Job description

Early Years Practitioner – Full-time, long-term temporary role starting February 2026

This nursery provides a warm, nurturing, and well‑organised early years environment where children benefit from caring relationships, purposeful activities, and routines that promote independence and curiosity. Staff work closely together to maintain high standards of care and learning, helping children make steady progress with their communication, social development, and early learning skills. Leaders ensure practitioners feel supported, creating a positive and collaborative atmosphere where children thrive.

Duties as Early Years Practitioner:

Support children’s development through play‑based and structured activities
Assist with planning, delivering, and reviewing age‑appropriate learning experiences
Maintain a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment for all children
Carry out observations and contribute to assessments and planning
Build strong relationships with children and support their emotional well‑being
Work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure a consistent daily routine
Follow safeguarding expectations and prioritise child welfare
Support care routines including feeding, toileting, and settling children

Ideal Early Years Practitioner:

Level 3 Early Years qualification is desirable
Strong Level 2 practitioners encouraged to apply
Experience working with early years children
Warm, patient, and enthusiastic approach to early childhood development
Able to work full‑time and follow consistent routines
Strong communication and teamwork abilities
Reliable, proactive, and committed to high‑quality practice
Dedicated to safeguarding and promoting positive child development

Why Step Teachers?

With a rich history spanning over two decades, our teacher recruitment agency proudly serves North London, East London, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Cornwall, Devon and Greater Manchester. We foster exclusive relationships with schools and academies in these regions. Our dedicated team, stationed in branches across Barnet, Havering, Norwich, Cambridge, Abingdon, and Plymouth, is committed to supporting and nurturing teachers. Explore rewarding opportunities with our trusted education recruitment services.

We are an approved Crown Commercial Service supplier, proud members of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), and REC Audited in Education, which means we have undergone rigorous external auditing to ensure we consistently meet the highest safeguarding and compliance standing in education recruitment.

Step Teachers is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All candidates registering with Step Teachers are subject to safeguarding checks in line with the DfE’s statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education, including reference checks and an Enhanced DBS check either registered on the Update Service or willingness to obtain one.

Your salary – dependent on experience – is paid weekly through PAYE – that means no self‑employed or umbrella companies. Additionally, you gain access to a range of exclusive deals, including discounted high street shopping, travel offers, gym memberships, and more. Moreover, our pay portal offers comprehensive physical and emotional well‑being services as standard, ensuring your overall wellness is taken care of.

Recommend a friend to receive a £100 Amazon voucher for yourself, and a chance for you both to win a holiday worth up to £1000 – If you know anyone who is looking for temporary, permanent or supply work then get in touch with us today!