Course Outline
This course is an apprenticeship, a job with training for new and existing staff employed in an Early Years setting. The course is designed to enable the learner to reach their full potential in their role in their setting by providing them with the technical knowledge, practical experience and wider skills and behaviours needed for their immediate job and future career opportunities.
Early Years Practitioner – Role Profile
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, out of school environments and local authority provision to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by government for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 in both indoor and outdoor environments.
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 Practitioner, 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. Individuals will undergo all checks as per the EYFS requirements to ensure suitability to work with children. Due to the nature and level of responsibility it is not anticipated that the role would have any budgetary or leadership responsibilities.
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. An EYP will also support the observation and assessment of each child and contribute to their learning experiences and assist 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.
Technical overview
Sector
Education – Early Years Support
Funding Options
Apprenticeships must be paid for by the employer. We will manage this.
Qualification Level
2
Course Duration
12 months plus up to 3 months end point assessment
Link to qualification specification
Delivery locations
East Midlands, North West, Yorkshire & the Humber, London, South West.
Delivery Model
Blended – face to face, workbased and online
Typical Work Hours and Off the Job Hours
Typically 30 hours in-work hours per week. 300 off the job hours across the whole course are required to meet the apprenticeship standard and will take place during your contracted working hours. It includes a mix of e-learning, practical training, webinars and face-to-face training sessions.
Further Career Opportunities
Typical job roles include: Nursery Assistant, Early Years Practitioner, Nursery Practitioner, Nursery Nurse, Assistant Childminder, Nanny and Early Years Worker (Institute for Apprentices & Technical Education).
Course Information
This course is designed for a wide range of staff from those newly appointed to those with many years’ experience. The course will be tailored to individual needs and will build on existing experience and knowledge. We will not teach what learners already know, rather we will fill in the gaps and introduce them to know concepts to enable them to reach their full potential in their role.
How is the course delivered and assessed?
The course is delivered through a blended model which means a mix of:
- Online face to face delivery
- Observations of practice in the learners workplace by an Orange Moon tutor
- Mentoring support from your class teacher and other staff
- Self study to complete assignments set by the tutor
- The employer must allocate time for the learner to progress the apprenticeship training. This is roughly 6 hours per week dependent on hours worked. This will be supervised and monitored by the tutor.
Funding eligibility and entry requirements
Must be employed in a eligible setting
Must be aged 16 or over, there is no upper age limit.
British citizen or resident in the UK for at least 3yrs with the right to work
It is preferable that GCSE grade 2/3 has already been achieve in both English and Maths (if 16 to 18yrs, just English for 18+), if not, then to start the course, the learner must achieve an initial assessment of at least Entry Level 3 in both English and Maths.
Course completion
All course work and practical observations as set by the tutors must be completed
To complete, the learner will need to pass an external “end point assessment”
Apprentices without English at level 1 and Maths at Level 1 at the start of the programme must achieve these prior to taking the End Point Assessment if 16-18 yrs old (just English if over 18 yrs). These qualifications will be delivered as part of your apprenticeship programme if required.
The course will be graded pass, merit or distinction
The learner will be awarded the following certificate of completion of the course:
Apprenticeship certificate form the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Qualifications.
Functional Skills in Maths and English if they have not already achieved these at GCSE.
