Job Description

Our nursery is graded 'Outstanding' by OFSTED

Starting Salary (Annual) 21,450.00 - 28,228.20 (depending on age)

Early Years Assistant (Full-Time)

Job Title: Early Years Assistant

Position

Full Time

Working Hours

8.15am to 5.30pm Monday and Friday

51 weeks a year (the nursery is closed for one week between Christmas and New Year, all public bank holidays in England)

2 INSET training days per year.

Qualifications

It is preferable that candidates hold GCSE's (or equivalent) in Maths and English.

Why choose us?

At Little Troopers Day Nursery, we truly believe we offer a supportive, inclusive and nurturing environment.

We place considerable value on ensuring our team feel appreciated and heard; we are always open to supporting professional growth and development.

As an independent privately run early years setting, we are in control of the environment we have created. Many of our employees have been here for over ten years and have chosen to build their career at our provision due to the close-knit support network we have established. Although our business is to provide quality early education and care to our nursery children, our priority is to ensure the wellbeing all of our employees and continue to promote an ongoing healthy work/ life balance.

About us

Established in 2006 and rated 'Outstanding', we are registered to take children aged 9 months to 5 years and located within in a residential area serving the local community. The nursery is easily accessible to public transport from both Iffley and Cowley roads and Oxford city centre.

Staff Benefits

Staff benefits for this full time position include:

33 days paid annual leave (all public bank holidays in England and our one-week closure between Christmas and New Year),

Annual salary review,

Private health care after one year's service,

Company pension,

Company bonus system,

Refreshment provision, including hot lunches, snacks and tea & coffee facilities,

A training & development program to help employees to progress further in their career development,

Bespoke training and INSET days throughout the year,

Financial support should you wish to gain a qualification in Early Years Education,

Regular social events financed by the company,

Staff uniform.

Salary

We will offer a competitive salary package to the successful candidate that reflects their experience, skills, and qualifications.

The Position

We have created a new and exciting opportunity for someone who is looking to start (or build on) a career in Early Years.

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic, confident, committed, and passionate individual, with good communication & organisational skills and a 'hands-on' attitude to work tasks. This position would suit someone who would like to undertake a Level 2/ 3 Diploma to become an Early Years Educator, while being supported by a highly qualified practitioner team.

The Early Years Assistant will predominantly support children aged 2-3 years and work alongside our team of qualified practitioners. However, there will be opportunities to spend time in our other group rooms (9 months-2 years and 3-5 years).

Duties and responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

Be nurtured and supported to help build their skills, knowledge, experience.

Receive a training and development plan tailored to meet their individual needs and develop their skills, knowledge, and experience.

While supervised, work closely with senior practitioners and a group of children to gain further experience as an early years practitioner and develop their role as a member of our team.

Attend weekly one to one supervision meetings with a member of the nursery management team to reflect on their practice and agree the next steps in their development.

After a mutually agreed period, will be financially supported to enrol on to a Level 2/ 3 Diploma to become an Early Years Educator.

Follow our nursery policies and procedures in association with the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (statutory) framework and the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Candidate Criteria

The successful candidate will have had some experience working with children aged under 5 years; such as a previous work experience or work placement/s, or, they may have already started working within an early years setting and are now looking to develop their skills and knowledge.

Essential Criteria

It is ESSENTIAL that candidates have the following qualities, skills, and knowledge:

Are committed to supporting the delivery of quality education and care; abiding by the nursery's policies and procedures,

Have previous experience working as part of a team,

Are passionate about supporting children's individual needs and development,

Possess good communication skills,

Are committed to building on their own skills, knowledge and development,

Be able to show compassion, patience, and care,

Have a positive, enthusiastic and committed attitude.

Want to know what it is like working at Little Troopers Day Nursery?

This is what our staff team say about what it is like to work for us:

'I am part of a warm and supportive team, and I have been given the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally'.

'I always feel my thoughts and opinions are respected.'

Our Ofsted inspector noted the following on our inspection report in November 2023:

'All staff are superb role models who use a range of innovative strategies to empower children to understand and manage their own behaviour.'

'The inspirational manager has embedded a rigorous system to support and monitor the development of staff. She coaches and mentors to help them confidently perform to their full potential. The manager and the provider recognise the importance of valuing their staff.'

'The leadership team is well established and extremely supportive of the staff. The manager is a visionary whose uncompromising commitment to providing children with the highest level of care and education is evident. She strives to develop her own knowledge with an infectious desire to continually reflect with her staff to improve practice and support her team and children.'

Taken from our Ofsted report, November 2023.

Closing Date: Friday 25th July 2025

Interview Dates: August 2025

If you think that Little Troopers Day Nursery is the right place for you to develop your career in early years, then this is how to apply:

To Apply

For an application pack (which includes the full job description, person specification and an application form) please email Rebecca at info@littletroopers.co.uk. If you have any questions, please email Rebecca who will happily arrange a phone call to discuss the position further.

If you would like to know more about us and our early years setting, please check out our website at www.littletroopers.co.uk

Please note, unfortunately we are not in a position to offer a sponsorship visa for this position.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and supply suitable references before starting.

RW/Staff Vacancies / July 2025

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 21,450.00-28,228.20 per year

Benefits:

Company events Company pension Discounted or free food Health & wellbeing programme
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Education:

GCSE or equivalent (required)
Work Location: In person