Currently delivering this programme with
What will you learn?
Paediatric First Aid (Level 3) provided by FRFA
Facilitated by our sister company First Response First Aid (FRFA), part of the Impact Futures Group.
Level 2 Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
This is an optional add-on that will be delivered by The Childcare Company.
What You’ll Gain As A Learner
Through expert teaching, quality resources and ongoing support from industry professionals, you will gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to support young children in a childcare setting and learn key areas like safeguarding, partnership working and child development. We will support you on your journey to progressing to becoming a rood leader or manager. With nearly 20 years of training expertise and a 99% learner success rate, we are your trusted partner in supporting your career growth and helping you empower young lives.
What You’ll Gain As An Employer
Your success is our priority. We provide expert teaching through quality resources and ongoing support to take your staff to the next level as they begin taking on greater responsibility in their childcare career. With nearly 2 decades of training expertise and a 99% learner success rate, leave the teaching to us as we support the next generation of teaching professionals on their journey to empowering the lives of children and young people.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Level 3 Early Years Educator is a qualified childcare professional who supports children’s learning, development and wellbeing in an early years setting. In this role, you’ll plan activities, observe and assess children’s progress, and help create environments where children can learn through play. You’ll also work closely with colleagues and families to support each child’s development. This apprenticeship prepares you to take on greater responsibility and progress into roles such as room leader or other senior positions within early years education.
This apprenticeship can help you take the next step if you already work in childcare and want to build on your experience while progressing in your career. It is particularly suited to experienced childcare assistants who are ready to take on more responsibility or move into roles such as room leader whilst supporting children’s development, leading activities and improving practice in an early years setting.
The Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship is designed for those who already have some experience working in a childcare or early years setting. Many learners progress onto this programme after completing a Level 2 qualification or working as a childcare assistant. You will need to be employed in a role where you can apply the learning from the programme in practice and commit to completing the full apprenticeship.
You will develop the knowledge and skills needed to support children’s learning and development from birth to age eight, including understanding child development, supporting speech and communication, safeguarding children, and working effectively with families and colleagues. The programme also includes a Level 3 Paediatric First Aid qualification, helping you respond confidently to emergencies in early years settings.
In addition, at Month 6 of the apprenticeship, you may have the option to complete a Level 2 Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This is an optional add-on and will be agreed between you, your employer and the training provider before enrolment. This 12-week programme helps build your understanding of SEND, inclusive practice and relevant legal frameworks, while developing the skills needed to support individuals and promote inclusive environments. Upon completion, you will achieve an accredited Level 2 TQUK qualification in SEND.
Yes. As part of the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship, you will complete a Level 3 Paediatric First Aid course delivered by our sister company, First Response First Aid (FRFA).
This 12-hour course meets Ofsted requirements and equips you with essential first aid skills to confidently respond to emergencies in early years settings. Upon successful completion, you will achieve a Level 3 Paediatric First Aid qualification, which is valid for three years. Annual refresher training is recommended to keep your knowledge and skills up to date.
Off-the-job training is structured learning that takes place during your paid working hours but is separate from your normal day-to-day duties. You’re required to complete a minimum of six hours per week of this training to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for your apprenticeship. Activities can include online learning, workshops, research, mentoring and other development tasks relevant to your role.
You can also use our Learner Enrichment Calendar to help plan and log suitable off-the-job activities that count towards your training hours, giving you a variety of ways to grow your skills throughout the programme.
All off-the-job training hours must be recorded on your e-portfolio system, Aptem, to ensure your progress is tracked throughout your apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship typically lasts 18 months. During this time, you will complete a blend of face-to-face and online learning alongside your job role and will dedicate at least six hours each week to off-the-job training, helping you build new knowledge, skills and behaviours. At the end of the programme, you’ll complete an end-point assessment to highlight your learning.
Once you’ve completed the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship, you can continue to build your skills and progress your career in early years. A natural next step is to advance onto our Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner apprenticeship.
This programme is designed for experienced practitioners who are ready to take on a more senior role, leading practice within a setting, supporting team development and taking on greater responsibility for planning, mentoring and improving outcomes for children. It helps you develop the leadership, knowledge and confidence needed to progress into supervisory and management positions within early years education.
For the learner, there is no cost.
For employers, the cost depends on whether you pay the apprenticeship levy:
- Levy-paying employers: You can use your apprenticeship levy funds to cover the full cost of the programme. These funds are accessed through your digital apprenticeship service account.
- Non-levy employers: The government will fund 95% of the training cost, meaning you only pay the remaining 5%. Based on the £5,000 funding band, this equates to just £250.
This makes apprenticeships a highly cost-effective way to develop your workforce, with the majority of training costs covered through government support.
