Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner
Level 5 is beneficial for those who are currently working as senior practitioners, deputies and managers of childcare settings. This course is ideal if you want to develop and enhance your practical leadership, management knowledge and skills.
*Government funding available. Complete the form to see if you qualify.
The Level 5 course is particularly beneficial for senior practitioners, deputies, and managers in childcare settings. It is designed for those looking to develop and enhance their practical leadership and management knowledge and skills.
*Government funding available. Complete the form to check eligibility.
Impact of the Course on Future Prospects
Upon completion of the Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner course, participants will gain an enhanced set of early years practitioner skills and a deeper understanding of the sector. This nationally recognised apprenticeship will strengthen a CV and support further career advancement.
Is This Course For Me?
If you are currently in a senior role, reporting directly to the head of the setting and responsible for supporting the quality of learning and development, and also lead on the operational aspects of the setting, then this course will be ideal for you. You will be a proactive practitioner, working directly with children, and skilfully leading the day-to-day practice at an operational level. You will also be an effective role model of play-based learning, and actively encourage your team to develop their own skills and qualifications.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is well-suited for those in senior roles who report directly to the head of a setting and are responsible for overseeing the quality of learning and development while managing operational aspects. Ideal candidates are proactive practitioners who work directly with children and lead day-to-day practices at an operational level. The course is also beneficial for those who serve as role models for play-based learning and actively encourage team members to enhance their skills and qualifications.
About The Course
How do I achieve the qualification?
The course is made up of 16 mandatory 'occupational duties' - all of which much be achieved to pass this course. You will find details of the duties below.
During the course, you will learn how to develop high quality childcare environments that are continuously evaluated. You will lead on the operational aspects of your setting and will be responsible for leading other practitioners on aspects and environments such as Communication and Language, Planning and Assessment, Forest School, Physical Activity and
Nutrition.
Do I need to attend classes?
Great news - there are no classes to attend at a college, but you will be required to attend master classes using the virtual classroom access we provide, plus face-to-face teaching and learning sessions, where applicable.
You will have regular contact with your Parenta tutor either remotely or face-to-face to observe you at work and check you’re fulfilling the course requirements. Your tutor will set you course work to complete on OneFile our e-learning platform and will agree submission timings with you. It is important that you meet your submission deadlines to ensure you complete your qualification on time.
How long will the course take me to complete?
As you will have discovered in any previous apprenticeships and as with anything worthwhile, this course will require you to dedicate some of your own time to it. The average duration of the course will be 25 months in total, if you are working full time, but afterwards you will have the fantastic feeling of being a professionally recognised Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner and an accomplished senior member of the team.
You will be assigned your own tutor to support you throughout your qualification, however you may be required to do some independent learning.
The course is made up of 2 parts, as follows:
Main part of the course – 20 months.
The occupational duties are based around your skills, knowledge and behaviours which you develop throughout your apprenticeship. Complete Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner, English and maths Functional Skills (Level 2).
Part 2 is in 2 sections - duration 5 months.
1. Preparation for your End Point Assessment - this is called Gateway. You will be required to upload evidence of your work from your online portfolio.
2. End Point Assessment (EPA) consisting of 3 assessments - an observation with questions; a professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence; and a case study with report and presentation and questioning.
As part of your Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner course, you’ll benefit from phone and email support from your Parenta tutor if there’s anything at all that you need help with.
About The Course
How do I achieve the qualification?
The course is made up of 16 mandatory 'occupational duties' - all of which much be achieved to pass this course. You will find details of the duties below.
During the course, you will learn how to develop high quality childcare environments that are continuously evaluated. You will lead on the operational aspects of your setting and will be responsible for leading other practitioners on aspects and environments such as Communication and Language, Planning and Assessment, Forest School, Physical Activity and
Nutrition.
Do I need to attend classes?
Great news - there are no classes to attend at a college, but you will be required to attend master classes using the virtual classroom access we provide, plus face-to-face teaching and learning sessions, where applicable.
You will have regular contact with your Parenta tutor either remotely or face-to-face to observe you at work and check you’re fulfilling the course requirements. Your tutor will set you course work to complete on OneFile our e-learning platform and will agree submission timings with you. It is important that you meet your submission deadlines to ensure you complete your qualification on time.
How long will the course take me to complete?
As you will have discovered in any previous apprenticeships and as with anything worthwhile, this course will require you to dedicate some of your own time to it. The average duration of the course will be 25 months in total, if you are working full time, but afterwards you will have the fantastic feeling of being a professionally recognised Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner and an accomplished senior member of the team.
You will be assigned your own tutor to support you throughout your qualification, however you may be required to do some independent learning.
The course is made up of 2 parts, as follows:
Main part of the course – 20 months.
The occupational duties are based around your skills, knowledge and behaviours which you develop throughout your apprenticeship. Complete Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner, English and maths Functional Skills (Level 2).
Part 2 is in 2 sections - duration 5 months.
1. Preparation for your End Point Assessment - this is called Gateway. You will be required to upload evidence of your work from your online portfolio.
2. End Point Assessment (EPA) consisting of 3 assessments - an observation with questions; a professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence; and a case study with report and presentation and questioning.
As part of your Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner course, you’ll benefit from phone and email support from your Parenta tutor if there’s anything at all that you need help with.
About The Course
How Is The Qualification Achieved?
The course comprises 16 mandatory 'occupational duties,' all of which must be completed to pass. Details of these duties are provided below.
Throughout the course, participants will learn how to create and maintain high-quality childcare environments that are regularly evaluated. The course also covers leading the operational aspects of a setting and guiding other practitioners in key areas such as Communication and Language, Planning and Assessment, Forest School, Physical Activity, and Nutrition.
Does The Learner Need To Attend Classes?
There are no traditional college classes to attend; instead, participants will join master classes through the provided virtual classroom access. Where applicable, face-to-face teaching and learning sessions will also be arranged.
Regular contact with a tutor will be maintained, either remotely or in person, to observe work practices and ensure that course requirements are being met. Coursework will be assigned through the OneFile e-learning platform, with agreed-upon submission deadlines. Adhering to these deadlines is essential to complete the qualification on time.
How Long Will It Take To Complete The Course?
As with any valuable qualification, this course requires a significant time commitment. The average duration is 23 months for those working full-time. Upon completion, participants will be recognised as a professionally qualified Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner and a key senior member of the team.
Each learner will be assigned a dedicated tutor for support throughout the qualification. However, some independent learning may also be required.
The course is made up of 2 parts, as follows:
Main Course Content – Duration: From 18 months
This section focuses on developing the skills, knowledge, and behaviours required for the role. It includes completing the Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner qualification and achieving English and Maths Functional Skills (Level 2).
Part 2: End Point Assessment Preparation – Duration: 5 months
Preparation for the End Point Assessment (Gateway): Evidence of work from the online portfolio must be uploaded as part of the Gateway process.
End Point Assessment (EPA): Consists of three assessments: an observation with questions, a professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence, and a case study that includes a report, presentation, and questioning.
Participants in the Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner course will receive comprehensive support from a dedicated tutor via phone and email to assist with any questions or challenges encountered during the course.
How will I be assessed?
As with any previous apprenticeships, you will be assessed through a mixture of 'at home' and 'at work' tasks which you must provide evidence for on your online portfolio.
Before this happens, your tutor will talk to you to find out what learning style suits you best and tailor your assessments around it.
How Is It Assessed?
Assessment will involve a combination of 'at home' and 'at work' tasks, for which evidence must be uploaded to an online portfolio. Before assessments begin, a tutor will discuss individual learning styles to tailor the assessment process accordingly.
At Home:
- Writing assignments based on personal experience
- Tasks requiring descriptions or explanations of specific topics
- Reflective exercises on handling past events
At Work:
- Completion of Functional Skills sessions and exams, if applicable, alongside the main knowledge, skills, and behaviours virtual sessions
- Observations of work practices conducted by a tutor
- Professional discussions with a tutor, which can be conducted remotely over the phone
- Work-based tasks to be completed following live sessions
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At home:
- Writing from personal experience
- Assignments asking you to describe/explain something
- Reflections on how you dealt with past events
At work:
- Functional Skills sessions and exams (if applicable) will need to be completed, in addition to your main knowledge, skills and behaviours virtual sessions.
- Observations of your work practice by your tutor
- Professional discussions with your tutor (these can also be done at home over the phone)
- In addition there will be work based tasks to complete following on from live sessions
For more information about the Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner, have a look through our course guide.
