Nursery Assistant

North Somerset Council; Weston-super-Mare; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Local Government Pension

Professional development

Cycle to Work - salary sacrifice

Electric Vehicle schemes

Wellbeing Team

Job summary

North Somerset Council is seeking a Nursery Assistant for Early Birds Nursery in Long Ashton. The role operates 8am–6pm across a four-day week, with team support from a Room Lead, Deputy and Nursery Manager.

Candidates should be enthusiastic about early education, with EYFS knowledge and a readiness to work within safeguarding guidelines. The post involves planning activities, caring for children aged 6 months to 5 years, and contributing to a positive learning environment.

Qualifications

• Competent level of English.
• Experience in direct care or early years setting is preferred.
• Understanding of EYFS.
• Safeguarding/child protection awareness.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning and delivering daily curriculum sessions.
• Care for young children under supervision of Room Lead and Nursery Manager.
• Build positive relationships with children and families and support wellbeing.

Skills

English proficiency

Teamwork

Communication

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 in Early Years & Care

Job description

37 hours per week, over a four-day working week

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

Do you want a job that makes a difference to young children and families?

If you do, this is a unique career opportunity not to be missed!

We have an exciting opportunity for a dedicated nursery assistant to join our team at Early Birds Nursery in Long Ashton. We are an all year round local authority- maintained setting that is open from 8am – 6pm.

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, passionate and dedicated. They will be reliable and patient, and who, whilst working under the direction on their room lead, has the confidence to use their initiative and work on their own. They will have knowledge of the EYFS framework and ideally, have experience of working with children 6 months – 5 years and knowledge of ‘In the Moment Planning’ although, not essential.

In this role, you will:

Work as part of a team to plan and deliver our curriculum for each session/day. You will be supported by an experienced Room Lead, Deputy and Nursery Manager as well as having many professional development opportunities to develop new skills and be immersed in evidence-informed practice.

Key Responsibilities

• The postholder will contribute to the planning of activities, environment, and assessments.
• The postholder will be directly caring for young children and will never be expected to work on their own with children.
• Nursery Assistants will develop good relationships with the children, and their parents.

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about early education. We are looking for a practitioner who promotes our Nursery’s positive values, attitudes, including British Values and child behaviour, dealing promptly with conflicts and encouraging children to independently find solutions/become problem solvers. Has the ability to build warm and positive relationship with children and their families and a willingness to work as part of a team. It is essential that you actively promote and support the safeguarding of children, ensuring policies and procedures are observed at all times.

Essential Criteria

• A competent level of understanding in English.
• Prepared to work or be working to achieve NVQ level 2 or 3 in Early Years and Care and Education.
• Some experience of direct working with children in a Care, Early Years Education and/or Play setting.
• Understanding of Child development and the needs of young children in a childcare setting.
• Awareness of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
• An understanding of children with SEND.
• Awareness of Safeguarding/Child Protection policies and procedures.
• Awareness of OFSTED requirements.
• Occasional working in the evenings and weekends

Desirable Criteria

• Paediatric First Aid.
• Food & Hygiene Certificate
• Ability to provide a flexible and calm response to children and families.

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment. We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Sarah Dymmock-Morgan, Nursery Manager, at [e-mail] or 01275 888580

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: Friday 30 October 2026

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK and are unable to provide Sponsorship for this role.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.