Summary
This Level 5 Early Years Lead Apprenticeship offers an exciting opportunity to develop into a Deputy Manager while working in a professional early year setting. You will gain hands‑on leadership experience, support day‑to‑day nursery operations, and help deliver high‑quality care and education for children.
What you will do at work
- Ensure full regulatory compliance
- Deliver outstanding care and education
- Support, develop, and lead nursery staff
- Build positive relationships with parents, carers, and external agencies
- Manage budgets and maintain financial targets
- Lead and manage the nursery team, ensuring company policies and procedures are followed
- Maintain high standards of care, learning, and safeguarding in line with the EYFS
- Oversee planning, assessment, and inclusion practices, including SEND provision
- Ensure children’s safety and staff understanding of safeguarding procedures
- Recruit, induct, train, supervise, and appraise staff to maintain high-quality practice
- Effectively deploy staff and manage staffing, operational, and running costs
- Promote reflective practice, continuous improvement, and staff development
- Build strong partnerships with parents, carers, and external professionals
- Represent and promote the nursery within the local community
- Ensure compliance with health and safety, emergency procedures, and safer recruitment requirements
- Manage complaints, inspections, and all nursery administration, including records and personnel files
- Support disciplinary and grievance processes in partnership with the Franchisee and Head Office
- Undertake additional duties as required by the line manager
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
Requirements and skills
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Administrative skills
- Analytical skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
Qualifications
- Early Years Educator – Level 3 Early Years Educator – Level 3 (Pass) – essential
About this employer
Monkey Puzzle are part of an award-winning nursery group, offering high quality childcare in their specially equipped nursery for children aged three months to five years old. They also offer multi-sports, cooking, sing and sign and Yoga to ensure the children at their nursery have every opportunity to develop holistically. Their onsite chef produces a varied and delicious menu providing nutritious meals for the children and staff. Monkey Puzzle’s Early Years Team excel in teamwork and will deliver an outstanding learning experience to you as well as supporting you to develop your skills through innovative training.
After this apprenticeship
Upon completion of this Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner course, you will be positioned to secure opportunities within senior leadership.
Things to consider
Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Employee benefits
- Holidays – 20 days and 8 bank holidays
- Pro rata Nursery closure during Christmas week
- Birthday Off
- Wellness Support – Employee assistance Programme
- Supportive and close-knit environment