Experienced Playworker – Waterside Adventure Playground
Waterside Adventure Playground, Islington, London
£18,278 per annum – Part-Time
Term Time: 20 hours per week | School Holidays: 35 hours per week
We're looking for a Playworker who notices things.
Someone who can read a busy playground, recognise when a child needs support and when they need space, notice when something needs clearing, organising or preparing, and use their initiative rather than waiting to be given the next task.
Waterside Adventure Playground is looking for an experienced, dependable and practical Playworker to join our team.
This isn't a traditional childcare or activity-leader role. You won't be given a timetable of activities to deliver throughout the day.
Good Playwork involves observing, thinking, responding and knowing when to get involved and when to step back. Sometimes you'll be helping children build, create, cook, explore or take on a challenge. At other times you'll be sorting loose parts, washing up, preparing a space, sweeping an area, checking resources or getting the playground ready for the next group of children.
We need someone who takes responsibility for the whole environment and can confidently use their own judgement while working as part of a supportive team.
About Waterside Adventure Playground
Waterside is an open-access Adventure Playground where children and young people have space and freedom to play, explore, build, create, develop relationships and take appropriate risks.
Children shape what happens here.
Rather than adults constantly directing activities, our Playworkers create the conditions in which children can follow their own ideas, interests and adventures.
Our practice is rooted in:
- The Playwork Principles
- Children's Right to Play
- The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Risk-benefit approaches to children's play
- Trauma-informed and relationship-based practice
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
What You'll Be Doing
You'll work alongside the Waterside team to create a welcoming, challenging and well-run environment for children and young people.
A typical day might include:
- Preparing indoor and outdoor areas before children arrive
- Welcoming children and building positive, consistent relationships
- Observing play and deciding when intervention would help and when it would interrupt
- Supporting den building, loose-parts play, creative projects, cooking, fires, outdoor play and children's own ideas
- Helping children navigate friendships, challenges and disagreements
- Supporting children with SEND and additional needs
- Creating opportunities for challenge, exploration and positive risk
- Talking with parents, carers and other professionals
- Checking and maintaining play resources and Adventure Playground areas
- Moving equipment and loose parts
- Cleaning, sweeping, washing up and helping keep shared areas organised
- Resetting the playground so it is ready for the next session
- Identifying jobs that need doing and taking responsibility for completing them
- Supporting safeguarding and children's wellbeing
- Contributing to risk-benefit assessments and safe working practices
- Maintaining appropriate records
- Reflecting with colleagues on children's play and the development of the playground
Everyone in the team contributes to the practical running of Waterside. We don't see maintaining and preparing the environment as separate from Playwork, the quality of the space directly affects children's opportunities to play.
What We're Looking For
More than anything, we're looking for someone with good judgement, initiative and a strong sense of responsibility.
You'll be someone who:
- Notices what needs doing and gets on with it
- Can work independently without needing constant direction
- Remains calm and practical when things are busy or unpredictable
- Takes pride in maintaining a welcoming and organised environment
- Is happy getting involved in practical jobs as well as working directly with children
- Understands that supporting children's play doesn't mean constantly entertaining or directing them
- Can build warm, appropriate and professional relationships with children
- Communicates confidently with parents, carers, colleagues and professionals
- Understands professional boundaries and safeguarding responsibilities
- Can balance children's need for challenge and freedom with appropriate consideration of risk
- Works well as part of a team and contributes positively to shared responsibilities
Essential Experience
You should be able to demonstrate:
- Substantial experience working directly with children or young people
- Experience taking responsibility and using your own initiative in a workplace
- An understanding of children's development and the importance of play
- Experience supporting children from different backgrounds and communities
- An understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries
- A commitment to inclusive and anti-discriminatory practice
- Confidence undertaking practical indoor and outdoor work
- Reliability and the ability to work consistently as part of a team
Experience could come from Adventure Playgrounds, , youth work, SEND services, community provision, outdoor education, children's centres, education or another relevant setting.
QualificationsDesirable
- Level 2 or Level 3 Playwork qualification
- Qualification in Youth Work, Childcare, Education or a related field
- Previous Adventure Playground or Open Access Play experience
We are also interested in experienced applicants from related children's and community settings who may not currently hold a formal Playwork qualification but are willing to develop their Playwork knowledge and practice.
Additional useful experience or training may include:
- SEND and neurodiversity
- Forest School, Outdoor Learning or Bushcraft
- First Aid
- Food Hygiene
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Mental Health First Aid
- BSL, Makaton or PECS
- Out-of-school or Ofsted-registered provision
Working Hours
You must be able to work the following pattern.
Term Time – 20 hours per week
Tuesday–Thursday: 3:30pm–7:00pm
Friday: 2:30pm–7:00pm
Saturday: 11:30am–4:30pm
School Holidays – 35 hours per week
Monday–Friday: 10:00am–6:00pm
The ability to work the required evening, Saturday and school-holiday hours is an important part of the role.
This Role Could Suit You If...
You enjoy working with children but don't feel the need to lead everything they do.
You tend to notice jobs that need doing rather than walking past them.
You're comfortable making sensible decisions and taking responsibility.
You don't mind getting dirty, working outdoors, washing up, moving equipment or doing whatever practical job will help the playground run well.
You can bring experience and calmness to a busy environment.
You enjoy being part of a team but don't need someone constantly telling you what to do next.
And most importantly, you believe children need places where they have genuine freedom to play.
Why Join Waterside?Make a Real Difference
You'll help children develop confidence, resilience, friendships, independence and life skills through play.
Work Somewhere Different
Adventure playgrounds aren't conventional childcare environments. Children build, experiment, explore, get muddy, test ideas and shape the space around them.
Use Your Judgement
We value Playworkers who think, observe, contribute ideas and take responsibility rather than simply following a programme.
Be Part of the Community
Waterside is rooted in its local community, and we particularly welcome applications from people who understand the value of accessible community-based provision for children and families.
Safeguarding
Awesome is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
The successful applicant will be required to undertake appropriate safeguarding training and an Enhanced DBS check. Appointment will be subject to satisfactory safer-recruitment checks and references.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
If you're an experienced, practical and thoughtful person who believes in children's right to play and likes taking responsibility for making things work well, we'd love to hear from you.
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £18,278.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
Application question(s):
- Please describe your experience of supporting children's freely chosen play. How have you applied the Playwork Principles in your practice?
- This role involves working with children and young people with a wide range of needs, including SEND. Please provide an example of how you have adapted your approach to ensure a child or young person could fully participate.
- Adventure Playgrounds use a risk-benefit approach that allows children to experience challenge and uncertainty. Please describe a situation where you supported a child to take an appropriate risk while maintaining their safety.
- What interests you about working at an Adventure Playground, and what skills, qualifications or experiences would you bring to this role that make you a strong candidate?
Education:
- GCSE or equivalent (required)
Experience:
- Playwork / Childcare: 2 years (required)
Work Location: In person
