Early years educators, and other job roles such as nursery nurses 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 within a range of settings including full day care, children’s centres, preschools, reception classes and in a home setting as childminders.
They may be working on their own or supervising others to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements set by the Government for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to 5 years old.
Topics include: Understanding the expected patterns of children’s development from birth to 5 years, an understanding of further development from age 5 to 7 to the importance of undertaking continued professional development to improve your own skills and early years practice, understand a wealth of knowledge, behaviours and skills for early years settings.
An apprentice who has completed the Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard, has the ability to move into a multitude of career pathways afterwards. These include studying higher education in Early Years, Youthwork and Playwork to options in specialist roles like Special Education Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO), Safeguarding and Physical Activity and Nutrition Coordinator (PANCO).
A minimum of 4 GCSEs at grades 9-4 including English and maths, and ability to work at least 30 hours a week
Telford College works with the employer to create a specific development plan to meet the apprenticeship standards, which the apprentice is expected to work towards.
Whilst working to the plan in the workplace the apprentice will track the journey mapping to the require standards showing valuable knowledge, skills and practical experience gained.
Alongside an off the job record highlighting all the learning that has taken place (a minimum of 20% of the duration of the apprenticeship).
Apprentices are supported by assessment in the workplace and with regular reviews between the employer, tutor and apprentice to discuss progress and
achievements.
Formative assessment of skills, knowledge and behaviours is required in the delivery of the standard and this will be outlined in the assessment plan. Mathematics and English are required at Level 2, if not already previously achieved.
When the apprenticeship standard, off the job learning hours are complete and either the apprentice has completed the Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) and the Level 3 Diploma for the Children’s
Workforce (or equivalent), the apprentices move to gateway.
The end point assessment consists of a 60-minute multiple choice knowledge test and a professional discussion based around the portfolio of evidence that has been created whilst the apprentice has
undertaken their learning and training and will last 90 minutes.
