Early Years Apprenticeship Scheme – at any of our Fennies Nurseries

Salary: Up to £27,262 per year

Bonus: Potential to earn a further £1,000 in bonus

4-day or 5-day working week available

Start your career in early years while gaining a recognised qualification.

At Fennies, we believe great childcare starts with great people. You don’t need previous nursery experience to join us – just a genuine passion for working with children and a willingness to learn.

As an Early Years Apprentice, you’ll earn while you learn, gaining hands-on experience in a nursery while working towards your Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification with a leading training provider.

Why join Fennies?

We support our apprentices with great benefits, structured training and clear career progression.

Competitive salary and bonus

Up to £26,190 annual salary

Performance-related bonuses up to £1,000

£500 referral bonus

Childcare discount

Work-life balance

Choice of a 4-day or 5-day working week

20 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year of service (up to 25) plus bank holidays

Wellbeing benefits

BUPA Wellbeing Support

Free daily meals from the Fennies Café

Summer BBQs, Christmas events, company celebrations and Apprentice Week events

Recognition and reward through the Fennies Club long service awards

Career development

Work towards the Level 2 or 3 Early Years Practitioner qualification

Structured apprenticeship programme (typically 12 months)

Dedicated trainer with regular coaching and check ins

Blended learning, including on-the-job training, workshops and online sessions

Support to progress to Level 3 Early Years Educator

Personalised development plans, mentoring and support

About the Role

As an Early Years Apprentice, you’ll work as part of a supportive team while learning the skills needed to become a qualified early years professional.

You will:

Support children aged 0-5 during play, learning activities and daily routines

Help create experiences that encourage curiosity and development

Work alongside experienced educators to keep the nursery safe, organised and welcoming

Build warm relationships with children and their families

Support children’s confidence, independence and wellbeing

Learn how to observe children’s development and contribute to their learning journeys

You’ll gain real experience every day, helping children grow through play, exploration and meaningful interactions.

Your Apprenticeship journey with Fennies

This is a structured training programme designed to set you up for long-term success in early years.

During your apprenticeship, you will:

Learn essential skills in child development, safeguarding and early years practice

Complete off-the-job training (around 6 hours per week) alongside your role

Build a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate your progress

Receive regular support from your trainer and Nursery mentor

Complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) to achieve your qualification

Upon completion, you’ll be a qualified Early Years Practitioner with opportunities to progress at Fennies or the wider early years sector.

What we’re looking for

You don’t need previous nursery experience – we’ll provide the training and support you need.

We’re looking for someone who is:

Friendly, patient and caring

Interested in working with children

A positive team player who enjoys working with others

Reliable and motivated to learn new skills

Ideally you will have Maths and English (Grade 4/C or above) or a willingness to work towards them.

Most importantly, you bring enthusiasm, curiosity and a desire to build a meaningful career.

Who is this role perfect for

An Apprenticeship could be a great fit if you:

Are you starting your career after school or college

Want to earn while gaining a qualification

Are you looking to start a meaningful career

Have experience in care roles and enjoy working with people

Have worked as a teaching assistant, nanny or babysitter

Looking for a career change into childcare/education

Want a role where every day is active, rewarding and different

Want to join a company that is committed to building exceptional places to work.

You don’t need previous nursery experience – we’ll provide the training and support you need to succeed.

Become part of the Fennies DNA

We’re family-owned and family-run; this guides our culture, our decision-making, and what it feels like to be part of our team. We have a strong sense of community, with connections that bring us together and the systems and processes that mean our educators can focus on what they do best. Quality matters to us – starting with our people and curriculum - through to our beautiful buildings and inspiring environments. We’re investing in Fennies, in our teams, and into the education we provide our children. Our People Promise inspires us to build the kind of culture that is ambitious, passionate and supportive. We provide the environment where you can:

Be Yourself

Come Together

Be All In

Go Further

If this sounds like you, or you just want to know more about what it means to be part of the Fennies family, make contact with us today for a chat.

Take your next steps with Fennies

Our friendly Talent Recruitment team are here to answer any questions you may have about Fennies – call us to discuss the role, or if you’re just curious about what it’s like to work at Fennies, let us know, and we’ll be happy to answer any questions. Our Talent Recruitment team can be contacted by:

Phone: 0208 770 3222

By email: recruitment@fennies.com

Or by making an application: https://fennies.com/contact-us

Diversity and Inclusion

At Fennies, we celebrate diversity and believe inclusive teams create stronger learning environments for children. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.

Safeguarding

Fennies is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide proof of identity. In line with Safer Recruitment guidance, online searches (including social media) may be conducted for shortlisted candidates.

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