Playworker

Cambridgeshire County Council; Wisbech; On-site; GBP 18,000; Part time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking a part-time Playworker in Wisbech. In this role, you will support children in the Adventure Playground by facilitating safe and enjoyable play experiences. Ideal candidates should be enthusiastic and have a flexible approach to working with children. This fixed-term position offers 25 hours per week, including evenings and weekends. A commitment to completing necessary training and achieving a Level 2 Playwork qualification is essential.

Benefits

Wellbeing package

Flexible bank holidays

Employee recognition awards

Qualifications

• Experience working with children in a play setting.
• Ability to support and plan engaging activities.
• Knowledge of child development principles (or willingness to learn).

Responsibilities

• Assist children in engaging and safe play.
• Plan recreation experiences suited to children's abilities.
• Ensure compliance with safety and Ofsted requirements.

Skills

Knowledge of Play Principles

Enthusiasm

Flexibility

Education

Willingness to undertake training

Job description

This is a part time role 25 hours per week, fixed term from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027

Do you enjoy playing and having fun? Can you help children to do the same? We are looking for the right person to join our dedicated team of Playworkers based at the Adventure Playground in Wisbech, PE13 3HB which is run by Cambridgeshire County Council.

What will you be doing?

You'll play a key role in working as part of our Playworker team. You will be helping all the children in our Adventure Playground to have fun in a safe and friendly environment. You will be helping to plan engaging and purposeful play and recreation experiences that are appropriate to the ages and abilities of the children that attend.

You will ensure that children’s well‑being and safety is always at the forefront. You will be an important member of the team, ensuring that all aspects of each session are compliant with the conditions of the Ofsted Voluntary Register and Cambridgeshire County Council policies and procedures.

About you

We are seeking a fun, enthusiastic and committed individual who will work closely with the rest of the team and give children the best experiences while they are at the Adventure Playground. You will be motivated and have a flexible approach to adapt to the dynamic needs of each session, ensuring every child can participate in a wide range of activities. You will have knowledge (or be willing to learn) about the ‘Play Principles’ and basic child development.

You will be willing to undertake necessary training, including Child Protection and Paediatric First Aid. You will be supported to work towards a suitable Level 2 Playwork qualification.

This post is for 25 hours per week, annualised hours, all year round. Working days are Tuesday to Friday afternoons in term time, and longer days during school holidays. It will include some occasional evening work and three Saturdays per month. This contract is fixed term from 1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027.

Grade 3; £25,583 per annum (pro rata);

Actual salary £17,286 (£13.26 per hour)

Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

For more information or to chat about this opportunity please contact Violet Loveridge on [e-mail]

Our benefits

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro‑rate) through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in‑store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes

Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.

About us

Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes.

Our four values are central to our culture, driving everything we do.

We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Cambridgeshire and want our workforce to be reflective of this diversity, which we firmly believe benefits our colleagues, the organisation and our communities. If you don’t meet every single requirement in the job role but think this could be you, please don’t be put off. We are committed to building a workplace that is compassionate and inclusive as well as diverse, so if you think you could be a good candidate for this role please consider applying and speak to the recruiting manager if you have any questions.

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, along with our employee network 'IDEAL' and self‑organised peer support groups help us to foster an inclusive, supportive and safe working environment where people feel valued, respected, and empowered. We collect relevant diversity data for monitoring as part of the recruitment process to understand the diversity of our applicants and monitor any trends throughout the recruitment processes so that we can take meaningful action.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We fully support providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process, as well as when you join us, and we encourage candidates to contact the Hiring Manager, whose details can be found in the advert, to discuss any adjustment needs. Through a Guaranteed Interview Scheme, we will offer an interview to all applicants who disclose a disability and meet the essential criteria for a job vacancy. On your application form you can indicate you are disabled. Some examples of reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process could include additional time to complete an assessment or printing a document on pastel coloured paper with larger font size and line spacing. We would value talking about what might be possible to enable you to join us and thrive, so if there is something that would help you to do your best during your journey with us, please get in touch.

Visit our jobs and careers section to find out more about our wide range of learning and development opportunities; apprenticeships; our wellbeing package; staff benefits; our commitment to equality, diversity and Inclusion.

https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/jobs-and-careers