Level 3 – Early Years Educator (Advance Apprenticeship)

Course Outline 

This course is an apprenticeship, a job with training for new and existing staff employed in an Early Years setting. This course will enable you to reach your full potential in your role in your setting by providing you with the knowledge, practical experience and wider skills and behaviours needed for your job and future career opportunities.

Early Years Educator – Role Profile 

Early Years Educators 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 in a range of settings including full day care, children’s centres, pre schools, reception classes and as childminders.

They may either be working on their own or supervising others to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by Government for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5 years old.

An Early Years Educator

• Plans and supervises child initiated and adult led activities which are based around the needs and interests of each individual child

• Supports children to develop numeracy and language skills through games and play

• Has key person responsibility to help ensure each child feels safe and secure

• Observes each child and shapes their learning experience to reflect their observations

• Meets the care needs of the individual child such as feeding, changing nappies and administration of medicine

• Works in partnership with other colleagues, parents and/or carers or other professionals to meet the individual needs of each child

With additional experience, an Early Years Educator can become the manager or deputy manager of an early years setting and progress on to a level 5 apprenticeship.

Individuals will undergo all the checks as per the EYFS requirements to ensure suitability to work with children. (Institute for Apprentices & Technical Education)

Is this course right for you

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 your existing experience and knowledge.

We will not teach you what you already know, rather we will fill in the gaps and introduce you to know concepts to enable you to reach your full potential in your role.

How is the course delivered and assessed?

The course is delivered through a blended model which means a mix of

• Classroom delivery (both face to face and online classrooms)

• Observations of you practice in your school by your assessor

• Mentoring support from your class teacher and other staff

• 1-2-1 support from your class tutor

• Self study to complete assignments set by your tutor

• Your employer must allocate 20% of the total time you are employed to enable you to progress your apprenticeship training. This will be supervised and monitored by your tutor.

Funding eligibility and entry requirements

• Must be employed

• You 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

•  You will be expected to have achieved a relevant level 2 qualification

• It is preferable that you have already achieve GCSE grade 4 / 5 in both English and Maths, if not, then to start the course you must have already achieved Level 1 in both English and Maths.

Course completion

• All course work and practical observations as set by your tutor must be completed

• To complete you will need to pass an external “end point assessment”

• Apprentices without English at level 2 and Maths at Level 2 at the start of the programme must achieve these prior to taking the End Point Assessment. These qualifications will be delivered as part of your apprenticeship programme if required.

• Your course will be graded pass, merit or distinction

You will be awarded the following certificates of completion of the course

• Apprenticeship certificate from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Qualifications.

• Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Learning and Development (Early Years Educator)

• Paediatric first aid

• Functional Skills in Maths and English if you have not already achieved these at GCSE