Role Summary
Our nursery provides childcare provision only to colleagues working at the Royal Devon.
It’s set on our Wonford site in a purpose built, spacious building and generous outdoor spaces – a perfect setting for fun, play, and learning! Which is reflected in our Ofsted Outstanding Provider rating and the happy children who attend from 3 months to 5 years old.
Our mission is to ensure that children’s wellbeing and development is central to all that we do.
We promote learning in a fun, stimulating, language-rich environment, nurtured through play and meaningful interactions; following children’s interests to motivate and inspire them to become active learners.
We recognise the importance of the roles that our parents have in supporting the NHS, so it is important to us that our parents can attend their place of work, knowing that their child’s individual needs are met, and that they are being cared and supported to learn and develop to meet their full potential, in a way that is unique to them.
About the Role
For more information on the Job Description and Responsibilities please click the link below.
More detail about the role
Are you an experienced Room Lead ready for a new challenge or an Early Years Educator looking for the next step in your career? Join our Ofsted Outstanding rated First Steps NHS Nursery team!
We’d love to hear from Early Years Educators with a passion for nurturing and developing children and your colleagues as they grow. In return, we offer a rewarding career, working in amazing facilities, where you can make a difference to the children of NHS colleagues, plus you’ll receive a brilliant package of benefits.
We care for up to 129 children a day in five rooms with access to our different outdoor play spaces which include:
- a large Astroturf area
- a spacious woodland area
- an extensive full enclosed grass area
We’re open for our:
- Breakfast club 7.00am – 8.00am
- Core hours are 8.00am – 6.00pm
As a Room Lead, Early Years Educator, you’ll use your creative flare and organisation skills to support your team to deliver a brilliant programme of fun, inclusive, learning activities for the children around their interests and care needs.
Drawing upon your knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum to develop the skills of the team within your room. You’ll encourage the use of our fantastic outdoor spaces to benefit the children by experiencing different environments and developing their sense of the world and themselves.
The working day is extremely rewarding and involves both child and adult led learning opportunities with the children. Examples of these activities including sharing stories, dressing up, ‘messy play’, games, and above all, instilling a sense of fun!
Key duties:
- Be part of the team that creates a nurturing
- Help create a nurturing environment and
Could your next chapter be full of stories, discovery and play? Join our Ofsted Outstanding First Steps NHS Nursery as an Early Years Educator.
Whether you have worked in a nursery, preschool, school or childminding setting, we would love to hear from you. We welcome Early Years Educators, nursery practitioners, teaching assistants and teachers with early years experience who meet the requirements in the person specification. Bring your skills to a spacious, playful setting where you can help children explore and grow while supporting the NHS colleagues who trust us with their care.
As an Early Years Educator, you will create warm, responsive relationships with children and plan inclusive experiences around their interests, care needs and stage of development.
You will use your knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage alongside colleagues, making full use of our outdoor spaces and everyday moments to support children’s communication, curiosity and independence.
Are you a teacher with early years experience looking for a setting where you can spend meaningful time with children? We’d also love to hear from teaching assistants, nursery practitioners, preschool educators and childminders. You’ll use your skills to notice what interests each child, extend their play through conversation and create experiences that help them feel confident, curious and ready to explore.
Key duties:
- Help create a nurturing environment and deliver high standards of care and education.
- Plan, deliver and reflect on experiences that support children’s learning and development.
- Keep accurate records of children’s progress and care, and share updates with parents and carers.
- Share ideas with colleagues and keep developing your knowledge and practice.
- Follow safeguarding procedures and raise concerns promptly.
- Support other Childcare Services provision as required.
About you
We welcome qualified Early Years Educators and teachers with early years experience who want to work closely with children through play. Please check the person specification for the qualifications required for this post.
You build trusting relationships with children and families, notice what sparks children’s interest and enjoy working with a supportive team. You are keen to keep learning and growing in your practice.
You’ll be supported by our experienced Nursery Manager and service leadership team who are passionate about Early Years Education and developing their team. You’ll be joining Early Years Apprentices, Educators, Room Leads, SENDCOs and Deputy Managers.
Our five most important team members are our Axolotls Phil, Lizzie, Goldie, Speckles and Freckles who meet and greet everyone each day. Each room also has a fish tank which provides a calming spot for children to relax, share a story or even a song!
Why join us?
We can offer an extensive package of benefits.
Working for the Royal Devon provides you with a whole host of additional benefits including:
- A 37.5 hour working week for full-time (2.5 hours a week less than other settings)
- Hours condensed over four days, giving you more free time (part-time also considered)
- Access to brilliant discounts on big name brands and local companies, plus in our onsite cafes, restaurants, and shop
- Fantastic holiday allowance – 27 days if working a standard 5-day working week, that increases with service and bank holidays
- The chance to ‘buy’ additional holiday
- Salary sacrifice schemes to make your money work harder, including nursery fees, cycle to work, and more
- You’ll be provided with a free uniform
- Stagecoach discount for travel to work and free park & ride services
- Social events and planned activities
- Access to the generous NHS Pension scheme
A healthy work-life balance is essential and Devon is a great place to enjoy it. The working hours for this role are condensed over four days, providing the children with a consistent team during a day and you with free time!
A great place to live and work – the nursery is found on our Wonford site in Exeter, with lots of different options for travelling to work. We offer a free park & ride service, a park & walk service, plus regular bus services, and secure bicycle storage. Exeter is a vibrant city and has lots to offer which the team make the most of when they organise social events.
Career progression at your pace – being a larger setting means we can support you to increase your skills and experience. Whether that’s by working with different age groups or through funded training and development, you’ll be able to thrive and grow in your career.
A DBS check will be required, we’ll cover the costs now and for renewals in the future.
Working pattern: Full-time is 37.5 hours per week, usually condensed over four full days between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. Part-time full-day patterns may be considered.
Interview Date: To be confirmed
For further information please contact: Rachel Berriman, Nursery Manager on 01392 405858
As an inclusive employer, the Royal Devon values diversity and is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We believe in fostering a sense of belonging and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. We recognise the advantages of having a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to close vacancy when sufficient applications have been received.
About Us
Stretching across Northern, Eastern and Mid Devon, we have a workforce of over 15,000 staff, making us the largest employer in Devon. Our core services, which we provide to more than 615,000 people, cover more than 2,000 square miles across Devon, while some of our specialist services cover the whole of the peninsula, extending our reach as far as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
We deliver a wide range of emergency, specialist and general medical services through North Devon District Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). Alongside our two acute hospitals, we provide integrated health and social care services across a variety of settings, including community inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and within people’s own homes. We also offer primary care services, a range of specialist community services, and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC).
Our state-of-the-art equipment, leading technologies and strong links to local universities put us at the forefront of research and innovations, enabling us to provide world-class care to our local communities.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do, click here to find out more
It has never been a more exciting time to join the Royal Devon, as you will help to shape our services as we continue along our integration journey.
Benefits
Looking after you is important to us.
We strive to help our staff create a healthy work-life balance through flexible working schemes and our family friendly policies.
If you are starting out in the NHS, you’ll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.
You will benefit from access to our own comprehensive occupational health services, including counselling, onsite wellbeing activities and groups.
We will work together to maintain a culture that develops and supports you and your team.
This might include funding for a care certificate, a degree or leadership qualifications. Or it might include days off to study, engage in CPD or rotational placements to help you hone your skills. Wherever you are heading in the NHS, we will help you get there.
Salary is not the only financial benefit
You will have access to an extensive range of staff discounts on shopping, fitness and leisure options and you can spread the cost of technology and home appliance purchases from major retailers. You will also have access to other benefits including:
- National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
- Salary sacrifice options including our OFSTED rated outstanding nursery onsite at Exeter
- Car lease schemes.
- The NHS Pension scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
- Cycle to work scheme
These are just a few of the benefits available – if the role is something you are interested in, we would love to hear from you.
