Nursery Practitioner (Lunch Cover)

Childbase Partnership Limited; Winchester; Hybrid; GBP 13,000 - 16,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days annual leave (pro-rata)

28 days with length of service

Bank holidays

Partnership Reward Days

40% childcare savings

21% grandparent savings

Wellbeing support

Career development

Job summary

Childbase Partnership Limited is seeking a Nursery Practitioner (Lunch Cover) at West Downs Day Nursery, Winchester. The role is permanent, 20 hours per week across 52 weeks, with fixed patterns of 10:00–14:00 or 11:00–15:00 from Monday to Friday.

The salary ranges from £12.87 to £15.59 per hour with generous leave, life-work balance incentives, and childcare savings as part of our employee benefits. You will work with babies and young children, contributing to safe, nurturing care.

Qualifications

• Experience caring for babies and young children is valued.
• Knowledge of EYFS principles is advantageous.
• Passion for supporting early childhood development.

Responsibilities

• Provide lunch-time cover and supervise children during care activities.
• Plan and support engaging play sessions as directed by the Key Person.
• Contribute to observations for the children's learning journeys and ensure safeguarding.

Skills

Caring for babies

Early years knowledge

Safeguarding awareness

Education

DfE approved early years qualification level 2 or above

Job description

Join Childbase Partnership and be part of something extraordinary.Role: Nursery Practitioner (Lunch Cover).Location: West Downs Day Nursery | Winchester | SO22 5HT (on the Student Village site of the University of Winchester).Contract: Permanent | 20 hours/week | 52 weeks/year.

Working pattern:Monday-Friday | Choose between 10:00-14:00 and 11:00-15:00.

Salary: £12.87-£15.59 per hour.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.