Early Years Educators, and other job roles such as nursery nurse 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.
They work in a range of settings including full day care, children’s centres, pre schools, reception classes and as childminders. They may either be working on their own or supervising others to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by Government for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old.
Course requirements
- Apprentices without Level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking their end point assessment.
- A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL
- The expected patterns of children’s development from birth to 5 years, and have an understanding of further development from age 5 to 7.
- The significance of attachment and how to promote it effectively.
- A range of underpinning theories and philosophical approaches to how children learn and develop, and their influence on practice.
- How children’s learning and development can be affected by their stage of development and individual circumstances such as moving school, birth of a sibling, family breakdown and adoption and care
- The importance of promoting diversity, equality and inclusion, fully reflecting cultural differences and family circumstances.
- The importance to children’s holistic development of: - speech, language and communication - personal, social and emotional development - physical development
- Systematic synthetic phonics in the teaching of reading, and a range of strategies for developing early literacy and mathematics.
- The potential effects of, and how to prepare and support children through, transitions and significant events in their lives.
- The current early education curriculum requirements such as the Early Years Foundation Stage.
- When a child is in need of 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 through their day to day interactions and observations shared by parents and/ or carers.
- The importance of undertaking continued professional development to improve own skills and early years practice.
- The legal requirements and guidance on health and safety, security, confidentiality of information, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
- Why health and well-being is important for babies and children
- How to respond to accidents, injuries and emergency situations.
- Safeguarding policies and procedures, including child protection, recognise when a child is in danger or at risk of abuse, and know how to act to protect them. Types of abuse include domestic, neglect, physical, emotional and sexual.
- How to prevent and control infection through ways such as handwashing, food hygiene practices and dealing with spillages safely.
- 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
- Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
- Plan and lead activities, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes which include the learning and development areas of current early education curriculum requirements.
- Ensure plans fully reflect the stage of development, individual needs and circumstances of children and providing consistent care and responding quickly to the needs of the child.
- Provide learning experiences, environments and opportunities appropriate to the age, stage and needs of individual and groups of children.
- Encourage children’s participation, ensuring a balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities.
- Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children’s learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
- Support and promote children’s speech, language and communication development.
- Support children’s group learning and socialisation.
- Model and promote positive behaviours expected of children such as turn taking and keep reactions and emotions proportionate.
- Support children to manage their own behaviour in relation to others.
- Plan and provide activities to meet additional needs, working in partnership with parents and/or carers and other professionals, where appropriate.
- Carry out and record observational assessment accurately.
- Identify the needs, interests and stages of development of individual children.
- Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan next steps and shape learning opportunities.
- Discuss children’s progress and plan next stages in their learning with the key person, colleagues, parents and/or carers.
- 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.
- Engage in continuing professional development and reflective practice to improve own skills, practice, and subject knowledge (for example, in English, mathematics, music, history, or modern foreign languages).
- Plan and carry out physical care routines suitable to the age, stage and needs of the child.
- 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 through the day.
- 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.
- Carry out risk assessment and risk management in line with policies and procedures.
- Maintain accurate and coherent records and reports and share information, only when appropriate, to ensure the needs of all children are met, such as emotional, physical, psychological and cultural.
- Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, security, confidentiality of information, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues and other professionals to meet the needs of babies and children and enable them to progress.
- 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.
- Encourage parents and/or carers to take an active role in the child’s play, learning and development.
Assessment Methods
This is a knowledge based course with practical aspects that will need to be demonstrated.
End-Point Assessment
- Knowledge test
- Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio
Progression Routes
Upon the successful completion of this apprenticeship, why not continue to study on one of these courses:
- Early Years Lead Practitioner (level 5)
