Job Introduction

We have an opportunity for you to join us at Childbase Partnership, an employee-owned company, in the role of Apprentice at our Highbury Lodge Day Nursery on 11 Highbury Road, Hitchin, Herts, SG4 9RW.

We are seeking a very special person to join us in this role. Someone who:

• is naturally nurturing, caring and compassionate to others
• has an interest in child development and how children learn
• can be a positive role model to the children in their care
• enjoys contributing within a team environment.

This early years apprenticeship will commence in January 2025and will teach you how to provide outstanding care and education to young children. Your main responsibilities will be to:

• work as part of a team to create and maintain safe and supportive learning environments across the nursery, plan and implement opportunities to enhance children's development, and complete observations linked to the early years curriculum
• interact positively with all nursery users and work in partnership with colleagues and parents to ensure all children's individual needs are met at all times whilst they are in your care
• adhere to nursery routines and policies and to seek guidance from your leadership team as required
• successfully manage your time to ensure you submit your coursework by the deadlines set by your trainer/assessor.

By the end of the apprenticeship, you will gain:

• level 3 Early years educator qualification; there will be an online initial assessment during our screening stage if you don't already hold maths and English at grade 4 or above to ensure a level 3 apprenticeship is suitable for you.
• level 2 functional skills qualifications in maths and English, if you do not already have equivalent qualifications in these subjects at the required level
• a paediatric first aid qualification.
• a permanent contract subject to you successfully gaining your qualification, where after completion you will be appointed as a qualified Nursery Nurse within our partnership.

Our early years apprenticeship offers you:

• a full time role (37.5 hours a week) working with children under 5 in our nursery to gain valuable practical childcare experience
• a varied shift pattern, usually between the hours of 07:15am-18:30pm Monday-Friday
• 'off the job' learning time within your working week which will support your studies
• a childcare trainer/assessor from our in-house Training Academy of Excellence, who will visit you at the nursery on a regular basis to guide and direct you
• 11 group training sessions, with other apprentices from across our partnership, held at our head office in Newport Pagnell - MK16 8NJ

When you join our partnership, you will be greatly rewarded with a range of benefits, which include:

• an hourly pay rate of £6.55. After 6 months in post, your pay rate will increase to £10 per hour.
  If you are aged 21 or over after 12 months in post, your pay rate will increase to £11.44 per hour.
• a 'congratulations' payment of £300 once you have successfully completed the level 3 apprenticeship
• the potential for an annual tax-free dividend payment
• 'recommend a friend' bonuses of £1000 every time you successfully refer someone to join our partnership
• childcare discount from day one; 75% for your children and/or 40% for your grandchildren
• fully-paid enhanced DBS check
• complimentary breakfast, lunch and refreshments when you are at work
• 23 days of annual leave plus bank holidays and there is the option to buy and sell days
• annual conference and awards event, at which individual and team achievements are recognised.

Please note, terms and conditions apply to some of our benefits and financial rewards.

For your application to be considered, at the time you apply you must:

• have documentation to evidence your right to work in the UK
• ideally have photographic ID in the form of either a valid passport or a driving licence (full or provisional)
• have official documentation to evidence of your national insurance number (NI card, HMRC letter or payslip)
• have access to a computer (laptop or PC) to undertake the initial on-line assessment and to submit on-going coursework
• have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years
• be comfortable with travelling to and from the group training sessions in Newport Pagnell. We will endeavour to facilitate a lift for you, however, there may be occasions when you will need to make your own way to and from these sessions. We will pay for the costs of buses and/or trains.

We will need to obtain suitable references and an enhanced DBS check for suitable applicants prior to employment commencing. You will also need to evidence your Right to Work (RTW) in the UK and, if you hold maths and English qualifications you will need to evidence these qualifications too. If your application is successful, our Recruitment and Compliance Team will be there to support you through our onboarding process, every step of the way.

Please note, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early.