At a glance
Course duration
14 Months + assessment
Free for learners - funded via Apprenticeship Levy
Includes
ILM Level 3 Certificate in Effective Coaching
Online learning
and training events
Individual check-ins and progress reviews
Price for this programme: £6,000 £0
This course is fully funded through the Apprenticeship Levy Fund
Who is the apprenticeship for?
The Early Years Coaching, Learning and Development Practitioner Apprenticeship is designed for early years professionals who support the learning, development and performance of others within their setting.
Whether you work in staff development, training, mentoring, coaching or a role focused on supporting colleagues to grow, this programme will help you build the skills to design, deliver and evaluate impactful learning.
You may already support colleagues through inductions, in-room training, mentoring, coaching conversations or reflective practice. This apprenticeship will develop your expertise in learning design, facilitation, coaching and stakeholder engagement, helping you create meaningful development opportunities and demonstrate the impact of learning across your setting.
On completion, you will achieve the Level 3 Learning and Development Practitioner Apprenticeship and the ILM Level 3 Certificate in Effective Coaching. These recognised qualifications strengthen your capability in learning, development and coaching.
This apprenticeship is designed for:
- Early Years Practitioners supporting the development of others
- Room Leaders
- Deputy Managers
- Nursery Managers
- Training Coordinators
- Learning Facilitators
- Apprenticeship or Early Careers Coordinators
- Digital Learning Coordinators
- HR or People Development Administrators
- Coaches or mentors supporting early years staff development
What will you learn?
This programme develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to become an effective Coaching, Learning and Development Practitioner in an early years environment.
It combines learning design, facilitation, coaching practice and workplace application to help learners create impactful development opportunities for colleagues.
Learners will explore how to identify learning needs, design inclusive learning solutions, deliver engaging training, support individual development and evaluate the impact of learning across their nursery, setting or wider early years organisation.
How is the Early Years Coaching, Learning and Development Practitioner Apprenticeship delivered?
The Early Years Coaching, Learning and Development Practitioner Apprenticeship is designed to be flexible and achievable alongside full-time work in an early years setting.
Delivery combines expert-led sessions, tailored support and access to high-quality online resources. You’ll benefit from:
- Monthly online classrooms – Interactive tutor-led sessions covering key learning, development and coaching skills
- Online learning resources - Flexible digital materials and activities to support your progress
- Workplace application activities - Apply your learning through practical projects and real setting-based priorities
- Individual check-ins and progress reviews - Receive guidance, feedback and support throughout your apprenticeship journey
You’ll also have access to a wealth of on-demand tools and activities to support your learning throughout the programme.
Register
Why learning and development matters in early years
Coaching, learning and development are essential in early years settings, helping staff build confidence, improve practice and support positive outcomes for children.
This programme enables early years practitioners to develop the skills to identify development needs, design effective learning opportunities and use coaching to empower others.
Through evidence-informed practice, workplace learning and reflection, learners gain the confidence to strengthen professional development, support consistent practice and create lasting impact across their setting.
What challenges does this programme address?
- Identify staff learning needs and capability gaps
- Design inclusive and engaging learning solutions
- Deliver effective face-to-face, blended and digital learning
- Use coaching to support individual performance and development
- Build productive relationships with managers, colleagues and wider stakeholders
- Evaluate the impact of learning and demonstrate value across the setting
- Adapt to changing organisational, staff and child development needs
- Develop confident, reflective and evidence-informed practitioners
Gain the ILM Level 3 Certificate in Effective Coaching alongside your apprenticeship
Alongside the apprenticeship, you will gain the ILM Level 3 Certificate in Effective Coaching. This well-respected qualification demonstrates your coaching knowledge and skills to a nationally recognised standard.
The ILM certificate adds further credibility and flexibility to your professional profile, showing that your coaching practice meets established benchmarks.
This can enhance your standing within your current setting and open doors to new roles and responsibilities. With the ILM Level 3 Certificate included as part of the programme, you benefit from an additional award without the need for extra coursework or fees—making your achievement even more valuable.
What does the apprenticeship cover?
This apprenticeship blends structured learning with practical workplace application, allowing you to develop your coaching, facilitation and learning and development skills in your own early years setting.
Alongside nationally recognised qualifications, you’ll gain the confidence and experience to progress your career in learning, coaching or people development.
Off-the-Job Learning Activities
Off-the-job training is structured learning that takes place outside of an apprentice’s usual, day-to-day work tasks, but during contracted working hours. It ensures that an apprentice has dedicated time to develop new knowledge, skills, and behaviours relevant to their role. This kind of training must be meaningful, directly linked to the apprenticeship standard and documented so that progress is evident. Learners must complete 348 hours of off-the-job learning to support their development and apply new skills in practice. Activities can include:
Workplace-Focused Learning
Activities are designed around real organisational priorities, allowing learners to apply learning immediately. The programme develops expertise in:
- Learning design
- Facilitation
- Coaching
- Stakeholder management
- Evaluation and impact
- Reflective practice
Progression Opportunities
- Level 5 Learning and Development Consultant Business Partner
- Level 5 Coaching Professional
- People Development or Training Manager roles
- Early Years Training Lead roles
- Nursery or setting leadership roles
- Specialist Learning and Organisational Development positions
Your learning journey
Your apprenticeship combines expert guidance with practical workplace application, you can expect:
- Monthly workshops –Explore key learning and development themes with experienced tutors
- Online learning resources – Access flexible materials and activities to support your progress
- Workplace application– Apply your learning to real organisational priorities and projects
- Progress reviews - Receive regular support and feedback throughout your journey
- Coaching practice - Develop your confidence through practical coaching opportunities
Am I eligible to be an Coaching, Learning and Development Practitioner?
To apply for this course, you must:
- Be in a role supporting, delivering or coordinating learning and development activities
- Have opportunities to work with learners, colleagues or stakeholders to enable workplace projects and coaching practice (6 hours with a maximum of two people)
- Be able to plan, deliver and evaluate learning interventions
- Have opportunities to work collaboratively with managers, HR and wider organisational stakeholders
- Be able to undertake coaching activities with at least two individuals
- Have employer support to complete workplace learning and evidence
Funding
How do I access the funding?
You can fund the Coaching, Learning and Development Practititioner Apprenticeship through your setting's Apprenticeship Levy. Settings can use their apprenticeship service (AS) account to reserve and allocate funding.
If your setting doesn’t yet have an AS account, just let us know – we’ll guide you through the setup process. The Coaching in Education Apprenticeship is fully funded at £4,000 through your Apprenticeship Levy.
For settings that do not pay into the levy or have used up their funds, the government will fund 95% of the cost (£3,750), with your school contributing the remaining 5% (£250).
What is the Apprenticeship Levy?
The levy is paid by large employers with a wage bill of over £3 million. These employers pay 0.5% of their total annual pay bill into the levy. Most state-maintained schools and multi-academy trusts pay into the levy.
The levy is designed to create long term sustainable funding for apprenticeships and to give employers more control to provide their staff with a range of training opportunities.
Apprenticeship funded training is designed for both new and existing staff members.
If your school is not a levy payer or has exhausted its levy funds, the government will pay 95% of tuition fees with your school paying the remaining 5%. Please contact us if you would like more information.
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