Our Apprenticeships

Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner

The Early Years Lead Practitioner is a level 5 Apprenticeship which is designed to increase the knowledge, skills and behaviours for people who lead on the operational aspects and are responsible for leading other practitioners within the setting. This includes communication, language, planning and assessment, forest school and physical activity and nutrition. 

The level 5 is ideal for more experienced room leaders, deputy managers, assistant managers, senior practitioners, coordinators, and specialist practitioners.

Commitment

This Apprenticeship is typically 24 months long, with an additional five months for End Point Assessment.

20% of the Apprentice’s time should be spent in paid off the job learning, so an

employer will need to ensure that time is allocated for learning.

Adult Education provides workshops that support the apprentice in gaining the knowledge required to achieve their programme. We also offer clinics where learners can attend for advice and support if they are struggling with their assignments or projects.

Every twelve weeks a formal review will take between the learner, employer and assessor where progress/concerns to date and targets for the next twelve weeks are discussed and agreed.

What the Apprenticeship looks like

The Apprenticeship consists of:

• Functional Skills in Maths and English at Level 2
• Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Learning and Development (Early Years Educator) – Ideally already completed
• Early Years Lead Practitioner standard – which looks at the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours required.

Gateway and End Point Assessment

The employer will need to choose an independent End Point Assessment Organisation, who will complete the Apprenticeship process.

The End Point Assessment has a number of requirements:

• Observation – a 60 minute observation of the opportunities and experiences outlined in the session plan, followed by 30 minutes questioning on the observation and session plan
• Portfolio Based Discussion – a 60 minute structured professional discussion around the showcase portfolio
• Case Study – This real life case study will typically take 12 weeks and will be based on a study the apprentice has done on an individual child or group of children. It must have real benefit to the children or setting. The EPAO must sign off the subject, working title and scope before further work can be completed
• Case Study Report – A 4000 word report must include an in-depth analysis, graphs and figures on the case study. This must be submitted 12 weeks after gateway
• Case Study presentation and questioning – a 20 minute presentation and 20 minute Questioning session based on the case study report

The End Point Assessor will then award a grade.

Contact: tracy.kelly@gloucestershire.gov.uk or call 01452 583000 for more information.