Nursery Practitioner

Suffolk County Council; Bury St Edmunds; Remote; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave

Staff childcare discount

Workplace pension

Training and professional development

Free uniform

Enhanced DBS check

On-site parking

Staff referral programme

Christmas closure

Job summary

Little Larks Day Nursery in Nowton, Bury St Edmunds, is hiring a Level 3 Nursery Practitioner to join an established team. You will provide high‑quality care and early years education for children aged 3 months to 5 years, creating a safe, nurturing environment and supporting individual development.

The role involves planning engaging activities, delivering EYFS‑aligned sessions, and collaborating with families and colleagues to ensure excellent early years experiences.

Qualifications

• Full Level 3 EY/Childcare qualification required.
• Solid knowledge of the EYFS and safeguarding responsibilities.
• One year of nursery or early years experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide high‑quality care and education in line with EYFS.
• Plan and deliver engaging, age‑appropriate activities and learning experiences.
• Support children’s learning, wellbeing and development, including Key Person responsibilities.
• Build positive relationships with children, parents and colleagues.
• Maintain a safe, welcoming environment and follow safeguarding procedures.
• Work collaboratively to maintain high standards of care and professional practice.

Skills

EYFS knowledge

Safeguarding

Teamwork

Communication

Education

Level 3 Early Years/Childcare

Job description

• Little Larks Day Nursery
• Address: Nowton, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP29 5ND
• Salary: from £26,956.80 per annum (40 hours per week) dependent on experience, equivalent to £12.96 per hour; pro rata for part-time hours
• Hours: 40 hours per week over four days preferred; part-time hours considered*
• Contract: Permanent, required as soon as possible
• Reference:0992

* Our nursery operates Monday - Friday, 7.30am–6.00pm. Full-time hours are normally worked over four days

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and caring Level 3 Nursery Practitioner to join our established team, providing high-quality care and early years education for children aged 3 months to 5 years.

You will create a safe, stimulating and nurturing environment, support each child’s individual development, and work closely with colleagues and families to deliver excellent early years experiences.

Your responsibilities will be to:

• provide high-quality care and education in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
• plan and deliver engaging, age-appropriate activities and learning experiences
• support children’s learning, wellbeing and development, including fulfilling Key Person responsibilities
• build positive relationships with children, parents and colleagues
• maintain a safe, welcoming environment and follow safeguarding procedures
• work collaboratively to maintain high standards of care and professional practice.

You will need:

• a full and relevant Level 3 Early Years/Childcare qualification (essential)
• a sound working knowledge of the EYFS and safeguarding responsibilities
• a caring, reliable and enthusiastic approach, strong teamwork and communication skills
• at least one year of experience in a nursery or similar early years setting is preferred.

About us

Little Larks is an independently owned private day nursery and pre-school, set in a beautiful countryside location near Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds. We provide high-quality care and early years education for children aged 3 months to 5 years. We’re proud of our friendly, experienced team, with over a third of our practitioners having been with us for more than five years.

What we will offer you:

• A competitive hourly rate.
• An additional day of annual leave after two years’ service.
• Nursery closure over Christmas and New Year (using annual leave entitlement).
• 10% staff childcare discount and workplace pension.
• Ongoing training and professional development.
• Free uniform, enhanced DBS check and on-site parking.
• Staff referral programme and staff Christmas party.

For more information

For more information about the position, please contact the nursery by calling 01284 761676 or by emailing [e-mail].

Closing date:1pm, 21 November 2026.

Little Larks Day Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Appointment is subject to safer recruitment checks, including satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.