Childcare Apprenticeship

Overview

Join Childbase Partnership as an Early Years Apprentice.

Location:

Hampstead Gate Day Nursery, Milton Keynes (MK13 8RD
).

Contract:

37.5 hours/week, 52 weeks/year. Working pattern:
Varied shifts Monday–Friday between 07:30–18:30. Start date window: 12th March – 17th April 2026. Salary: £7.57 per hour to start, rising to £12.24 per hour after six months in post.

We’ve been delivering childcare excellence since 1989. Our ethos is: we all belong, we all matter, and we all contribute. We believe in careers, not jobs, supporting one another to grow and succeed.

• Care for babies and young children under the age of five in a nursery setting.
• Plan and implement high-quality, engaging activities linked to the early years curriculum; observe, assess and record children’s progress.
• Ensure every child feels safe, valued, and happy; promote well-being and meet individual needs while following policies and procedures.
• Manage time effectively, using off-the-job learning time within the working week and completing coursework by deadlines set by the Trainer/Assessor.
• Collaborate with others as part of a team and build positive relationships with children, parents and colleagues.

• A blend of practical experience and underpinning theory:
  Based at the nursery with regular guidance from a Trainer/Assessor; group training sessions at the Edu Base academy in Newport Pagnell (usually every 6–8 weeks).
• Qualification options:
  Level 2 Early Years Practitioner or Level 3 Early Years Educator, with an online initial assessment to determine the most suitable level.
• Functional skills:
  English and/or maths qualifications if required, in line with apprenticeship rules and EYFS requirements.
• Paediatric first aid qualification:
  Certificate valid for three years and delivered at the academy.

• Right to Work in the UK and National Insurance Number documentation; ideally, photographic  (passport or driving licence).
• Access to a computer to undertake initial online assessment and ongoing coursework submission.
• Resident in the UK for the last three years; able to travel to Newport Pagnell for group training sessions; travel costs covered.
• Commutable distance to the nursery; visa sponsorship is not available. Safer recruitment checks apply, including a DBS check.
• Inclusive employer; we welcome applicants 16+ (government apprenticeship rules). We strive to deliver fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement (FREDIE).

• We are employee-owned and partners with a voice; annual tax-free dividend is shared when we do well.
• We are top-ranked in Nursery World league tables for Ofsted outcomes.
• We are community-driven, having raised over £3.5 million for charity.
• We are environmentally responsible, with Green Flag awards and 100% renewable energy in our nurseries.
• We are invested in development and have Edu Base as a trusted provider in the sector.

Applicants must reside within a commutable distance of the nursery and hold suitable Right to Work in the UK; visa sponsorship is not available.