Nursery Practitioner

Nursery Practitioner at Nest Nursery, York

Nest Nursery is looking for a warm, confident and enthusiastic Nursery Practitioner to join its small, close-knit team in York.

Nest is an independent, owner-operated nursery with a calm, nurturing and family-centred ethos. The setting is focused on creating an environment where children feel safe, known, valued and excited to learn, with practice inspired by play, strong relationships, independence and curiosity.

This is a hands-on role for someone who genuinely enjoys spending time with children and wants to contribute to a positive, developing nursery environment.

The role

As a Nursery Practitioner, you will:

• Provide high-quality care and learning experiences for children from babies through to preschool age.
• Build warm, secure and responsive relationships with children, helping them to feel safe and confident within the nursery.
• Work as a key person, building strong relationships with families and supporting individual children’s development, care and wellbeing.
• Plan and provide engaging, child-led and play-based experiences in line with the EYFS.
• Observe children’s development and use this knowledge to support appropriate next steps.
• Support children’s personal care needs sensitively.
• Encourage independence, curiosity, communication and confidence through everyday routines and play.
• Make good use of both the indoor and outdoor environments and support children to explore and learn through practical experiences.
• Maintain effective supervision and ensure children are kept safe at all times, including during meals, sleep, outdoor play and transitions.
• Follow the nursery’s safeguarding, health and safety, safer eating, safer sleeping and risk-assessment procedures.
• Recognise and immediately report any safeguarding or welfare concerns in accordance with nursery procedures.
• Work closely with colleagues to provide consistent routines and high standards of care.
• Build positive and professional relationships with parents and carers, sharing information about their child’s day and development.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to assessments, planning and other required nursery documentation.
• Help maintain a welcoming, organised and stimulating environment.

About you

Nest is looking for someone who:

• Holds a full and relevant Level 2 (and up) Early Years qualification.
• Has experience working with children under five in a nursery or early years setting.
• Has a good working knowledge of the EYFS and child development.
• Has a strong understanding of safeguarding and understands their responsibility to act on concerns.
• Is caring, patient and attentive to individual children’s needs.
• Is confident communicating with parents and colleagues.
• Is reliable, organised and able to work effectively as part of a small team.
• Is proactive and happy to get involved in all aspects of nursery life.
• Values play based learning and enjoys creating interesting experiences from everyday opportunities.
• Is reflective and open to developing their practice.

What Nest offers

Nest is a small setting where practitioners have the opportunity to really know the children and families they work with. Team members are encouraged to contribute ideas and have a genuine voice in how the nursery runs.

The nursery aims to provide a calm, purposeful and enriching environment, with an emphasis on strong relationships, outdoor experiences, independence and learning through play.

The successful candidate will receive a supportive induction, ongoing training and opportunities to develop their early years practice.

Safeguarding

Nest Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Appointment will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, satisfactory references, right-to-work checks and all other safer-recruitment requirements.

Job type: Permanent 
Location: Nest Nursery, York
Hours: Full time and part time considered
Qualification: Full and relevant Level 2 (and up) Early Years qualification required