Relief Nursery Practitioner

Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd.; Melrose; Remote; GBP 14,000 - 21,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Professional development

Hive benefits and wellbeing hub

Up to 28 days holiday per year

Birthday off

Wellbeing resources

Job summary

Busy Bees Melrose is seeking an enthusiastic Early Years Assistant (Unqualified) to join our friendly nursery team. You’ll gain valuable experience in a supportive environment while helping children learn through play and guided activities.

No formal qualifications are required; a passion for working with children and a willingness to learn are essential. The role offers training, competitive pay (£12.75/hr for over‑21s) and a range of wellbeing and development benefits.

Qualifications

• No formal qualifications required; 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

Empathy

Passion for children

Learning mindset

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. This role is perfect for anyone eager to learn and grow in their professional journey, with ongoing support and training to help you succeed in the early years sector.

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.

About our Nursery

Busy Bees Melrose is a 75 place nursery and offers a warm and welcoming environment where every child is encouraged to learn and play. Our nursery in Melrose is located just a short drive from the A7 and the A6091, and is just a stone's throw from Borders General Hospital. Tweedbank train station is conveniently just a two-minute drive from Busy Bees Melrose, with free onsite parking.

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)

But wait, there’s more! You'll also enjoy access to our Benefits and Wellbeing platform, Hive - offering huge array huge 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. Plus, a 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.

Our hourly rates of pay differ for people under 21 but they are above national minimum wage levels. For employees aged 21 and above, our hourly rate of pay is £12.75.