Nursery Apprentice

Acorn Early Years Foundation

Milton Keynes

On-site

GBP 6,000 - 11,000

Full time

3 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Childcare discount

Family leave

Christmas closure

25 days annual leave

Staff training days

Job summary

Acorn Early Years Foundation is offering an Early Years Apprentice position at Acorn @ Rowans, Milton Keynes. This full-time apprenticeship (36 hours per week) lets you earn while you learn and work towards a Level 2 or Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification.

Join a not-for-profit childcare provider with 35+ years of experience, focusing on nature-based learning and safeguarding. Training, mentoring and development opportunities are provided, with competitive pay scales and staff benefits.

Qualifications

No prior qualification required; training provided.
Right to work in the UK is required.
Enhanced DBS check prior to starting.

Responsibilities

Support children through play-based learning and activities
Be a positive role model for behaviour and engagement
Learn to deliver a holistic early years curriculum
Support children’s progress and development
Observe children and learn planning in the moment
Encourage curiosity through outdoor and messy play
Develop strong communication with children and adults
Learn and apply Acorn values, ethos and practices
Ensure children are safe and well cared for

Skills

Outdoor learning

Creative play

Team player

Child development

Education

Level 2 Early Years Educator

Level 3 Early Years Educator

Job description

Acorn Nursery, Rowans - Fullers Slade
Level 2 or Level 3 Apprenticeship Opportunity

Full time - 36 hours per week

Are you looking to start your career in early years and gain a recognised qualification while working? We are looking for an Early Years Apprentice to join our team at Acorn @ Rowans.

This is a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn, working towards your Level 2 or Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification while gaining hands‑on experience in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Acorn Early Years is a well-established not‑for‑profit childcare provider with over 35 years’ experience, delivering high‑quality early years education across Milton Keynes, Northampton and Bedford.

Our nurseries are built on strong values, including nature‑based learning, child‑centred practice, and professional development, and we are proud to have been recognised as a ‘Top 20 Recommended Nursery Group 2025’ by Day Nurseries.

About Acorn Rowans

Acorn at Rowans is a 50 place day nursery in Fullers Slade, Milton Keynes. Attached to the Rowans Family Centre, weoffer fully funded places for eligible 9 month old, 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

The nursery provides children with a caring, challenging and stimulating environment. Children are supported by a highly qualified and experienced staff team who have ample knowledge and experience of child development and special education needs. All children are assigned a key person which helps children to become familiar with the setting and to feel confident and safe within it.

We are proud to provide a nurture group with a focus on supporting children with language delays and/or challenging behaviour.

The outdoor area is continually evolving and benefits from a large, covered decking area that provides children with shelter and shade throughout the year. The back garden has a fully equipped mud kitchen; there are digging and planting areas for the children to explore a more natural environment. In the front outdoor area, there is a large, covered sandpit and play structure so the children can enjoy outdoor play all year round.

The Acorn room is a bright, colourful room for infants, aged 4 months to 2 and a half years old. The room is set up to help develop and meet all children’s needs and accommodates up to 18 children. The Squirrel and Oak Room aged 2 and a half years - 4-year-olds is a hive of activity that accommodates up to 28 children. Activities are based around children’s interests and their age and stage of development. For the Oaks, we provide age‑appropriate activities and group time to prepare children for their transition to school.

The Squirrels (2 - 3 year olds) and Oaks (3 - 4 year olds) room are joined together, accommodating 28 children in total. Children are supported by members of staff who provide activities that are age and stage appropriate for all children to encourage their overall development, as well as providing age appropriate activities and group time to prepare children from Oaks for their transition to school.

We place a strong emphasis on outdoor learning and the children enjoy play outside in all weathers. Pre‑school children, (Oaks) develop their outdoor learning at regular Forest School sessions, and a variety of imaginative and creative play activities can be enjoyed alongside regular outings and trips.

About the Role

As an Early Years Apprentice, you will:

Work as part of the nursery team while completing your qualification
Learn how to support children’s learning, development and play
Help create a warm, safe and stimulating environment
Build positive relationships with children, parents and colleagues
Gain experience in EYFS practice and safeguarding procedures
Work closely with a mentor to achieve your apprenticeship objectives

What You’ll Be Doing

Supporting children through play‑based learning and activities
Being a positive role model for behaviour and engagement
Learning how to deliver a holistic early years curriculum
Supporting children’s progress and development
Observing children and learning about planning in the moment
Encouraging curiosity through creative, outdoor and messy play
Developing strong communication skills with children and adults
Learning and applying Acorn’s values, ethos and practices
Ensuring children are safe and well cared for at all times

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who:

Is passionate about working with children
Enjoys outdoor learning and creative play
Is enthusiastic, reliable and eager to learn
Can balance work and study commitments
Has a positive, caring and proactive attitude
Wants to develop a long‑term career in early years

(No prior qualification is required — full training will be provided as part of the apprenticeship.)

What We Offer

A recognised Level 2 or Level 3 Early Years qualification
Hands‑on experience in a supportive nursery environment
Ongoing training and development opportunities
Enhanced pension contributions
Four annual nursery closure days dedicated to staff training
The opportunity to work for a not‑for‑profit organisation that puts children first

Equality, Diversity & Safer Recruitment

At Acorn, we are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where everyone feels they belong. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Successful applicants must: