Course Overview
The Early Years Lead Practitioner apprenticeship is ideal if you are a room leader, deputy manager, assistant manager, senior practitioner, play leader or early years coordinator and aspire to be a leader within an early years setting.Early Years practitioners work in a range of settings such as day nurseries, playgroups, nursery schools, pre-schools, kindergartens, primary schools, hospitals, social care settings, out of school environments and local authority provision. As a Lead Practitioner you will be an effective role model to other staff, support the quality of learning and development, support others to develop their own practice and lead on operational aspects of your settings provision, adapting to individual needs to provide an inclusive and holistic environment.
What will I learn?
You will learn a range of core knowledge, skills and behaviours including:
- Promoting the health and well-being of a all children, self-regulation and resilience through learning rich environments, opportunities for challenging play and a healthy attitude towards risk taking
- Providing purposeful play opportunities to facilitate and extend deep level learning
- Participate and lead daily routines and practice
- Being an effective key person and advocate for the child, supporting the child’s developmental, emotional and daily needs within a secure and caring relationship
- To take the lead and provide support in best practice in the use of observation, assessments and planning to meet children’s needs and extend their holistic development
- Promote, demonstrate and facilitate a clear understanding of diversity and equality to support all children
- Ensure full compliance with all safeguarding legislation, policies and strategies
- Demonstrate leaderful practice through the effective use of resources and practitioners keeping the child’s voice and needs central to practice
- Action research to contribute to the pedagogical approach of the setting and be accountable for day to day practice, longer term planning, management and training
- Establish engaging, inclusive and collaborative relationships with parents and carers and participate in multiagency meetings
- Commit to becoming a reflective practitioner and support others to reflect on their practice too
- Initiate continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities both personally and within your team
- Ensure compliance with all Health and Safety legislation, policies and strategies at a national, local and setting based level
- Maintain effective administrative systems including development records, assessment, report writing and record keeping, such as risk assessments and safeguarding concerns
- Work in collaborative partnership with parents and carers in the planning, implementation and review of strategies in place to support children’s experience, holistic development, learning and progress
- Lead and manage across the area, aspect or environment for which they are responsible for
Study, Assessment and Qualifications
Delivered in the workplace and/or remotely, with a visit from your tutor every 4-6 weeks. There is no WCUC attendance for this apprenticeship.
As part of the apprenticeship programme, you’ll need to record a minimum of 6 hours per week ‘off-the-job’ training time. This can include work shadowing, training, workshops, online learning, tutor sessions, revision, webinars, industry visits – anything that supports your learning on the apprenticeship and supported by your dedicated assessor.
This programme is assessed using a range of methods including direct observations in the workplace and written assignments. This will contribute to your EPA which will also consist of an observation of practice with questions, professional discussion, case study report and presentation with questions.
On successful completion of the Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5 Apprenticeship you will hold the qualification of the Apprenticeship Standard.
Entry Requirements
You must have a recognised Level 3 Early Years qualification and at least 2 years of early years practice. If you do not hold maths & English L2 or grades 4 (C), you will need to complete these prior to Gateway.
You must have secured a position with an employer and be ready to start working with them before you can begin your apprenticeship course.
If you already have an employer and they have agreed to put you through an apprenticeship, contact the Apprenticeship team and we'll get you started. Email apprenticeships@wiltshire.ac.uk or call 0845 345 2235.
Additional Costs and Information
This apprenticeship lasts 24 months plus 3 months for the End Point Assessment (EPA) and can begin as and when needed.
