Nursery Apprentice Review

My role involves caring for children and carrying out personal care with them, for example changing their nappies and helping put them to sleep. I help with breakfast, lunch and tea time, serving the food and sitting with them as they eat it. I also carry out activities which I plan for daily, as well as enjoying child initiated activities.

I have developed my communication skills both with the parents, as I provide feedback daily, and the children from ages 0-4. I have learnt teamworking skills, and now fully understand the importance of working effectively within a team to care for the children. I have also developed my patience as I have to remind the children of instructions that I have already told them.

I really enjoy my apprenticeship. I love how I get to work and gain the necessary skills and knowledge daily. I enjoy the support I get from my nursery and how I get to complete independent tasks at my pace. I like how I get to observe what my colleagues do and how they interact with the children and parents, which tells me how I should be interacting with them.

My apprenticeship is organised fairly well. I know that once a month I will have contact with my tutor and she will set me work to complete over the month. However, she doesn't email me in between checking I'm completing the work or asking if I have questions which can make me fall behind. I would also like if I got told what I will be learning every month and send me every PowerPoint she has available.

I receive so much support from my employer. We have regular meetings to see how I'm doing with my apprenticeship and sets me targets, and if she knows I'm behind she will let me leave the room to complete some work. They are very supportive if you have concerns and need time away if you are not feeling 100%.

I have told my tutor that I was behind with my work in the past and she did not offer help but just set me more work. She doesn't email me checking in with how I am doing or send me any PowerPoints with the information on. However, it can be useful having less contact with her as I can complete my work at my own pace.

I am learning information that I can completely relate to my work. I complete courses that on a daily basis I think about and use that information to help me with my job. My qualification has given made me self reflect and tells me how I can improve by giving me criteria to base my reflection off.

We have a book club where colleagues read the same book then discuss it together. We also hold welfare nights, for colleagues to have a meal and relax in the evening, and have Christmas meals. We have summer fun days where colleagues can take their family and have a bbq and play games on the weekend.

Yes

I would 100% recommend footsteps nursery to a friend because of the support you receive from management, the introductory period and the enjoyment from the job. I was slowly given more tasks and responsibilities in a way that was manageable, and they have regular meetings and reviews to ensure you are coping and give you targets to work on.

I would advise you to be confident with all staff members and smile and talk at everyone. Engage with the children show your passion for working with children. If you genuinely love working with children management will be able to tell this. Use your past experience and show good safeguarding knowledge.