Early Years Assistant Apprentice

Cheshire College - South & West; Crewe; On-site; GBP 11,000 - 14,000; Part time

Job summary

YMCA Cheshire is offering an Apprentice Early Years Assistant role in Crewe, working 30 hours per week during term time for 40 weeks per year, with a 1-year duration. The role involves hands-on learning alongside experienced staff, supporting a room with children aged 3 months to 5 years and progressing toward a Level 2 qualification.

You will help with planning activities, ensuring safety, and assisting with daily routines while gaining practical experience in early years settings.

Qualifications

• GCSE Maths (or equivalent) is required.
• Level 2 Apprenticeship training in early years will be provided and supported.
• DBS check is required.

Responsibilities

• Support the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader in the day-to-day running of the room for children aged 3 months to 5 years, adhering to policies.
• Assist the team to provide a high-quality, safe and stimulating environment for children's development.
• Assist with planning and delivering learning activities in line with EYFS and act as a keyworker for a group of children.

Skills

Initiative

Health and Safety knowledge

IT Skills

Able to work independently

Time management

Respectful

Supportive of YMCA's values

Education

GCSE Maths (grade 4/C)

Job description

Closes in 9 days (Thursday 29 October 2026 at 11:59pm)

GLO Childcare and Education, part of YMCA Cheshire, is offering an Apprentice Early Years Assistant role, a great opportunity to start a career in early years while working towards a Level 2 qualification.

You'll work alongside the Room Leader and wider team.

Wage

£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

The annual salary is pro rata.

Hours Working days are to be confirmed, with working hours being: 8.30am-3pm. The working weeks are term time only, 40 weeks per year.

30 hours a week

Monday 1 March 2027

Duration

1 year

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Job Purpose

• To support the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader in the day-to-day running of the room for children aged 3 months - 5-year-olds, whilst adhering to YMCA Cheshire policies and procedures.
• Assist the GLO Childcare and Education team in providing a high-quality, safe and stimulating environment in order for children to grow and meet their full potential.
• To comply with all H&S, EYFS and OFSTED legislation and requirements, reporting any compliance concerns to the Room Leader.

Main Tasks

The postholder will:

• Assist GLO Childcare and Education in securing and sustaining OFSTED registration.
• Ensure high-quality, inclusive childcare is continually provided.
• Work alongside other team members to plan and deliver a suitable learning programme in line with the EYFS that offers a wide range of learning experiences, and act as a keyworker for a group of children.
• Be responsible for maintaining effective communication and encouraging and developing a team environment.
• Ensure all daily routines are adhered to.
• Liaise and support parents and carers, ensuring they are well informed of their child's progress.
• Promote cooperative working and networking between GLO Childcare and Education and other areas of YMCA Cheshire's work.
• Have up-to-date knowledge and understanding of Early Years practices and current curricula, attending training courses as appropriate.
• Provide efficient administration, collect required data and maintain appropriate and relevant records as required by regulatory bodies.
• Ensure that risk assessments are completed as necessary for activities, equipment and environment.
• Support staff in order to fulfil their roles.
• Support other apprentices, students and work experience placements.
• Attend regular team meetings.
• Implement all organisational and department policies, these include safeguarding and equality and diversity.
• Work towards and achieve agreed quality assurance schemes.
• Ensure excellent customer service is provided, and queries or complaints are dealt with in line with organisation policy.
• Offer a commitment to work unsociable hours when required.

Where you'll work

GLO Childcare and Education
Frances Wood Building Apollo Campus
Crewe
CW1 5DU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

• Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
• Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
• Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
• Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
• Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
• Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
• Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
• Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
• Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
• Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
• Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
• Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
• Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
• Use learning activities to support early language development.
• Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
• Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
• Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
• Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
• Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
• Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
• Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
• Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
• Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
• Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
• Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
• Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
• Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
• Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
• Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
• Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
• Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
• Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
• Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
• Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
• Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
• Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
• Use learning activities to support early language development.
• Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
• Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
• Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.

In-house training plus the candidate will follow a Level 2 Apprenticeship programme. This training will be structured and delivered by Cheshire College - South & West. If the candidate does not hold GCSE grades A*-C (9-4) or equivalent, they will be required to complete a Level 2 Functional Skill in the relevant subject

Requirements

GCSE in:

• Maths (grade 4/C)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Initiative
• Health and Safety knowledge
• IT Skills
• Able to work independently
• Time management
• Respectful
• Supportive of YMCA's values

Other requirements

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

About this employer

YMCA Cheshire is a charity working to prevent homelessness by responding to local need. We invest in the lives of young people and our community through a range of projects, including accommodation, training and education, family support, children’s work, and three social enterprise schemes.

Potential for other job roles once trained, further training opportunities.

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CHESHIRE COLLEGE - SOUTH & WEST

[e-mail]

The reference code for this apprenticeship isVAC2000058099.