Approx. duration: 15 months
Start Date: September
Attendance: One day a week at the Ipswich Campus
Entry requirements:
- Individual employers will set their selection criteria for applicants
- Apprentices need to be employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week and have a contract of employment
- Entry into the Apprenticeship is subject to a thorough skills scan assessment to clarify course suitability
- Entry onto the Apprenticeship is subject to 4 GCSEs grades 9-1/A-G including Maths and English or Functional Skills Level 1
- Apprentices aged 16-18 years are subject to the mandatory requirement to study towards and achieve English and Maths Functional Skills at Level 2 where the Apprentice only holds the level 1 qualifications (GCSE grades D-G/3-1)
- Following the updated ESFA Apprenticeship rules, from 11th February 2025. Apprentices who begin their apprenticeship training when aged 19+ will no longer be subject to this mandatory requirement. It is now the decision of the apprentice and their employer at the start of their apprenticeship to choose to study towards a Maths and English qualification
- A DBS check is also required
On-programme learning:
- Early Years Practitioner Standard
- Level 2 Early Years Practitioner
- English and Maths (if required) Level 2
Progression:
Level 3 Early Years Educator Standard.
Course Summary:
An Early Years Practitioner will be responsible for supporting child initiated and adult led activities based around the needs and interests of each individual child. They will be supporting children’s learning through planned, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes and working as part of a team to ensure each child feels safe and secure.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with parents, children, colleagues and wider multi agency professionals and partners such as health visitors, social workers and speech and language therapists.
An Early Years Practitioner will also support the observation and assessment of each child and contribute to their learning experiences. Assisting with the care needs of the individual child such as teeth, skin, hair, feeding, changing nappies and toileting under direction of a more senior member of the team. They will also work in partnerships with other colleagues, parents and/or carers or other professionals, with support from a more senior member of the team, to meet the individual needs of each child. They will also have a responsibility for ensuring that they recognise when a child is in danger and/or at risk of serious harm or abuse and contributing to the health and safety of the children, staff and others on the premises.