Hylton Red House Nursery School - Early Years Practitioner: Key Person in Sunderland

HEADTEACHER: Catherine Barnett

Job Title: Early Years Practitioner; Key Person

Grade: 3, LD5, SCP 7-11

Contract Type: Permanent, All Year Round (AYR)

Working hours: Full Time

Starting date: September 2026 (subject to clearances)

We are growing our workforce to meet demand and this is an exciting time to join us! This is an opportunity to join our outstanding maintained nursery school, where children, families and staff are at the heart of everything we do. Our school is built around the values of Belonging, Resilience, Independence, Nurture, Growth and Respect. We have created an environment where every child feels valued, develops confidence in themselves as learners and is supported to achieve their full potential.

We are looking for a positive, enthusiastic and caring Early Years Practitioner who shares these values and enjoys making a difference to children's lives every day. The successful candidate will enjoy working with young children, be committed to helping every child thrive, and bring warmth, energy and a sense of fun to their work each day.

We would love to hear from applicants who:

• Share our commitment to Belonging, Resilience, Independence, Growth, Nurture and Respect.
• Are positive, caring and enthusiastic about working with young children.
• Build warm and trusting relationships with children, families and colleagues.
• Believe in the potential of every child and are committed to inclusive practice.
• Encourage children to become confident, independent and resilient learners.
• Understand the importance of safeguarding and promoting children's wellbeing.
• Enjoy working as part of a supportive team and are flexible, reliable and willing to contribute to the wider life of the nursery.

You will work with children across the nursery age range and support the delivery of rich learning experiences that promote children's development, wellbeing and love of learning. As part of our wider team, you will contribute to meeting children's individual needs and help maintain positive relationships with parents and other professionals.

In return, we can offer:

• Competitive rates of pay and membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• A supportive and welcoming team within an outstanding maintained nursery school.
• Generous annual leave entitlement, increasing with length of service.
• Closure between Christmas and New Year, allowing staff to enjoy additional time with family and friends.
• Opportunities to work with children across the full Birth to 5 age range, gaining a breadth of Early Years experience.
• High-quality learning environments and resources that support excellent teaching and learning.
• A strong commitment to professional development, with access to training, coaching and opportunities to develop your Early Years career.
• Opportunities for career progression within a highly regarded Early Years setting.
• Family-friendly policies, including maternity, adoption, paternity and carers' leave.
• The opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and families within a caring and inclusive nursery community.

We are committed to creating a workplace where staff feel a sense of belonging, are supported to grow professionally and are encouraged to develop fulfilling careers in Early Years education. The role will include working across different age groups and supporting lunchtime provision. Working patterns may include early starts and late finishes, within our opening hours of 7.30am and 6.00pm. Specific working arrangements will be discussed at interview.

Applicants must hold a full and relevant Early Years qualification at Level 3 or above and have experience of working with children from Birth to 5. Staff holding an Early Years Educator qualification must also hold a suitable Level 2 qualification in English. Knowledge of the EYFS and safeguarding requirements is essential. Please note: Applicants who do not hold a full and relevant Early Years qualification will not be shortlisted.

Closing Date: Wednesday 2nd September 2026 (12.00 noon)

Shortlisting: Thursday 3rd September 2026

Interviews: Week of 14th September 2026

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore will be subject to an enhanced criminal records and barred list check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Hylton Red House Nursery School safeguards and protects its students and staff by being committed to respond in accordance with Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures.

Please note that the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2018 apply to this position and therefore you are required to complete the “disqualification” declaration form. Should you be successful in your application for this post, your appointment cannot be progressed without this declaration.

The school is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. As part of our due diligence and to comply with our obligations in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education, an online search of publicly available information will be undertaken for all shortlisted candidates. The successful applicant will be subject to provide an enhanced DBS disclosure, receipt of satisfactory supporting references; evidence of essential qualifications; a pre-employment Health Check and evidence of the Right to Work in the UK.