Nursery Practitioner
Full-time | Permanent | Monday to Friday
Help every child play, learn and thrive.
Lily’s Nursery and Daycare is a brand-new early years setting in Greenhithe, Kent, caring for children from 6 months to 5 years across three dedicated rooms. We are looking for warm, dedicated Nursery Practitioners to join our founding team. As a key person to your own small group of children, you will be at the centre of their day – their care, their play, their learning and their relationships with home – in a setting that is building its practice around the standards Ofsted expects of an outstanding nursery.
The role – job description
As a Nursery Practitioner you will work as part of a close room team, led by your Room Leader, providing outstanding care and early learning in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Depending on experience, you may work in our baby, two-year-olds or preschool room, and everyone lends a hand across the nursery when needed.
Safeguarding and children’s welfare
- Follow the nursery’s safeguarding procedures at all times and report any concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Supervise children effectively throughout the day, including keeping children within sight and hearing at mealtimes in line with the EYFS safer eating requirements
- Maintain good standards of safety, hygiene and cleanliness, and support room and outdoor checks in line with nursery procedures
- Care appropriately for a child who is unwell and alert senior staff straight away so parents can be notified
- Ensure children are only ever released to an adult known and agreed by the nursery and the parent
- Respect the confidentiality of all information received
Care and daily routines
- Provide all aspects of personal care – washing, changing, feeding and sleep routines – warmly, respectfully and in line with each child’s individual needs
- Make mealtimes a time of pleasant, sociable, unhurried sharing, following each child’s dietary requirements and allergy information at every meal and snack
- Support children’s settling-in, transitions through the day and growing independence in self-care and healthy routines
Learning and development – your key person role
- Act as key person for an agreed group of children: build secure, trusting relationships and know each key child’s starting points, interests and next steps
- Observe children’s learning accurately and keep learning journeys up to date, contributing to baseline assessments when children start
- Plan and deliver adult-led and child-initiated experiences across the seven areas of learning, with your room team
- Provide warm, high-quality interactions that extend children’s communication, language and thinking
- Support the early identification of children who may have special educational needs, and deliver agreed strategies and interventions
- Contribute to progress checks at age two, as applicable to your room
- Support positive behaviour calmly and consistently, in line with the nursery’s approach
Partnership with parents and carers
- Give friendly, accurate daily handovers to your key families and share progress, photos and next steps regularly
- Hold termly reviews with your key families, with the support of your Room Leader
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships and communication with parents and carers to facilitate day-to-day caring and early learning needs
Team and nursery life
- Work as part of the room team, supporting colleagues, students and apprentices, and engaging in a good staff team
- Keep the learning environment inviting and well resourced, and take ownership of an agreed area of provision (for example the book corner or outdoor area)
- Undertake certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. preparation of snacks and cleaning equipment, and other duties of an equivalent nature as reasonably required
- Be involved in out-of-hours activities, e.g. training, monthly staff meetings, parents’ evenings and fundraising events, as required and agreed
- Read, understand and adhere to all nursery policies, including equal opportunities, and work across the nursery rooms as required
- Be aware of the community profile of the nursery and uphold its standards at all times
What an outstanding Nursery Practitioner looks like
Lily’s is building its practice around the EYFS and the standards Ofsted expects of an outstanding setting under the Education Inspection Framework. With our coaching, supervision and training, as part of our team you will:
- Hold secure safeguarding knowledge – recognising signs of concern and knowing exactly who to report to, contributing to a strong culture of safeguarding
- Deliver consistently warm, high-quality interactions that build children’s communication and language
- Know your key children deeply – what they can do, what comes next, and how you and their families will get them there
- Support behaviour calmly and consistently, so the room stays purposeful and happy
- Help children grow in independence, healthy habits and confidence in their personal, social and emotional development
- Reflect on your practice, act on feedback from supervision and peer observation, and share what works with your team
About you (person specification)
Essential
- A full and relevant Level 2 Early Years qualification (or above)
- Genuine warmth and a real passion for working with young children
- A sound understanding of the EYFS and of safeguarding in an early years setting
- Good communication skills with children, families and colleagues
- Reliability, punctuality and flexibility to work across our rooms
- Commitment to equality, inclusion, confidentiality and professional conduct
Desirable
- A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification
- A current paediatric first aid certificate (or willingness to complete training)
- Experience as a key person, or experience supporting children with special educational needs
- Food hygiene awareness
Safeguarding and safer recruitment
Lily’s Nursery and Daycare is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff, students and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments will be made in line with our safer recruitment procedures: the successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check (including the children’s barred list), provide suitable references, and evidence their qualifications, identity and right to work in the UK before starting employment.
How to apply
Apply online at lilysnursery.co.uk/careers/nursery-practitioner, or send your CV and a short cover letter outlining your relevant experience to recruitment@lilysnursery.co.uk.
Not yet qualified? Ask us about our Early Years Apprenticeships instead – we would still love to hear from you.
Note: Read this advert alongside Lily’s Nursery and Daycare’s policies, employment terms and the regulatory requirements that apply to the nursery.