Nursery Practitioner in Kent

Salary - £12.71 - £14.62 per hour (depending on experience and qualifications with regular pay reviews). Join a supportive, child-focused nursery offering strong benefits, flexible working and genuine career progression. Our First Place Nursery, part of Grandir UK, is looking for a proactive and passionate Nursery Practitioner to support the delivery of high-quality care and education, ensuring the best outcomes for children and a positive experience for families.

Why You’ll Love Working at First Place:

• Part of a welcoming and supportive team who genuinely care about one another.
• Positive working environment where everyone feels valued, respected and supported to grow.

Core Benefits:

• 33 days annual leave including bank holidays, with 3 days used during the Christmas shutdown period.
• Christmas and New Year shutdown.
• Flexible working options available.
• £500 refer a friend bonus.
• Company pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Statutory Sick Pay from day 1.
• Life assurance for employees aged 18 to 65.
• Certified Great Place to Work, voted for by our current colleagues.

About Our Nursery:

First Place Nursery Bushey offers a warm, home-from-home environment where children feel safe, valued, and confident, combined with the strength and expertise of Grandir UK’s established early years curriculum. As part of a trusted group with over 25 years of experience, our nursery delivers high-quality learning while still maintaining a personal, community-focused feel. Children benefit from age-specific rooms and tailored care for each stage of development, alongside a strong focus on nutrition and overall wellbeing through balanced, healthy meals. Our nursery also has a strong reputation with both Ofsted and parents, reflecting its commitment to high standards. Importantly, while supported by robust group processes, the setting retains flexibility, allowing practitioners to adapt activities and experiences to suit the needs and preferences of the children, creating a balance between structure and individuality.

Location and Travel:

First Place Nursery Bushey is conveniently located in Bushey, with excellent transport links making it easily accessible for local families and commuters. The nursery benefits from close proximity to major road networks including the M1 and A41, as well as nearby train stations such as Bushey Station, which provides direct routes into London Euston. There are also good local bus routes serving the area, making drop-offs and pick-ups straightforward for parents travelling from surrounding areas. This well-connected location makes our nursery an ideal choice for families living or working in Bushey and the wider Hertfordshire and North London areas.

What will you be doing:

• Promote high standards of quality within the nursery.
• Support and supervise playroom staff in their day-to-day duties.
• Ensure staff are effectively deployed to maintain ratios and quality.
• Follow and support key person (keycarer) procedures.
• Ensure practice meets EYFS requirements.
• Provide professional feedback to parents/carers about their child.
• Promote the nursery to current parents and prospective families.
• Build positive working relationships with colleagues, parents and carers.

More Benefits:

• Maternity and adoption leave paid at 100 percent for the first 12 weeks.
• Paternity leave paid at 100 percent for 4 weeks.
• Parental bereavement leave up to 4 weeks paid.
• Compassionate leave up to 2 weeks paid.
• Miscarriage leave up to 2 weeks paid.
• Wellbeing Day, an extra day off just for you.
• The Grand Event, up to an additional week of annual leave to attend a significant life event after 2 years’ service.

Even More Benefits:

• Employee benefits portal with hundreds of retail discounts including ASOS, gym memberships, cinema, M and S and major supermarkets.
• 24 hour remote GP appointments.
• Medical cashback for dental treatment, physiotherapy and alternative therapies.
• Recognition, rewards and team celebrations throughout the year, with May dedicated to celebrating our teams.
• Tailored in-house training and genuine progression opportunities.
• Sustainability focus with Carbon Literacy trained teams and Eco Schools accreditation.

Grandir UK is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. An enhanced DBS check is required for this role and will be carried out by our approved third party provider. We are an equal opportunity employer and recruit based on merit. To support our recruitment process, we may use AI-assisted tools for tasks such as application screening and reference checks. These tools help us manage applications efficiently, and all hiring decisions are made by our team. Apply today. We review applications as they are received and may close the role early.