Early Years Practitioner, Papdale Primary School - ORK10315 in Orkney

Early Years Practitioner at Papdale Primary School

35 hours per week, Permanent

Salary: £31,356 - £31,995 / £32,743 - £35,006 (£17.18 - £17.53 / £17.93 - £19.18 per hour). The above amounts include Distant Islands Allowance.

You will be reporting to the Early Learning & Childcare Manager at Papdale Primary School. Your working pattern is Monday to Friday. We are happy to talk flexible working, where possible.

The purpose of this role is to deliver a high quality Early Learning and Childcare service which meets the needs of and promotes the development of young children and their families. We are looking for enthusiastic people with a passion for working with young children. You will be a warm and caring person with a real interest in playing with and supporting young children as they grow and develop. You will be curious about young children and keen to develop their interests. You will play a role in planning for and developing the environment and experiences. You will work alongside a nurturing and dedicated team.

Regular training and courses are offered to all practitioners to support practice development, and there are plenty of opportunities to network with practitioners in other settings. Practitioners are also able to collaborate with practitioners from other settings and share learning.

To be appointed at Grade E:

• You should have a good general standard of education including literacy and numeracy and a minimum of 2 years experience involving young children.
• You should also have a willingness to achieve a recognised qualification to enable full registration with SSSC, as a Practitioner (Day Care of Children), within 3 years of taking up post.

The Early years’ service will support you to gain any practice qualifications whilst you work. You will also be able to attend training delivered by the early years team to support your practice development.

To be appointed at Grade F:

• You will hold an HNC in Childhood Practice, SVQ Level 3 (SCQF7) Social Services (Children and Young People) or other recognised qualification that enables registration with the SSSC as a Practitioner (Day Care of Children).
• You are also required to have at least one years' experience of working with young children in a dedicated Early Learning and Childcare setting (this may be in a training or student role).

For both appointment grades, you should also be registered with the SSSC as a Practitioner (Day Care of Children) no later than 3 months from commencing in post. This post is a regulated role with children, and requires Level 2 Disclosure with PVG scheme membership.

Applications close at 23:59 on Sunday 24 May 2026 with shortlisting taking place week commencing 25 May 2026 and Interviews are scheduled for week commencing 1 June 2026.

For a discussion about the role, contact Rachel Mills, Early Learning & Childcare Manager.

We would welcome your feedback on our recruitment process.