Early Years Practitioner
July 2026
Full Time / Permanent
Situated in the leafy suburb of Thornhill in Sunderland, Argyle House School is the only independent school in Sunderland and has dynamic staff, hardworking, motivated children and excellent facilities.
Applications are invited from a well-qualified and enthusiastic individual to join our vibrant School to work within our Little Crickets Nursery.
Argyle House School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and DBS.
Closing date for applications: 12 noon – Monday 8th June
Interview dates – As soon as possible after the closing date
Job Purpose
Location - Argyle House School, Sunderland
Reporting Line - Nursery Manager
Hours - Full Time
Salary - £27000
Role Summary
To contribute a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children placed in the setting.
To assist the in the care of the children.
To implement the daily routine in the nursery.
Main purpose
Work with children in the setting and support their learning and development
Work as part of the nursery team
Liaise with Parents/carers at drop-off and pick-up.
Main duties and responsibilities
To contribute to a planned programme of activities suitable to the age range of children in conjunction with other staff;
To seek new ideas by online research (Twinkl, Pinterest and resource books) within the classroom under the guidance of the team leader/ class teacher;
To observe the children and upload observations onto Tapestry software to keep a proper record of achievement file on key children, for parents/carers;
To contribute to the ‘in the moment’ planning sheets each day;
Work alongside parents/carers of special needs children to provide full integration in the Setting;
Support all staff and engage in a good staff team;
Uphold standards within the Setting by adhering to all policies and procedures;
Be responsible for the safeguarding of the children by working to Argyle House School’s safeguarding Code of Conduct;
Always follow Healthy and Safety procedures to keep everyone safe;
Liaise with and support parents/carers and other family members;
To attend out of working hours activities, e.g. training, monthly staff meetings, parents/carers evenings etc;
To be flexible within the working practices of Setting. Be prepared to help where needed, including to undertake certain domestic jobs within the Setting, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleaning of equipment etc;
Work alongside the Nursery Manager and staff team to ensure that the philosophy behind the Nursery is fulfilled;
Recording accidents in the accident book and make parents aware of any accidents;
Look upon the Setting as a "whole" i.e. where can your help be most utilised.
Be constantly aware of the needs of children;
Ensure each child is collected by someone known to Setting;
To respect the confidentiality of information received;
To develop your role within the team especially with regard as a key worker;
To undertake all ISI required training set by the nursery (Prevent Training, Paediatric First Aid, Online Safety and Safeguarding);
To read and adhere to all policies and procedures set by the nursery and school.
Specific Child Care Tasks
The preparation and completion of activities to suit the child's stage of development;
To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing;
Washing and changing children as required;
Providing comfort and warmth to an ill child;
To ensure the Setting is of a high-quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from differing cultures and religious backgrounds, and stages of development;
To be aware of the high profile of the Setting and to uphold its standards at all times;
To actively promote and support the safeguarding of children and young people in the workplace, ensuring Setting policies and procedures are observed at all times.
To be a role model when interacting with the children verbally and practically
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £27,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Free flu jabs
Education:
- A-Level or equivalent (preferred)
Experience:
- Nursery: 2 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
