Overview
WORK AND INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH CHILDREN ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS SUPPORTING THE PLANNING OF AND DELIVERY OF ACTIVITIES.
This occupation is found in a range of private and public settings including; full day care, children’s centres, pre schools, reception classes, playgroups, nursery schools, home based provision, hospitals, social care settings and out of school.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to work and interact directly with children on a day-to-day basis supporting the planning of and delivery of activities, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes within the ethos of the setting. An EYP works as part of a professional team ensuring the welfare and care for children under the guidance and supervision of an Early Years Educator, teacher or other suitably qualified professional the Early Years Workforce.
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. They will be responsible for supporting child initiated and adult led activities based around the needs and interests of each individual child, 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.
Curriculum Delivery
An apprentice will meet the assessor in their workplace to support with the delivery of standards, to review and record the progress, and be coached throughout the apprenticeship. Additional sessions may be required to support Functional Skills, Maths and English, and this can be delivered during one-to-one sessions as well as college classes, depending on the learner’s needs.
It is essential that employers also ensure that apprentices are being mentored in these practices while in the workplace to ensure a satisfactory level of competence and knowledge is achieved prior to End-point Assessment (EPA).
End-point assessment (EPA)
To achieve this apprenticeship standard, the employer, training provider and apprentice will agree when the apprentice has developed all the knowledge, skills and behaviours defined in the apprenticeship standard and clearly evidenced by the on-programme progression review meetings and records. The independent end assessment ensures that all apprentices consistently achieve the industry-set professional standard and can commence at any point once the apprentice is competent after the twelve-month minimum period of learning and development.
Prior to independent end assessment, the Functional Skills English and Maths components of the apprenticeship must be successfully completed.
Typical job roles include: Assistant Childminder, Early Years Practitioner, Nanny and Early Years Worker, Nursery Assistant, Nursery Nurse, Nursery Practitioner.
Occupation duties
- Work in partnership with other colleagues, parents and/or carers or other professionals to meet the individual needs of each child in line with company policies and procedures.
- Use play to support children to understand and encourage healthy life choices.
- Identify issues of safeguarding and child protection, ensuring that the welfare and safety of children is promoted and safeguarded and to report any child protection concerns to the person in charge.
- Carry out self-reflection and use continuous professional development opportunities to improve practice.
- Undertake specific tasks related to the safety and hygiene of the children and the cleanliness of the setting.
- Use their knowledge of child development to work with parents and carers to improve children outcomes and wellbeing, including those with disabilities and additional needs.
- Contribute to the planning and organise activities and children’s individual experiences which will support and extend the children’s learning in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage.
- Communicate and engage with children to support their learning and development.
- Support the collection of accurate and up-to-date records which identify children’s individual needs, abilities and progress and use these as a basis for future planning.
- Support the wellbeing of all children including those with additional needs and disabilities.
Progression
Successful completion of this apprenticeship can lead to the Early Years Educator Level 3 apprenticeship.
Typically 20% off-the-job training
Since the introduction of new style apprenticeships in May 2017, it’s been a requirement that every apprentice spends at least 20% of their time on off-the-job training. The required 20% off-the-job training hours will be calculated via the apprentices contracted hours of work, holiday entitlement and length of programme and will be clearly specified in our commitment statement. This requirement doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect – and doesn’t even mean the apprentice has to be away from their workplace 20% of the time.
Apprentice wages
Every apprentice must be paid a lawful wage for the time they are in work and in off the-job training. The employer must meet the cost of the apprentice’s wages. An employer can only pay the apprenticeship minimum wage from the start of the apprenticeship programme and not before. You can find information on the national minimum wage, the apprenticeship rate, and the definition of an employee on GOV.UK.