Early Years Educator
This apprenticeship equips learners with the skills and knowledge to deliver high-quality early education and care for children from birth to five years old.
Apply nowCourse Overview
Early Years Educators play a vital role in shaping the lives of young children by delivering high-quality education and care. With a strong foundation in evidence-based practice, they create engaging, inclusive learning experiences that nurture every child’s development supporting individual needs, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
These professionals provide a safe, secure, and welcoming environment where all children can thrive. By championing equality, diversity, and inclusion, Early Years Educators ensure that every child feels valued and supported.
Through guided play and thoughtful teaching, they spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and lay the foundations for lifelong learning.
What will you learn?
Duty 1
Support children’s learning and development through applying knowledge of pedagogy and the observation, assessment, and planning cycle.
Duty 2
Develop secure and supportive relationships with children and families as the key person for children in their care, advocating for those children.
Duty 3
Provide respectful and responsive physical and emotional care to children, promoting health and wellbeing.
Duty 4
Work with key individuals in children’s lives (for example parents, families, and carers) to improve all children’s outcomes and wellbeing.
Duty 5
Work in partnership with other organisations and agencies to support children’s learning, development, health and wellbeing.
Duty 6
Support the implementation of change to improve practice.
Duty 7
Initiate and engage in continuous professional development, underpinned by reflective practice.
Duty 8
Ensure compliance with child protection and safeguarding legislation, policies, and procedures.
Duty 9
Work in ways that promote and support equality, diversity, and the inclusion of all children, respecting their social and cultural context.
Duty 10
Ensure compliance with Health and Safety legislation, policies, and procedures.
Duty 11
Use technology to record and update information for example observations, assessments, reports, risk assessments, and safeguarding concerns.
Duty 12
Promote and engage in children’s play. Support all children to create and adapt the environment to reflect their interests and enable their learning and development.
Duty 13
Ensure legal requirements of statutory frameworks are met within policy, procedure, and practice.
Can I apply
for this course?
Minimum GCSE Grade 4/C (or equivalent) in Maths and English.
Progression
Opportunities
All of the courses we offer at SNE are aimed to help progress your continuous professional development.
Progression opportunities include the Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5 and career progression within the sector.
Register your interest
Get in touch with one of our experts now. They live and breathe SNE and will be able to advise you the best route for you or your business.
Apply nowLooking to empower your current staff?
Hiring an Early Years Educator Apprentice to support your business’s needs.
We can work with you to source a suitable applicant for your business or you can up-skill your existing employees. If the Apprentice is under 19 and your business has less than 50 employees, there will be no cost for the training. If they are over 19 and/or your business has over 50 employees then you will contribute 10% towards the cost of the training.
Learner testimonial
"I had an amazing experience training SNE. I gained completely new skills which gave me the confidence to pursue something I’ve wanted to do since leaving school. I’ve always worked in jobs that I was never fully happy in but always stayed put as I felt ‘comfortable’."
Laura - Level 3 Learner
