nursery apprentice

🔒 Confidential Employer
Posted 21 March 2026
LOCATION
Whalley
TYPE
Full-time
LEVEL
Entry-level
CATEGORY
Education
This employer holds a UK Home Office sponsor license — sponsorship for this specific role is at the employer’s discretion

SKILLS

Childcare Safeguarding Communication Risk Assessment Early Years Education Child Development Observation Patience

FULL DESCRIPTION

nursery apprentice in Whalley

Are you passionate about working with children? If so, you’ll be a perfect addition to our family! We are recruiting for an apprentice nursery practitioner in our Whalley Meadows nursery. As a nursery apprentice, you will observe childcare workers in the nursery as they teach, communicate and play with little ones. At Partou, we are a close-knit community driven by a passion for childcare and a strong commitment to each child’s individual development. Our apprenticeship programme offers a fantastic opportunity to train as an Early Years Practitioner while working towards a professional qualification, allowing you to earn while you learn in a supportive, engaging, and progressive environment. Apprentices take on meaningful responsibilities such as planning and maintaining children’s records, developing an understanding of safeguarding policies, and sharing responsibility for the health, safety, cleanliness, and overall wellbeing of the children.

Responsibilities

  • 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.

Apprenticeship Details

  • You will be working towards the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship standard, which includes:
  • Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
  • Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
  • Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid or Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid
  • Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English (if required), GCSE or equivalent in Maths and English (grade 4) or equivalent
  • Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
  • Communication Skills
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Organisation skills
  • Patience

Benefits

For us at Partou, childcare isn’t just a job, it’s a journey – one where every child leads us in a unique new direction. As part of the Netherlands’ largest childcare group, we have access to world-leading expertise in learning and development, so you can be confident your child will benefit from an experience as unique as they are. Our approach emphasises empathy and child-led learning to build confidence and curiosity so that every child in our care can flourish. You will be supported and mentored by qualified staff, build strong relationships with children, parents, and colleagues, and help plan and deliver activities in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

We offer a competitive hourly wage starting from £12.26 (depending on age and experience), along with a wide range of benefits including genuine career progression opportunities, access to accredited training, a comprehensive pension scheme with employer contributions, 60% childcare discounts across our settings in England, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, high street discounts, a buddy bonus scheme, a paid day off on your birthday, and 24/7 access to health and wellbeing support through a professional counselling helpline, and more.

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