Early Years Practitioner

Specific Hours: 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year

Optimistic – Equity – Kindness – Innovation – Collaboration 

Derby College Group (DCG) is looking for an enthusiastic Early Years Practitioner to join our Nursery team. You’ll play a vital role in providing high-quality care and education, with a strong focus on outdoor and nature-based learning to inspire curiosity and support children’s development 

The Opportunity

You’ll work as part of our Nursery team to deliver high-quality care and education for young children. This includes planning and supporting age-appropriate activities, promoting outdoor and nature-based learning, and contributing to children’s learning journeys. You’ll collaborate with colleagues, liaise with families, and ensure safeguarding and inclusive practice, creating a nurturing environment where every child can thrive.

For a full explanation of the roles and responsibilities, please click here. 

About You

You’ll be caring, professional, and passionate about early years education, with strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team. Experience in a nursery setting and knowledge of the EYFS framework are essential, along with a Level 3 childcare qualification and Level 2 in English and Maths. You’ll bring creativity and confidence in promoting outdoor and nature-based learning.

For a full explanation of the Person Specification, please click here. 

The Benefits

• 34 days holiday (inclusive of 8 bank holidays and 6 closure days where these occur)
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with a 19.9% employer contribution
• Discount at our Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’ onsite Little Explorers Nursery
• TOTUM discount card (aka NUS/Student Discount Card) / discounted Tastecard
• Discounts on East Midlands Railway Annual Season Tickets
• Microsoft Office for FREE with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage
• Discount on treatments at SENSI our onsite salon at the Roundhouse
• Flint Bishop Solicitors – free will writing, 1-hour free consultation with family department, 10% discount on Conveyancing services
• Continuous development and progression opportunities
• Free eye tests with Specsavers
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace which promotes and values diversity. We welcome all talent irrespective of age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race, ethnicity, religion, belief, sexual orientation or other personal circumstances. We ensure that our policies and procedures treat all applicants consistently and fairly during our recruitment process.

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, reasonable adjustments, or about the role, please contact us at hrrecruitment@derby-college.ac.uk. 

Safeguarding statement

DCG is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and all successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.  An online search of the preferred candidate is also completed to help to identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and are publicly available online, which the college may need to explore with the candidate further. Please be advised that it is an offence to apply for this position if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children. 

If you require visa sponsorship

Please note that unfortunately, this role is ineligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration points-based immigration system. Applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK but would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route.  Please consult the Home Office website for further information. 

Recruitment Agencies - We have a PSL of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on this list.

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