Early Years Educator

Job Introduction

Required from: September 2026

Location: Vincent Square – Westminster Under School

Contract: Full-time (term-time only), permanent

Salary: £25,124.62 - £28,000 per year (actual) equating to a full-time equivalent of £33,548.76 - £37,387.40 per annum, dependent on experience

Hours of work: 8.00am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday (term-time only) with 30 minutes unpaid lunch break.

Deadline for applications: 09:00am Monday 18th May 2026

In-person interviews will take place on Wednesday 20th May 2026.

Benefits of working at Westminster:

• Free School lunches when working on site
• Generous School pension scheme
• Free access to the School’s leisure facilities, including a fitness gym (restricted hours)
• Cycle to Work Scheme and season ticket loans following completion of our standard probation period
• Private medical insurance (opt in)

We are seeking to appoint two exceptional Reception Teaching Assistants, referred to at our school as Early Years Educators to reflect the breadth, responsibility and professional significance of the role. This role goes far beyond that of a traditional Teaching Assistant. In Reception, our Early Years Educators are deeply involved in direct teaching, supporting children’s learning, development, and early foundations every day. It’s a highly skilled and impactful position, central to shaping our pupils’ first experiences of school.

Qualifications:

A full and relevant Level 3 qualification in Early Years Education and Childcare Qualification (or equivalent) is essential.

This is a unique opportunity to join our founding Early Years team as Westminster Under School expands to become a co-educational school for pupils aged 4–13 from September 2026.

You will support all aspects of learning and daily routines, working closely with the class teacher to deliver engaging, developmentally appropriate activities across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Our pupils make rapid progress, often working beyond typical Reception expectations, so a strong understanding of EYFS (and ideally Key Stage 1) is important.

Day-to-Day role:

This will involve supporting pupils individually and in small groups, particularly with early reading, phonics and language development. As such, it is desirable for the candidate to have an understanding of phonics teaching and early literacy development. Outside of lessons, the Early Years Educator will supervise pupils during playtimes. They will support learning through play in the indoor and outdoor environments and assist with educational visits. They will also fulfil a range of administrative and practical tasks. This includes preparing engaging learning resources and maintaining stimulating classroom displays. Early Years Educators will also support the after-school club provision on a rotational basis (within contracted hours, finishing at 4:30pm). They will help ensure a safe, enjoyable and nurturing environment for pupils at the end of the school day.

Role Responsibilities:

• Supporting the learning and development of Reception pupils:

• Assist the class teacher in delivering activities across the EYFS curriculum.
• Supporting children’s progress in line with Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) expectations and the Year 1 curriculum.
• Providing targeted support for pupils during phonics sessions, leading a small group.
• Working with individuals or small groups of pupils throughout the day during ‘carousel’ type activities across the curriculum, as directed by the class teacher.
• Assisting with the preparation and organisation of resources for classroom and outdoor learning activities, including ‘Outdoor Owls’ (our Forest School inspired sessions).
• Helping to maintain a stimulating, organised and safe classroom and learning environment.
• Supporting pupils in developing independence, confidence and positive learning behaviours.
• Observing and supporting pupils’ development and providing feedback to the class teacher where appropriate.

• Checking children’s reading diaries on a daily basis, alerting the class teacher to anything which needs attention.
• Taking an active role in organising the phonics reading books which children take home and preparing books for children to take home.
• Assisting with classroom administration tasks such as labelling, preparing materials and organising resources.
• Liaising regularly with the class teacher regarding pupil progress and classroom activities.
• Assisting with the preparation and display of pupils’ work and learning areas.
• Supporting the organisation of the classroom and outdoor learning provision.
• Helping staff and pupils on school trips, outings and at school events, some of which may occasionally take place in the evenings.
• Supporting Reception pupils more generally, including with organisation, independence and pastoral care.
• Assisting with the delivery and supervision of after-school club activities (within working hours, finishing at 4:30pm).
• Assisting with our 4+ admissions process, as directed by the Head of Pre-Prep.
• Any other tasks as may reasonably be required by the Head of Pre-Prep or Deputy Master (Lower School).

• Supervising pupils according to school policies and procedures, including playground and lunchtime supervision and during school break times.
• Supporting pupils in developing positive social interactions during play, using restorative justice techniques with children to help resolve conflicts.
• Liaising with the Day Matron and First Aiders to support any first aid and minor medical needs as necessary.

Holidays:

This is a term-time only post (including INSET days) and holidays are therefore taken during the School’s main holiday periods.

Working at Westminster Under School:

Westminster Under School is a busy, purposeful and vibrant place to be and an excellent workplace. The community is made up of around 292 pupils, 43 teaching staff and 50 support staff. Westminster Under School is a friendly and welcoming place to work. There is a real sense of community here and staff members quickly become part of the rhythm of life, both inside and outside the classroom. Social events are regular and varied, with plenty of opportunity to socialise outside working hours. Support staff as much as teaching staff are encouraged to embrace the School’s day-to-day activities, whether that be attending a concert or a sports fixture.

At Westminster we will always select the best candidate for every position. We do know, however, that we can only truly choose the best person on every occasion if a broad and diverse pool of candidates see the job advertised and are encouraged to apply. As such, we continue to work on how our job roles are encountered, and particularly welcome applications from groups who have traditionally been underrepresented here. Westminster Under School is for everyone, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other protected characteristic. We hope you are encouraged to apply.

The School:

Westminster Under School is a happy, ambitious, nurturing and inspiring world-class preparatory education for seven to 13 year olds. Pupils who love to learn are offered a supportive, dynamic and inspirational environment to fuel their curiosity. Located in the heart of London, the School overlooks the beautiful school playing fields in Vincent Square and is just a few moments’ walk from Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. It is closely connected to Westminster School; in 1943, Westminster expanded its educational scope by forming the Under School, and the two schools share the same Governing Body and the same ethos of a liberal education. Westminster Under School's curriculum is broad and diverse, aiming to foster a sense of wonder and inquisitiveness in children and encourage independent thought.