 and we all get on well with different skills and experiences that we each bring to the team. We are a pack away setting and operate in a large hall, we also have large outdoor space that is owned by us. We follow the EYFS and ensure the room is set up with all areas in mind using a wide range of resources. We rely on lots of fundraising to support our setting and hold different events throughout the year to support this. We use Tapestry within our setting to share the children’s learning and development with their families. We offer lots of training opportunities to support staffs ongoing development. Work tops and sweatshirts are provided upon starting, you are free to wear comfortable lower half attire as long as it’s smart with no holes, we recommend comfortable trousers like joggers or jeans/ shorts in the summer and comfortable footwear, such as trainers. As a team we are all enthusiastic and love sharing ideas and supporting each other to ensure we provide the best learning and care to all our children.

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

    After this apprenticeship

    • There will be a full time position after the apprenticeship, with opportunities to further career within the setting.

    Ask a question

    The contact for this apprenticeship is:

    EAST SUSSEX COLLEGE GROUP

    Katie Parris

    katie.parris@escg.ac.uk

    030 300 39871

    The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000284412.

    Apply now

    Closes in 27 days (Thursday 28 November at 11:59pm)

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