Early Years Educator Apprenticeship – Level 3

Apprenticeships are real jobs – with plenty of hands on experience, a salary and chance to qualify in your chosen profession alongside a robust programme of study with further opportunities to move onto a higher level programme following completion at level 3.

An Early Years Educator (EYE) works as part of a professional team in a range of settings, ensuring the welfare and care of children from 0-5yrs is of high quality. EYEs will supervise any volunteers or Early Years Practitioners (EYP) and will work and interact directly with children on a day-to-day basis. They develop positive relationships, leading on the assessment and planning of appropriate activities and experiences and ensuring all individual needs are supported to enable  children to grow and develop, reaching their full outcomes.

The L3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship is 18 months of learning plus up to a further 3 months for the End Point Assessment.  Prior learning can be considered and may reduce the timescale.  EYE apprentices are supported by an industry trained assessor and teacher as well as a workplace mentor.  TEYE apprentices gain knowledge, skills and behaviours both in the workplace and “off the job”.

The statutory requirement to complete “off the job” hours can be fulfilled in college one day a week or via a blended learning method, subject to your workplace requirement. These sessions include teacher and assessor input. In addition the assessor will visit the workplace to assess practical competencies inline with the skills and behaviours that form part of the EYE apprenticeship standard

Every 10 weeks, the assessor will review progress and set targets in partnership with the apprentice and workplace mentor.  Upon completion of learning (18 months), the portfolio of work is moved to the “Gateway”, which, if accepted, moves to the End Point Assessment stage (EPA).  Full support from the assessor is given throughout the EPA process.

The EPA is made up of two appointments.   A 1 hour 20 mins observation of practice in the workplace followed by a Q&A of  20 mins and a Professional Discussion of 90 mins where at least 10 questions are asked to generate a free flow, two way conversation where the apprentice will demonstrate the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours of the EYE apprenticeship standard.  Both assessments are graded as a Fail, Pass, Merit or Distinction.