Early Years Educator (Unqualified) - Christchurch in Croydon

Start a rewarding career helping young children learn, grow and explore the world. At Fennies, we believe great childcare starts with great people. You don’t need previous nursery experience to join us – just a genuine passion for working with children and a willingness to learn. As an Early Years Educator, you’ll support our experienced team in creating safe, nurturing and fun environments where children can thrive every day.

Why Join Fennies?

• Competitive salary and bonus
• Up to £27,262 annual salary
• Performance‑related bonuses up to £1,000
• Work‑life balance
• Choice of a 4‑day or 5‑day working week
• 20 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year of service (up to 25) plus bank holidays
• Free daily meals from the Fennies Café
• Summer BBQs, Christmas events and company celebrations
• Recognition and reward through the Fennies Club long‑service awards
• Full training
• Opportunities to gain early years qualifications while working
• Personalised development plans, mentoring and support

About the Role

As an Early Years Educator, you’ll create a happy and safe environment for the children in your care. You will:

• Support children during play, learning activities and daily routines
• Help create experiences that encourage curiosity and development
• Work closely with your team to keep the nursery safe, organised and welcoming
• Build warm relationships with children and their families
• Support children’s confidence, independence and wellbeing

Every day is different – you might be helping with creative activities, outdoor play, or supporting learning moments that develop new skills for the children in your care.

What we’re looking for

You don’t need previous nursery experience – we’ll provide the training you need. We’re looking for someone who is:

• Friendly, patient and caring
• Interested in working with children
• A positive team player who enjoys working with others
• Reliable and motivated to learn new skills

Many of our Early Years educators who join us on the Unqualified pathway go on to train and achieve their Level 2/3 Qualification and progress to roles within Fennies, so this is a great first step in your childcare career. This role could be a great fit if you:

• Enjoy spending time with children and helping them learn and grow
• Are looking to start a meaningful career
• Have experience in care roles and enjoy working with people
• Have worked as a teaching assistant, nanny or babysitter
• Are looking for a career change into childcare/education
• Want a role where every day is active, rewarding and different
• Want to join a company that is committed to building exceptional places to work.

You don’t need previous nursery experience – we’ll provide the training and support you need to succeed.

Become part of the Fennies DNA

We’re family‑owned and family‑run; this guides our culture, our decision‑making, and what it feels like to be part of our team. We have a strong sense of community, with connections that bring us together and the systems and processes that mean our educators can focus on what they do best. Quality matters to us – starting with our people and curriculum – through to our beautiful buildings and inspiring environments. We’re investing in Fennies, in our teams, and into the education we provide our children. Our People Promise inspires us to build the kind of culture that is ambitious, passionate and supportive.

We provide the environment where you can:

• Be Yourself
• Come Together
• Be All In
• Go Further

If this sounds like you, or you just want to know more about what it means to be part of the Fennies family, make contact with us today for a chat. At Fennies, we celebrate diversity and believe inclusive teams create stronger learning environments for children. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.

Safeguarding

Fennies is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check and provide proof of identity. In line with Safer Recruitment guidance, online searches (including social media) may be conducted for shortlisted candidates.

Work‑time

We only offer 4 or 5 day working patterns. A minimum of 37 hours per week is required and you must be able to work both 7:45 am-5 pm and 8:04‑5 am-6 pm.