Early years educator apprenticeship, level 3 · Register title: Early years educator (ST0135)
Grow the level 3 educators your setting is built around
The Growth and Skills Levy covers the training and assessment, and we handle the enrolment and the paperwork. Your apprentice learns in your own setting, as a key person, observing and planning for children from birth to five, safeguarding them, and working with their families. They might be a level 2 practitioner ready to step up, or someone new you've taken on.
Apprenticeships from level 2 to level 5
What they'll be able to do
Three milestones, ending ready for assessment
Understand how children learn and develop from birth, apply the EYFS, and keep children safe through safeguarding and risk assessment.
Work as a key person, observe, assess and plan for each child, and work in partnership with families and other agencies.
Support transitions and inclusive practice, reflect on their own development, and be ready for end point assessment.
Their learning journey
Six themes, built around your work
Early years education and child development
How children learn and develop, the EYFS and SEND frameworks, and the role of play.
Safeguarding, health and safety
Child protection, risk assessment, and teaching children to manage risk.
The key person: observation, assessment and reporting
Attachment, and the observation, assessment and planning cycle.
Partnership working and inclusion
Working with parents, colleagues and agencies, and advocating for children with SEND and EAL.
Transitions and inclusive practice
Social development, change and transition, personal care, and emotional environments.
Professional development
Reflective practice, supervision, and preparing for assessment.
Observation and professional discussion
An observation of at least 80 minutes with questions, and a 90-minute professional discussion underpinned by their portfolio. Graded fail, pass, merit or distinction.
Every programme works the same way. They learn it, use it in your organisation, then look back at what they did and why.
Know it
Child development, the EYFS, safeguarding, and how observation drives planning.
Show it
Key person practice, observations that lead to next steps, and real partnership with families.
Live it
Warmth, advocacy, and reflection on their own practice.
Who you could put forward
Someone already with you, or someone new
A level 2 practitioner ready to step up
Amanda Clough moved on from level 2 to this.
Someone new to early years
Ella started this alongside her first nursery job.
A school TA moving into early years
Hannah Robson moved from SEND support into the nursery side.
A parent returning to work
Life experience, ready for a professional career.
You're trusting us with someone from your team. Here's how we look after them.
One trainer-coach from start to finish, who gets to know your setting, the children and your team.
A one-to-one review every month, and a three-way review with you at the end of every theme. Nobody is guessing where they are or what's next.
Learning built around the school day: a blend of on-site visits from their coach and live online sessions, coaching huddles and workshops. No day or block release.
What your organisation gets
Level 3 key people who count in your ratios
Level 3 staff for your ratios
Full and relevant level 3 educators who count in your ratios.
Key people families trust
Observations, next steps and conversations with parents done properly.
Your next room leader
Level 3 leads on to early years lead practitioner, level 5.
Training and assessment are funded from the Growth and Skills Levy you already pay, up to the funding band for this standard. If you don't pay the levy, there's nothing to pay for apprentices under 25, and a 5% contribution for those aged 25 and over.
We check eligibility before you commit to anything. We complete the enrolment, the funding agreement, and the records the rules require, in the format auditors expect.
You get one named account manager, from your first conversation to your last review. If something isn't working, you go to them, and we take it seriously.
Where it leads
The next step, when they're ready
Early years lead practitioner, level 5 ›For educators ready to lead practice and mentor others.
The honest answers
Questions people actually ask
At least 326 hours of off-the-job training across the programme. We convert that into hours per week around their role and agree it in writing before anyone starts. Starts from January 2026 need at least 370.
Paediatric first aid is a required part of this apprenticeship, and must be passed before end point assessment.
New starters from 1 November 2026 follow a revised assessment plan. It still includes an in-person observation in your setting, it's graded pass or distinction, and paediatric first aid is still required. The band stays at £7,000.
Training and assessment are funded from the Growth and Skills Levy, up to £7,000. If you don't pay the levy, there's nothing to pay for apprentices under 25, and a 5% contribution for those aged 25 and over. We'll confirm exactly what applies before you commit.
From 1 October 2026, you may receive up to £2,000 for an apprentice aged 16 to 24, an extra £1,000 if they're 16 to 18, and an extra £3,000 if they've received Universal Credit for more than six months. We'll check what applies to you before you commit.
If they move to a new employer, they can carry on their apprenticeship there. Your funding commitment from the Growth and Skills Levy ends when they leave.
Let's begin
Tell us who you'd like to back.
We'll reply within one working day. You'll know whether this programme fits them, what it costs you, and how quickly they could start. No commitment. And if we're not the right fit, we'll tell you.
Together, let's go