Take full charge of one room — day-to-day running, not just assisting
Plan and deliver EYFS-based activities suited to the children's age group
Track each child's development through observations and learning journals
Build relationships with parents and carers, keeping them updated on progress
Supervise and mentor junior staff and apprentices working in the room
Take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection within the room
Help keep the space safe, stimulating and inclusive day to day
Qualification: Level 3 Childcare qualified (minimum) — non-negotiable per current requirements
Education: GCSE Maths and English (or equivalent) alongside the childcare qualification
Experience: Has worked as a Room Leader before, or is a strong Senior Practitioner/Deputy ready to step up — ideally with experience running a room solo, not just supporting one
Knowledge: Solid grasp of the EYFS framework and child development stages; comfortable with observations, learning journals and planning activities
Safeguarding: Some safeguarding and/or SENCO exposure is a bonus but not a dealbreaker — the nursery will put them through Barnet safeguarding training plus in-house training regardless
Leadership: Able to supervise and mentor junior staff/apprentices, not just manage children — this is a people-leadership role within the room
Temperament: Comfortable with ambiguity and building things from scratch, since this is a brand-new setting with no established routines yet — someone who's only ever worked in a settled, long-running nursery may find that adjustment harder than someone used to change
Logistics: Lives reasonably close to NW11 and can commit to 40 hours/week on flexible shifts, with availability from January 2027
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience — guided at £28,000–£32,000/year (NW London market rate)
Hours: 40 hours/week on flexible shifts
Training: Enrolment on Barnet safeguarding training plus in-house training to build up safeguarding/SENCO knowledge
Opportunity: The chance to help shape a brand-new nursery from the ground up — set...
