Relief Nursery Practitioner

Busy Bees Childcare; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading childcare provider in Edinburgh is seeking an Early Years Assistant to support children's growth and learning. Responsibilities include aiding in educational activities and maintaining a safe environment. Ideal candidates will have a passion for childcare and empathy towards children's unique needs. This role offers professional development opportunities and a variety of generous benefits, making it an excellent starting point for a career in early childhood education.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Ongoing professional development

Up to 28 days holiday per year

Enhanced family leave

Cycle to Work scheme

Access to Private Medical Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• No formal qualifications required, although prior experience in early years settings is beneficial.
• A passion for working with children and supporting their development.
• Empathy and understanding – each child is unique.

Responsibilities

• Assist in preparing and delivering educational activities for children.
• Support the team in maintaining a safe and nurturing environment.
• Help children develop socially, emotionally, and physically through engaging play-based learning.
• Ensure the welfare and safety of all children is maintained.

Skills

Passion for working with children

Empathy and understanding

Job description

Join Our Team at Busy Bees – Leading Nursery Group in the UK

Are you passionate about working with children and eager to start your career in early childhood education? As an Early Years Assistant (Unqualified) at Busy Bees, you'll gain valuable experience in a dynamic environment while helping children grow and develop.

About Us

Busy Bees is the UK's leading nursery group, with nearly 400 nurseries across the UK and more overseas. We are dedicated to giving every child the best start in life and are proud to have won awards for our workplace culture. At Busy Bees, we ensure that every member of our team feels heard, valued, and nurtured.

Why Work at Busy Bees?

We offer a supportive environment that empowers you to create engaging, educational spaces where children can thrive. As part of our team, you'll be introduced to our unique Bee Curious curriculum, designed to foster curiosity and confidence in young learners.

Our Charitable Commitment

Through our partnership with BBC Children in Need, we offer fantastic opportunities for community involvement and fundraising to support children's lives.

About Our Nursery

Busy Bees Edinburgh Dean Terrace is a 55‑place converted 3‑storey Georgian house offering 5 beautiful, spacious, welcoming childcare rooms with an exciting, secure outdoor area for the children to explore. The Royal Botanical Gardens and Inverleith Park are very local where the children regularly visit to develop their love of the outdoors, their self‑esteem, physical skills, and confidence.

Busy Bees Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Ongoing professional development and career progression
• Our 'Hive' benefits and wellbeing hub, with discounts across a huge range of retailers
• Up to 28 days holiday per year (including bank holidays)
• Your birthday off – it's our gift to you!
• Enhanced family leave and return to work bonus
• Menopause support through Peppy
• Financial support through Salary Finance
• Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Easy access to your workplace pension through Cushon
• Discounted Private Medical Insurance (PMI)
• Access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive – offering huge array of retail discounts helping your money to go further, along with a Wellbeing Hub featuring resources to support your physical and mental health.
• A Celebrating You section showcasing the ways we recognise and reward our valued team members.
• Dedicated Grow with Us area sharing the exciting development opportunities and training designed to support you to thrive and grow at Busy Bees.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in preparing and delivering educational activities for children.
• Support the team in maintaining a safe and nurturing environment.
• Help children develop socially, emotionally, and physically through engaging play‑based learning.
• Ensure the welfare and safety of all children is maintained.

Ideal Candidate

• No formal qualifications required, although prior experience in early years settings is beneficial.
• A passion for working with children and supporting their development.
• Empathy and understanding – each child is unique.

Get started in early years education with Busy Bees – apply now!