Nursery Practitioner, part-time or full - time position available

Start January 2025

Interview dates to be confirmed.

Please specify on your application if you are applying for the part-time or full-time position.

We encourage you to apply before the closing date as we reserve the right to arrange interviews and close this advert before the closing date if we receive applications from exceptional candidates.

Salary: Competitive depending on qualifications and experience

School Context

Devonshire House is a large co-educational prep school in Hampstead, North London, on the cusp of a transformational period of positive change, intent on offering an outstanding education in every sense for its pupils and their parents. The school has just acquired a fifth building, giving more scope for outdoor play and sport, as well as doubling specialist teaching room capacity. The values of the school are unashamedly traditional, whilst its outlook on teaching pedagogy is very much modern. Devonshire House aims to recruit the best teachers and leaders available and retain them by providing an attractive package and huge scope for career advancement. This is augmented by its engaged governance as part of Dukes Education, which promotes inter-school collaboration and collegiality. 

Summary of the role

The post holder will be responsible for support Nursery Acorns (children aged between 2-3 years) at Devonshire House School. The post holder will work closely with the Head of Nursery to ensure the Nursery provision at Devonshire House remains at a consistently high standard, They will also have a deep knowledge of Early Years Education.

Job Description

• As part of the Key Person approach, to assist with maintaining the pupil’s learning journals, including recording children’s interest and progress in short. You will be responsible for writing the Age Two Progress Check report for each of your key children
• Provide objective and accurate regular feedback and reports to the Session Coordinator on children’s achievements, progress, concerns or other matters, and to ensure observations have been checked before entering in to the pupils learning journals
• To review and follow EHCPs, care and support plans as set out by the Session Coordinator, Head of Nursery and SENDCO
• Interact with children during playtimes and lunchtimes, ensuring they are safe, engaged, cooperating, happy and well supervised – ensuring children’s wellbeing
• Supervise and support children either within a classroom environment, small groups or individuals and ensure all children, including those with special needs, are safe and accessing the learning
• Encourage child interaction, engagement and motivation with teacher-led or child initiated activities
• Attend to children’s personal needs and ensure children’s welfare and care are met in the upmost sensitive manner; following safeguarding and health and safety policies, including toilet breaks and the changing of wet and soiled children
• Support the teacher deliver the EYFS curriculum

Person Specification

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential criteria:

• Knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Development
• Experience working within an early years setting
• Excellent track record as a Classroom/Nursery Assistant

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in an independent school

Professional Qualifications and Continuing Professional Development

Non UK qualifications require a statement of comparability from UK NARIC

Essential criteria:

• GCSEs or equivalent at a Grade C/4 and above in Math and English
• Minimum Level 3 diploma in childcare, early years, teaching support/assistant
• Must hold a qualification that meets the Early Years Criteria to be counted in the level 3 ratios

Examples of acceptable qualifications:

• Level 3 NVQ in Caring for Children and Young People
• Level 3 NVQ in Childcare and Education
• Level 3 NVQ in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
• Level 3 NVQ in Early Years Care and Education
• Level 3 NVQ in Play Work
• Level 3 Diploma in Play Work (NVQ)
• Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce (Early Learning and Childcare)

Desirable criteria:

• Appropriate school-oriented training and qualification(s)

Personal Qualities

• Enthusiastic and energetic  
• A team player
• Good organisational skills 
• Resilient and Resourceful
• Ability to make decisions quickly and solve problems as and when they arise
• Ability to communicate effectively with pupils, staff, and parents

All applicants need to have the Right to Work in the UK to be considered for the role.

Devonshire House Preparatory School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Devonshire House Preparatory School is an equal opportunities employer. If the candidate has lived in a country other than the UK for a period of 3 months or more since the age of 18, a foreign criminal policy check will be required irrespective of whether they worked in those countries.