Early Years Practitioner

Job introduction

We are seeking a minimum level 3 or higher qualified Early Years practitioner.

The starting salary for this role is equivalent to £13.69 per hour.

shifts between 07:45am and 6pm. We are happy to consider candidates who require some flexibility e.g. can't work a certain day of the week, however you will need to be able to start at 7:45 and finish at 6pm regularly 

We would welcome any candidate to visit our setting to meet our staff team, see our learning spaces and hear about our ethos.

For an informal discussion or to arrange a Visit, please contact Eleanor Macey - Nursery Manager on 01273 296052.

About the role

Cherry Tree Nursery is one of Brighton and Hove City Council Family Hub Nurseries.

We operate five nurseries across the City and provide a high quality service for children aged from 3 months to 5 years.

We are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

We are located within Hollingdean Family Hub which has been purpose built to meet the needs of young children and their families.

The nursery is open plan and provides children with lots of space to play and learn. We have a large garden space where children can climb trees, plant vegetables, ride bikes and explore nature.

We have a play-based approach to learning in a fun, happy and calm atmosphere.

We are proud of our staff who are qualified or working towards a qualification, who share our passion for delivering a high standard of care to the children and provide exciting opportunities for the children to grow, learn and develop into confident young people.

Applicants must have:

• a minimum Level 3 qualification in Early years and childcare
• experience of working with young children in an early year’s environment
• a fun positive attitude to work
• experience of delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
• passion to learn and develop
• experience of meeting the individual needs of young children and their families
• demonstrate a passion and commitment for providing high quality care and learning opportunities
• excellent communication skills.

The role involves:

• being a key person for a group of children
• building relationships
• being an inspiration to the children
• supporting attachment building
• ensuring the children feel safe
• carrying out observations
• assessing children
• supporting growth and development.

We will provide:

• Salary above market average starting at £26,409 for a full-time post of 37 hours a week, equivalent to £13.69 per hour
• 25 days paid holiday every year plus bank holidays, rising to 28 days holiday after five years service.
• a full induction and training programme
• 3 in house training days per year, plus other opportunities to attend individual training courses.
• Encouragement and support to further your education through continued professional development.
• Generous pension scheme
• Loans available to support with bus travel or buying a bike and deposits on rental properties, these are paid back over the year straight from your salary.
• Staff discount scheme can be used in local shops/cafes and national stores, includes free rides volks rail, discounted cinema tickets, and discounted gift cards.
• ongoing support in the form of regular supervisions and appraisals
• The opportunity to work as part of a dedicated team
• A setting that is child and family centred, not for a profit

Please read our Apply for a job at the council pages carefully. They give you all the guidance you need to complete your application as well as information on what will happen after you’ve submitted your application and at interview.

As part of your application, you will need to upload your CV and answers to some shortlisting questions. Your answers to the shortlisting questions are the most important part of your application as they will be used in the shortlisting process to assess whether you meet the essential requirements for the role that are set out in the person specification and to decide whether you should be offered an interview. Before you start your application, please read our guidance here (CV guidance) and Shortlisting questions guidance as this gives important advice which will increase your chance of success in the shortlisting process.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

Please note that this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, and is subject to a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) Check.

Company information

Encouraging a diverse workforce

Our city is known and loved for its diversity. Not only is the mixture of people, culture and skills vital to the economic and social development of the city, it's what makes Brighton & Hove such a great place to live, work and visit. We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities we serve so we welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. In order to achieve our aims of proportionate representation, we particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as disabled, male or trans.

Find out more about our commitment to being a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone can achieve their potential by reading about our fair and inclusive actions, our anti-racism strategy and the work we are doing to encourage a diverse workforce (brighton-hove.gov.uk).