Level 2 Early Years Practitioner
Apprenticeship

We have developed a blended teaching and learning model which works for EYFS professionals and their school or nursery.

Scheduled release time:

• 2-3 hours every fortnight for live online learning with an experienced teacher.

Flexible release time:

• Learners will have access to our self-paced online learning platform full of resources, activities, research and ideas.
• They will also complete practical projects that can be carried out in a classroom environment and will be of direct benefit to young children in your setting.
• learners will also need to have release time for regular progress reviews with their ESF tutor and school/nursery mentor to set new targets and celebrate success. These are short sessions that will take place every 12 weeks (as a minimum).
• Our SEND Masterclasses are 2-3 hour live online sessions held every six weeks during term time. Attendance is optional and recordings are also available in the learning library.

If you pay the Growth and Skills levy, determine who controls the funds, how much you can access, and the steps to get it. Speak to your bursar, business manager, or finance team. 

If you do not pay the Growth and Skills levy then the Government will fund 95% of the apprenticeship and your employer will need to commit to paying 5% of the fee. ESF should be able to support your school or nursery to reclaim this 5% via a process known as Levy Transfer.

Larger organisations can support nurseries or schools, by making up to 50% of their annual levy funds available to eligible employers who need financial assistance with apprenticeships. We can provide more information if you are interested in pursuing this route.

• You’ll need to provide a formal employment contract covering the duration of the apprenticeship.
• An apprentice must be paid at least the minimum apprenticeship wage in their first year of learning.
• Apprentices aged 19+ must be paid at least the minimum wage for their age group in their second year of learning.
• You must assign a school or nursery mentor who will participate in termly progress reviews and complete a final “Employer Review” assessing the apprentice’s professional behaviours. Apprentices will gain experience through hands-on tasks and research projects, with much of this learning occurring in the classroom.
• Mentors will need to support the end-point assessment process by attending a “gateway meeting” and assisting with planning the assessment day, which typically takes only a few hours. They will also need to help out with observations.

Off-the-Job-Training (OTJT) is an essential part of an apprentice’s development. It is dedicated time, during normal working hours, in which apprentices can focus on learning and applying new skills.

This protected time is required for apprentices to engage fully with their learning and development activities. All of the required learning, live workshops and projects completed during the programme count towards Off-the-Job time. Our apprenticeship tutors will signpost opportunities which count as Off-the-Job Training and during the enrolment meeting we can discuss how this can work alongside busy job roles.

Ideally a mentor for Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprentice would hold a higher level of qualification than the apprentice; this could be a manager, deputy, room leader, class teacher or HLTA.