JOB TITLE: Nursery Practitioner
REPORTING TO: Room Leader
Salary: Salary range (depending on level of qualification) £11.44 - £11.95 per hour; £22,369 - £23,369 (pro rata for part time)
Hours: a variety of positions available from 19.5 to 37.5 hours per week; term time only or all year round.
Annual Leave: 28 days per year plus public holidays. Holiday entitlement is calculated pro rata for term time only and part time contracts. For term time only posts, leave must not be taken during term time.
Location: The Vinery Centre, 20 Vinery Terrace, Leeds LS9 9LU.
An Outstanding opportunity to work in an Outstanding Community Nursery.
Jimbo’s Community Nursery provides both mainstream and specialist early years education and childcare in East End Park in Leeds. We’re delighted and proud that following our inspection in March 2024 we’ve now been rated as Outstanding by Ofsted. This is especially significant as we are the only nursery in the city with a specialist playroom that supports children with additional needs.
Our Ofsted rating doesn’t just mean a lot to us and the parents of the children who already attend the nursery. It also means a lot to the wider community, and we want to be able to offer places to the many children who want to start coming to the nursery. This is why we’re now recruiting Level 2 and Level 3 Nursery Practitioners for a number of posts, both part-time and full-time basis (including term-time only.)
The nursery is part of local charity, Leeds Mencap, and we’re based in a friendly, modern, purpose-built centre. We have excellent facilities and resources, and the nursery is expertly managed by our highly experienced, skilled and supportive Childcare Manager.
Some of the children we work with require an especially caring and understanding approach or specialist support to help them flourish, and the work is not always easy, but as part of a strong and experienced team you will be well-supported and have access to specialist training that’s relevant to your role.
‘Staff report that the support for their emotional wellbeing as being is very good. Staff who require additional support for their own needs are very well supported by managers.’ OFSTED March 2024
“I was never really interested in working for somewhere that was just a regular day nursery. I came to Jimbo’s because it’s so specialist and feels like it’s part of something more, that supports Learning Disability and local communities, and feels like a family.” Jimbo’s Nursery Practitioner.
Alongside the nursery Leeds Mencap also offers services to children and young people with a learning disability, their families and carers. These services include activities such as youth clubs and holiday playschemes and family support, which includes informal stay and play sessions where parents can meet others in similar situations, and advice on navigating through the often-complex systems to access specialist support in school settings.
The nursery and Family Services often work together to support children and their families, and the support we offer is long-term and meaningful. In fact, some of the children who started out accessing our nursery now attend our youth club for 14–18 year-olds for young people with learning disabilities.
Leeds Mencap is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk of harm. We expect all staff and volunteers to fully share and demonstrate this commitment. All posts are subject to an enhanced DBS check.
We aim for our team to reflect the diversity of people in Leeds and welcome applications from any community. If you share our passion about all children getting the very best start in life, whatever their background and ability, we would love to hear from you.