Early Years Practitioner Course Level 2

Unlock your potential in childcare with our Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Training – your first step towards a rewarding career in nurturing young minds!

Course Details Learner Reviews
early years practitioner level 2

APPRENTICESHIPS

Early Years Practitioner

About the course and who is it for?

The Early Years Practitioner works and interacts directly with children on a day-to-day basis supporting the planning of and delivery of activities, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes within the ethos of the setting. The Early Years Practitioner works as part of a professional team ensuring the welfare and care for children under the guidance and supervision of an Early Years Educator, Teacher or other suitably qualified professional the Early Years Workforce.

 

Ideal Candidates

This apprenticeship is ideal for those entering the childcare sector and are eager to build a robust foundation in early years practice. It’s particularly beneficial for individuals working in or aspiring to work in various settings including full day care, children’s centres, pre-schools, reception classes in primary schools, playgroups, nursery schools, and home-based care environments. These settings demand a practitioner well-versed in delivering structured, nurturing care and education tailored to young children’s developmental needs.

Read more
early years level 2 practitioner course

About Our Course:

Apprenticeship Standard

The Early Years Practitioner Level 2 Apprenticeship aims to provide apprentices with the knowledge and understanding of babies and young children from birth to 7 years of age with applied knowledge in the early years, 0-5 age group.

The Early Years Practitioner (L2) focuses on the following key EYFS themes:

Details & Learning:

Apprenticeship Details:

calendar icon  Duration: 14 Months 
coin icon Value: £4000 (Employer Contribution = £200)

Learning & Assessments:

The apprenticeship spans 14 months and includes a comprehensive training model that covers:

  • The core themes of the EYFS, focusing on child development, health and safety, safeguarding, and educational programming.
  • Practical skills through a range of e-learning courses on topics such as GDPR in early years, e-safety, children’s mental health, and more.
  • Regular online teaching sessions and face-to-face observations to ensure a well-rounded development of skills.

Apprentices are expected to engage in a variety of responsibilities that directly contribute to the developmental milestones of children ranging from birth to 7 years. They will:

  • Plan and deliver educational activities and play opportunities.
  • Work within a professional team under the supervision of experienced educators.
  • Maintain accurate records and support children with additional needs.

The End Point Assessment (EPA) process, including timings, methods and outcomes are outlined within the Early Years Practitioner (L2) delivery model.

The Skills Coach and apprentice discuss all EPA requirements during the quarterly review with the employer every 12-weeks; this ensure all parties
are aware and progressing towards these goals.

Once all relevant teaching, learning and assessment activities have been completed, the Sector Specialists and Skills Coach will undertake mock- based activities that will mirror the End-Point Assessment, fully preparing the apprentice for their EPA.

The EPA Organisation will carry out the final independent assessments.
Once EPA arrangement have been confirmed, the Skills Coach will undertake a final Gateway Review with the apprentice and employer to confirm progress through to EPA.

The End-Point Assessment Administrator ensures the apprentice has the correct resources to successfully complete their End Point Assessment.

Upon successful completion, apprentices are well-positioned to advance to higher qualifications like the Early Years Educator (Level 3) and take on more significant roles within the early years environment. This progression not only enhances their capabilities but also opens up further career opportunities and social mobility.

Get Started Today

Intent, Implementation, & Impact

The Early Years Practitioner (L2) apprenticeship develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours of new practitioners to support children in the acquisition of their early learning goals at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The Early Years Practitioner is responsible for looking after babies and children safely whilst supporting their development in the nursery setting.

Practitioners develop their skills to create a learning environment where building relationships supports, enhances, and invites a child’s curiosity and confidence to flourish regardless of background, circumstances or needs.

For a new entrant to childcare, the Early Years Practitioner (L2) qualification provides a building block for progression onto the Early Years Educator (L3) to further enhance their knowledge, skills, and behaviours while at the same time advancing their own career opportunities and social mobility.

The Early Years Practitioner (L2) apprenticeship offers stretch and challenge in developing the relevant new skills that are truly valued by employers; this apprenticeship is enriched through the additional and complementary features which serve to enhance the overall learning experience, these include:

Skills Coaches

Vastly experienced and highly qualified in early years, the Skills Coach consults with the employer and apprentice to ensure achievement milestones and improvement targets are appropriate to the workplace and accelerate learning. The Skills Coach coordinates the apprentices planned

offthejob learning, their attendance at teaching sessions and learning/assessment activities, and preparation for endpoint assessment (EPA),offering IAG & practical support.

The apprenticeship is coordinated and sequenced according to individual apprentice and employer needs. The Skills Coach guides the apprentice through their apprenticeship, helping them to embed their newly acquired knowledge, skills & behaviours in their job.

A range of blended elearning courses for apprentices including GDPR in Early Years, ESafety Safeguarding, Childrens Mental Health, Child Development, Personal & Social Development, Food Allergy Awareness & Nutrition, Introduction to the EYFS, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion.

 

Skills Teachers

Highly experienced experts in the field of early years, Skills Teachers deliver scheduled online masterclass teaching sessions to apprentices via Teams Class.

Skills Teachers sessions are age group specific to the components of the apprenticeship qualification; apprentices form new peer to peer relationships, providing them with invaluable opportunities to share best practice, working alongside other apprentices from differing settings to learn new topics and as a group, share ideas and experiences from across the sector.

The first learning undertaken is the health & safety of babies and young children. This is directly linked to the EYFS and apprenticeship standard.

 

Functional Skills Tutors

Supports the apprentice in developing their numeracy and literacy skills through a range of resources, and tools. These include BKSB which prepares the apprentice through to the achievement of their functional skills tests in English and maths.

The Functional Skills Tutor ensures barriers to learning are overcome, providing support for special educational needs and disabilities.

 

Skills Assessor

The Skills Assessor carries out face to face observations in the nursery setting whilst the apprentice carries out their daytoday duties. Inperson observations are planned in advance by the Skills Coach and provide an opportunity for the apprentice to shine, demonstrating the knowledge, skills and behaviours they have acquired throughout the duration of their apprenticeship.

The Skills Coach liaises directly with the Skills Assessor to obtain feedback towards the apprentices overall their learning goals.

 

Eden’s qualification achievement rates currently stand at 71.7% for apprentices undertaking the Early Years Practitioner (L2), which is +14.4% higher than the national averages for the academic year 22/23.

91 percent figure

Of apprentices’ agree that their Skills Coach is supportive to their apprenticeship progression.

93 percent

Of employers agree that the training received provides value for money.

early years practitioner apprenticeship course level 2

Apprenticeship Timeline

Starting with your pre-enrolment application and initial assessment, we move on to your own personal learning plan, tailored to your specific situation. Please download our Early Years Practitioner Level 2 Course Timeline for a full view. 

Download

See What our Students say….

early years educator level 3 course review image

Lucie Entwistle
17 March 2023

See on Trustpilot

Annie Downing – Amazing Tutor

I have recently completed my Level 2 Early Years Practitioner course with Eden Training and I couldn’t recommend them enough. My tutor Annie was so helpful and always there to answer and questions and help me whenever I was struggling with something. All the learning session that I attended were held very professionally and the information given was useful to my current job role.

Thank you to everyone at Eden who has helped me.

Trustpilot review teaching apprenticeships

Our trustpilot reviews speak for themselves! We’re currently rated at  4.9/5 by our previous students. Contact us below to see how Eden training solutions can help you take the next step to a fulfilling career.

FAQ – Answering your Questions

At Eden Training Solutions, we understand that becoming an Early Years Practitioner can be a complex and confusing process, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. 

Additionally, we have a full guide to becoming an Early Years Practitioner available on our website, which covers everything from the qualifications you need to the skills required to succeed in the field. 

So if you’re looking to start your journey towards becoming an Early Years Practitioner, get in touch with us today and let us help you achieve your goals.

An early years practitioner is a professional who works in the childcare industry, providing care and education to children aged 0-5. They may work in a variety of settings, including nurseries, preschools, and childminding services.

A good early years practitioner should be passionate about working with children, patient, and able to communicate effectively with both children and parents. They should also have a good understanding of child development, be able to create engaging and stimulating learning environments, and be committed to providing high-quality care and support.

The average salary for an early years practitioner in the UK is around £18,000 – £20,000 per year. However, this can vary depending on factors such as experience, qualifications, and location. The more qualifications you have, the more early years practitioner jobs will be available to you.

One of the key skills of an early years practitioner is a deep understanding of child development, including physical, emotional, and educational development. They should be able to create engaging and stimulating learning environments that promote holistic development and be committed to providing high-quality care and support.

As mentioned, a good early years practitioner must be patient and able to communicate effectively with both children and parents. They should also be passionate about working with children and have the required childcare qualifications and numeracy qualifications as well as a relevant level of education. Additionally, they should be aware of the statutory requirements and legal requirements such as the staff to child ratio and the educational programmes which best suit the children’s age and learning levels.

To keep up with the professional development opportunities, reflective practice is essential, which includes the core development requirements for children such as language development, and brain development. Advancing in the career path from nursery nurse to nursery managers and preschool assistant also requires continuous learning and acquiring such new skills. You can read more on this below.

Impact and Benefits:

 

For the Employer

Choosing Eden as your training provider brings tailored curriculum, skilled coaches, and comprehensive solutions, leading to improved productivity, employee satisfaction, reduced turnover, and higher profit margins.

 

For the Employee

Eden’s high-quality training, knowledgeable coaches, and industry recognition provide the skills and confidence for increased productivity, career progression, and positive impact in the workplace.

positive impact of apprenticeships with eden training solutions

92%

of apprentices felt their apprenticeship had a positive impact on their career

improved productivity with eden training solutions

9/10

managers say that training has improved service quality as well as improving productivity

learners achieve promotions with eden training solutions

74%

of learners have gone on to achieve promotion in their current role

managers would recommend to other managers

8/10

managers would recommend training and development to other managers

Childcare Courses & Early Years Apprenticeships

See our range of childcare courses below and be sure to get in touch if you have any questions.

Early Years
Practitioner

Level 2

Early Years
Educator

Level 3

Teaching
Assistant

Level 3

Early Years
Lead Practitioner

Level 5

Eden's Short Courses

All our short courses are FREE with every apprenticeship. 

Child's Developing Mind Course

SENCo

Apply or Get in Touch Today.

We're always here to help. You can also use our live chat on the bottom right of the page.