Mentoring a colleague through the apprenticeship is one of the best ways to lift quality across your setting.
You help an apprentice grow into a confident lead practitioner, you upskill the team, and you improve outcomes for children. This guide gives you a simple plan that works in real nurseries and pre-schools.
Key takeaways
- Map mentoring to the standard and the EYFS so learning stays practical and relevant.
- Use short cycles. Shadow, try, reflect, refine.
- Build a strong portfolio from everyday practice, not extra paperwork.
- Start preparing for the end-point assessment early and keep a live checklist.
- Signpost progression from level 2 and level 3 to level 5 early years leadership, and make use of the apprenticeship levy.
An into to the course
A lead practitioner works at an operational level. They guide daily practice within their early years setting. They coach others. They model play based learning and secure safeguard decisions. They improve the quality of learning and development for every child.
This apprenticeship is designed for staff working in an early years role who are ready to step into a broader leadership role. It is a recognised level 5 qualification and a strong qualification in early years leadership.
The official standard confirms the skills and knowledge expected, typical duration, and funding band.
The current listing shows a funding band of £9,000 and an average 24‑month course duration, with providers often structuring 18 to 24 months on programme plus an assessment window. See the government listing at Find apprenticeship training.
Levy‑paying employers can fund training and assessment through their account. Non‑levy employers usually pay 5% co‑investment with government covering the rest. Transfers and other options remain available. See the latest policy at Apprenticeship funding.
The standard was revised from August 2025, so it is wise to check updates at Skills England: ST0551 v1.1. Eden’s course is on the lower end at 18 months.
Your mentoring aim is simple. Help your colleague become a calm, proactive and influential practitioner who can lead and manage daily practice and support the team.
Start with the EYFS and your setting’s goals
How do we anchor learning in the EYFS?
Use the early years foundation stage as your base. Link goals to real children. Keep a tight focus on child development, early learning, and the setting’s curriculum. For a refresher, your team can use the Introduction to Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) development course.
Who are we mentoring?
Most apprenticeship programme entrants are already working in an early years role. Many are a room leader, early years coordinator, or senior practitioner.
They need a mentor who keeps things practical and kind. A little humour always helps!
Typical learning rhythm
- Monday: set one goal tied to a KSB and the EYFS.
- Mid‑week: practise in a real session.
- Friday: short reflection. Ask what changed for children’s learning.
Coaching that builds leadership day to day
Use brief, focused mentoring. Tie everything to the child, the curriculum, and the team.
- Language and interaction: model language and communication development strategies.
- Inclusion: plan for individual needs and show how individual learning can be affected by context.
- Curriculum and assessment: track progress and ensure the learner has the skills for planning future learning possibilities.
- Team leadership: rehearse feedback and huddles so your colleague can lead teams well, dealing with different, varied situations.
- Safeguarding: build calm decision making that stands up in reality.
A simple mentoring map
| Focus area | What you do together | What the apprentice captures |
| Key person practice | Co‑observe a handover and improve phrasing for family chats | Script, reflection, parent note |
| Play and pedagogy | Plan a play session. Apprentice leads, you observe | Photo, plan, creates notes on interactions |
| Inclusion | Review two profiles and adapt provisions for individual learning | Plan changes, assess impact on each individual |
| Safeguarding | Run a scenario drill and clarify escalation steps | Scenario log, note actions |
| Team leadership | Apprentice leads a 15‑minute team huddle. You debrief | Agenda, team feedback, and discuss next steps |
| Assessment | Build a simple tracker and moderate samples | Tracker screenshot, moderation notes |
This ensures the early years lead practitioner apprenticeship covers everything the learner needs for their professional development.
Build the portfolio as you go
The work-based training programme works best when evidence grows naturally. No extra binders needed. Just good practice, captured well at the time.
Here’s the tips:
- Label artefacts to the KSBs and EYFS areas.
- Short dated notes beat long essays.
- Show small changes in learning and development over time.
- Include one strong case study on children’s individual learning.
- Log how the apprentice helps to lead and support colleagues.
This approach leaves the learner ready for the end-point assessment.
Prepare early for assessment
What you can do as a mentor
- Rehearse the observation by watching a normal session with agreed focus.
- Practice the professional discussion. Two minutes on each example is plenty.
- Check that the evidence shows an impact on the development of all young children and on the nursery team.
Tip: pair practice with calm feedback. You are building the ability to lead at an operational level.
Coach the core content areas
Child development and pedagogy
Link every decision to individual growth. Use theory in plain language. Observe. Adjust. Encourage learning and thinking through sustained shared thinking. This is the heart of early childhood education.
Inclusion and families
Plan for individual needs. Strengthen relationships with the home learning environment. Encourage early help where required. Keep equality at the centre.
Safeguarding and wellbeing
Normalise everyday safe practice. Talk through thresholds. Practise escalation. The goal is confident action that protects children.
Curriculum, assessment and planning
Use simple tools that teams can stick with. Monitor progress and set progress and planning future learning steps. Tie this to the setting’s pedagogy and the EYFS.
Leading people with kindness
Help your colleague take the lead in short bursts. Practise huddles, supervision chats, and quick coaching. This builds confidence to effectively lead and to lead and manage practice.
Progression and pipeline planning
Create a clear pathway for your team.
- New starters can begin with a level 2 route: Early Years Practitioner Level 2.
- Practitioners can grow via level 3: Early Years Educator Level 3.
- Those ready to lead step into level 5 early years leadership here: Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5.
This pathway makes staff development easier to plan and supports retention across the early years sector.
For modules and support, share our in‑depth guide: Level 5 childcare course: the guide to becoming an Early Years Lead Practitioner.
Practical scripts you can borrow
Coaching a leadership moment
- Before: what does ‘good’ look like for this huddle?
- During: notice strengths. Invite one quiet voice.
- After: one improvement for next time. Link it to skills needed for managing people and team wellbeing.
Coaching a curriculum moment
- Before: which children and which skills and behaviours are you going to monitor?
- During: label sustained shared thinking aloud.
- After: set one step for planning future learning possibilities.
Coaching a safeguarding moment
- Before: walk the playground or classroom. Who does what and when?
- During: rehearse the script for escalating concerns.
- After: log learning and highlight one thing you think you could do better.
Common worries and how to answer them
Will there be too much theory?
Keep it tied to practice. Use short reads. Then try it in the room. Most apprenticeship training is applied, and learning is either on the floor or through short online sessions.
Can we fit this around ratios?
Yes. Use micro‑mentoring. Ten minutes at a time is enough. You can also top up on a 1-2-1 basis or online tutorials model between you both.
Is this right for my colleague?
This apprenticeship is ideal for someone within their early years setting who supports others already. If they can guide routines, influence practice, and think ahead for future learning, they are ready.
Final thought for mentors
Be present. Be curious. Keep it kind. Help your colleague take an operational lead in small, safe steps. Together, you will grow knowledge and skills and raise the quality of learning and development for every child.
