Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner Apprenticeship in Tonbridge at Saplings Rural Day Nursery and Preschool

SalaryCompetitive
Work typeIn person
LocationTonbridge
Job typeApprenticeship Jobs
Closes15 Nov 2026
LevelHigher
Starts16 Nov 2026
Hours40 a week
Duration1 Year 8 Months

Job description

Summary

The Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner (EYLP) Apprenticeship is ideal for proactive, influential practitioners, working directly with children. These highly skilled professionals take an operational lead for the care, learning and development of all young children within their care and lead and support the practice of others.

What you will do at work

  • Providing care: Ensuring children are safe and well, and responding to their needs
  • Supporting learning: Facilitating play and learning opportunities, and developing children’s speech, language, and communication
  • Leading practice: Participating in and leading daily routines, and promoting best practices for observation, assessment, and planning
  • Promoting diversity and equality: Ensuring all children are included and supported
  • Complying with safeguarding: Ensuring the setting complies with all safeguarding legislation, policies, and strategies
  • Reflecting and building on practice: Using professional enquiry and action research to contribute to the setting’s pedagogical approach
  • Leading other practitioners: Supporting others in developing their own practice

Training

  • Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner
  • The programme offers a blended approach including virtual classrooms, webinars, work-based tasks and online assignments
  • Candidates are not required to attend college
  • You will receive one-to-one support and tuition from your apprenticeship tutor, this tutor will make in person visits to you at the nursery, or schedule online meetings every 5-6 weeks 

Requirements and skills

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Administrative skills
  • Number skills
  • Analytical skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Qualifications

  • GCSE English (4) – essential
  • Level 3 Early Years Educator Qualification Level 3 Early Years Educator (Pass) – essential

About this employer

Situated on the outskirts of Hadlow village, Saplings Nursery and Pre-School provides a safe and fun environment for your child to learn and explore.
At saplings, we believe that every child is unique, complex and individual. Through nurture and creative experiences we endeavour to develop each child’s potential, confidence, strength and skills in an educational atmosphere of fun, warmth and safety. We have a holistic approach, surrounding care, education, inspiration and connection. It’s a home away from home and a supportive community for you and your family.
At Saplings, every day as a new opportunity to connect with nature, to grow and to build on children’s natural curiosity that will create a life-long love of learning. Our objective is to be a bridge between the home and school by providing the highest standards of childcare and education for babies, toddlers and pre-school children.
Registered and inspected by Ofsted, we offer sessional care for children aged between 6 months and 5 years of age, as well as Before School and After-School clubs for children of primary school age. We are open 50 weeks of year, from 07:45 till 18:00.

After this apprenticeship

The Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5 is the equivalent to a foundation degree. You could progress to a top-up degree and Early Years Teacher Status.

Things to consider

Safeguarding Statement:

This authority/organisation is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, requiring all staff and volunteers to uphold this commitment.

As part of the safer recruitment, you will require an enhanced DBS. This will be applied for by the employer if successful. 

It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Right to Work & Residency:

Requirements Applicants who are not UK nationals must meet apprenticeship funding eligibility rules, including having lived in the UK or EU for at least 3 consecutive years prior to the start date.

You must hold a valid visa that does not expire within 18 months of your apprenticeship start date. We will require a share code to verify your right to work and study in the UK.

After submitting your application, you will receive a screening form where you can securely provide your share code for eligibility checks.

Employer

Saplings Rural Day Nursery and Preschool

Listed via Find an Apprenticeship

Training provider

Training provider
Best Practice Network
Training course
Early years lead practitioner (level 5)
Working pattern
Full time, Monday to Friday. 4 days working, 1 set day off.  Working Shifts: 3 days working, 7.45am - 6.00pm. 1 day working, 7.45am - 3.15pm.

Published by the employer on Find an apprenticeship, the government vacancy service.

Location

2 COURT LANE
HADLOW
Tonbridge, South East
TN11 0DP
View on map →