Level 3 Apprenticeship in Early Years Educator

An apprenticeship is a great paid work opportunity for people over the age of 16 in England who are:

• early in their career
• looking to upskill in their current job
• looking for a career change
• not in full-time education

Apprenticeships are an exciting paid option for anyone wanting to gain experience, upskill or change career because they offer the chance to earn a wage whilst they work and study.

There are many benefits to completing an apprenticeship:

• experience and skills development
• a nationally recognised qualification (with no tuition fees)
• employee benefits and a wage
• exposure to industry professionals, an apprenticeship is a paid job where the employee learns and gains valuable experiences.
• Alongside on-the-job training, apprentices spend at least 20% of their working hours completing classroom-based learning with a college, university or training provider which leads to a nationally recognised qualification.

An apprenticeship includes:

• paid employment with holiday leave
• hands-on-experience in a sector/role of interest
• at least 20% off-the-job training
• formal assessment which leads to a nationally recognised qualification

• Apprentices will need to be working or applying for a vacancy in an early years care and education setting.
• Apprentices will need to complete a minimum of 6 hours off-the-job training per week whilst undertaking this qualification.
• Apprentices must be in a position to become fully involved in all activities, particularly the observation of children.
• This apprenticeship requires assessment in real working situations.
• Learners should be at least 16 years of age and meet the criteria below:
  • To be working for a minimum of 35 hours a week.
  • Have experience working with key children, observations, activity planning, assessing and reviewing.
  • To work in a setting which would support a visiting assessor assessing your skills in the workplace. You may have to carry out specific tasks set by your assessor.
  • To work with, and be assessed working with, the following 3 children age groups, for a total of 350 flexible hours, a minimum of 25 hours in each age group:- 0 - 1 year, 11 months, 2 - 2 years, 11 months, 3 - 5 years
  • To be in a position to carry out eight hours of study per week to complete the knowledge aspects of the level 3 programme
  • To have the appropriate level of literacy and numeracy - at least level 1.
  • To have regular access to a computer which will allow you to access the online portfolio system - OneFile
  • To be able to surf the internet, send and receive emails with attachments, complete written work using a computer (with Microsoft Word) and be generally IT literate.

Apprenticeship standard

(All components must be completed unless the Apprentice has an exemption)

• Portfolio of evidence
• Skills, knowledge and behaviours within the administration
• Endpoint assessment (detailed below)
• 20% off-the-job training
• Must demonstrate they have the skills in English and Maths up to a level 2

Endpoint Assessment

This Apprenticeship is part of the new standards that have recently come out and now has an endpoint assessment which means the Apprentice needs to complete the following tasks to complete the Apprenticeship. The Apprentice can only take these assessments once the Employer and Training Development Consultant agree they are now competent in the Apprenticeship they are studying, and these End Point Assessments are there to show they are now competent. Your Training and Development Consultant will prepare you for these assessments.

• Multiple choice test online
• Assessment of the portfolio you have been working towards in your Diploma
• Interview with the End Point Assessor based on the portfolio above
• Presentation of work-based project and Q&A

20% Off-the-job Training

Employers are expected to support Apprentices with receiving off-the-job training which needs to be the equivalent of 20% of the expected working hours it will take to complete the Apprenticeship. This can be achieved in many ways and can be delivered by the Employer, training provider or a third party and will depend on what you agree as an employer you want to do.

Here are some of the types of Off-the-job training the Apprentice can have:

• Teaching
• Training on new equipment
• Shadowing or being mentored
• Practical training
• Online learning
• Visiting other departments
• Industry visits
• Simulated exercises
• Assignments

Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator), CACHE.

Level 4 Children Young People and Families Practitioner.

Delivery will be in the workplace with a Training and Development Consultant visiting you every 2-4 weeks and your employer supporting and providing off-the-job training.

The qualification is delivered at the workplace at a time convenient for the employer and learner.

This programme could be fully funded subject to eligibility criteria.

If you wish to pay for this programme the commercial price is £6,000 and you can do it in instalments.

To be eligible for full funding, you must meet the following criteria:

• Must be aged 16 or over
• Must not have previously completed this apprenticeship.
• Must have been living in the EU for the last 3 years
• Must live in England

You may also be eligible for part funding or choose to pay for your course.

You will be advised regarding your funding eligibility by an LLC Recruitment Advisor.

Must be in employment in a related role that allows you to demonstrate the skills for this apprenticeship.