Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship - Level 2 (Starting between August 2023 and July 2024)

The Early Years Practitioner level 2 enables apprentices 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.

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 and home based provision.

Upon successful completion of this qualification, and a good workplace reference, learners can enter the workforce as a qualified Level 2 Early Years Practitioner or continue to study for a Level 3 Diploma holding Early Years Educator status with a long term plan to study towards a higher education qualification in early years or child development to open up career options in management or early years teaching.

The programme develops key skills including:
• 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.
• Implement support of observation and assessment of each child and contribute to their learning experiences
• Understand how to 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.
• Understand how to 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.

You need at least two GCSEs at grade 4 (C), including English Language and Maths.

All units will be internally assessed using a range of methods. Knowledge based outcomes can be assessed using non–mandatory assessment tasks provided for tutors’ convenience in this specification. Skills based outcomes must be achieved with reference to a real work environment and must include direct observation within the workplace.