Nursery Practitioner (Lunch Cover)

Childbase Partnership; Northampton; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 20,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Work-life balance incentives

Family childcare savings

Exclusive partner benefits

Wellbeing support

Career development

Job summary

Childbase Partnership is hiring a Nursery Practitioner (Lunch Cover) at the Nene Valley Day Nursery in Northampton. This permanent, part-time role runs 10:00-14:00, Monday to Friday, 20 hours per week, 52 weeks a year, offering a satisfying opportunity to support children during lunchtime care.

You will contribute to thoughtful play, observation and safeguarding, with EYFS knowledge and a nurturing approach. We support staff development through training and wellbeing benefits.

Qualifications

• Naturally nurturing with babies and under‑5s experience.
• Knowledge of child development and EYFS principles.
• Collaborative and communicates well with children, parents and colleagues.

Skills

Nurturing nature

Observations and EYFS

Teamwork and collaboration

Education

DfE approved early years qualification (level 2+)

Job description

Job Introduction

Join Childbase Partnership and be part of something extraordinary.

Role: Nursery Practitioner (Lunch Cover).
Location: Nene Valley Day Nursery | Northampton | NN1 5BD.
Contract: Permanent | 20 hours/week | 52 weeks/year.
Working pattern: 10:00-14:00 Monday-Friday.
Salary: £12.87-£14.87 per hour.
We’ve been delivering childcare excellence since 1989. Within our 44-day nurseries, Head Office, and Training Academy, EduBase, our ethos is simple: we all belong, we all matter, and we all contribute. We believe in ‘careers, not jobs’, supporting one another to grow and succeed.

Why join us?

• Generous annual leave: 23 days paid leave per annum (pro-rata), rising to 28 days with length of service, plus paid bank holidays.
• Work-life balance: Up to a further 20 paid days off each year through our Partnership Reward Days incentive; take your leave or sell the days you accrue, tax-free.
• Family childcare savings: If you have children or grandchildren, there's the potential for you to benefit from generously discounted childcare at Childbase Partnership nurseries, with savings of 40% for parents, and 21% for grandparents.
• Exclusive partner benefits: Long-service rewards, qualification bonuses and retail discounts.
• Wellbeing support: Free meals, mental health and occupational health support, flu jabs, eye care vouchers and a free will-writing service.
• Career development: Team inset days, access to online training and apprenticeships through our academy.

About us

• We are employee‑owned: Every colleague is a partner with a voice, who helps drive our success; when we do well, we each receive an annual tax‑free dividend.
• We are number 1: Ranked top of the Nursery World league tables for our Ofsted outcomes.
• We are community driven: Supporting causes close to our hearts, we’ve raised more than £3.5 million for charity.
• We are environmentally responsible: Building a greener tomorrow our nurseries all hold Green Flag awards and are powered by 100% renewable energy.

About you

• You are a naturally nurturing person: You have some experience of caring for babies and children aged five and under, ideally in an early years environment; holding a DfE approved early years qualification at level 2 or above is advantageous though not essential.
• You are passionate about inspiring children: Your knowledge of child development, and ideally your EYFS knowledge, will enable you to implement engaging activities that have been planned by the Key Person to empower children to learn through play and exploration; you will contribute to observations for the children’s learning journeys.
• You are an advocate for safeguarding: You will ensure every child feels safe, valued, and happy and their well-being is promoted.
• You are collaborative: You enjoy working in partnership with others, and can effectively communicate and build strong and positive relationships with children, parents and colleagues.

We are an inclusive employer and we welcome applicants of all ages and backgrounds. We’re committed to FREDIE (fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion, and engagement) and will consider any reasonable adjustments required. If you meet the essential criteria for this role, your application will be automatically shortlisted for review by our Recruitment Team who will determine if an interview is the next step.

Applicants must currently reside within a commutable distance of the nursery and hold suitable Right to Work in the UK; VISA sponsorship is not available. Safer recruitment checks apply, which include an Enhanced DBS check.