Where Ellie started: low confidence and a tough relationship with learning
When Ellie began her Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprenticeship, her confidence was low. Previous experiences of education had shaped how she viewed learning and those supporting her, and she was reluctant to engage.
Ellie also has additional learning needs (ALN), so a standard approach wasn’t going to be effective.
Building trust first: a personalised early years apprenticeship approach
Who says learning has to start with a textbook? For Ellie, it didn’t.
The priority wasn’t academic content. It was building trust. Her trainer, Jo Dudley, focused on creating a consistent, predictable environment where Ellie could feel comfortable enough to take part. Progress was gradual.
Small steps, real progress
Over time, things began to change. Ellie started to engage for longer and contribute more. Progress wasn’t linear – there were still difficult moments – but trust grew, along with her confidence. As that confidence developed, she became more settled and more involved in her learning.
“The turning point came when Ellie started to genuinely believe she could succeed. Her participation became more consistent, her answers more considered, and she started taking ownership of her own learning.”
– Jo Durnford, Ellie’s trainer at Shoots Training
The result: a double distinction at End-Point Assessment
Ellie achieved a distinction in both her knowledge assessment and a professional discussion as part of her Level 2 Early Years Practitioner End-Point Assessment (EPA).
Why Ellie’s story matters
Ellie’s success reflects more than academic success, brilliant as they are. It’s about the transformation behind them, moving from low confidence and disengagement to a learner who believes in herself and achieves at a high level. It also demonstrates what can happen when training adapts to the individual, rather than expecting the individual to adapt to the system.
That’s what we mean when we say we grow futures. Early years is one of the most important jobs there is, shaping the next generation, and the people who do it deserve training that backs them properly. Personalised, practical, and built around the human being in front of us, not the average one on a spreadsheet.
This approach underpins Shoots’ strong outcomes, including consistently high pass rates of 99 – 100% across our programme. Behind those figures are learners like Ellie, who progress when given the right structure and support.
Ellie’s journey shows that progress doesn’t have to be quick to be meaningful. With the right approach, it happens.
Thinking about a career in early years, or growing your team’s talent?
That’s exactly what we’re here for. Get in touch and let’s grow your future.
