Job summary
Looking for a Qualified Early Years role with real purpose?

Our hospital-based Trust Nurseries provide high-quality care and education for children aged 9 months to 5 years while their parents and carers work for the NHS, emergency services or in the local community.

By working with us, you aren't just shaping young minds--you're directly supporting the NHS heroes who keep our community safe.

If you are a passionate, kind and qualified practitioner, we want to hear from you.

Please note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role may not be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.

Main duties of the job

• Communicate effectively with all staff members on various subjects.
• To be able to interact with all children at their level, using appropriate communication methods.
• Communicate effectively with external agencies, childcare professionals, and regulatory bodies like Ofsted through verbal and electronic channels, reporting all relevant information back to the Nursery Management Team.
• Actively communicate with parents and carers daily to share updates and promote partnership with them.

Main tasks

• Plan and lead fun activities (like storytelling, messy play, and outdoor games) that help children learn and grow.
• Build strong bonds with the children, making sure they feel happy, safe, and supported every day.
• Help with children's basic needs, including mealtimes, nappy changing, and encouraging good hygiene (like hand washing).
• Supervise the children constantly, whether sleeping, playing indoors, in the garden, or on trips, to maintain safety.
• Safeguard the children from harm and immediately report any concerns about a child's welfare to your manager.
• Encourage children to eat healthy meals and stay active through physical play.
• Modelling nursery positive reinforcement strategies for a consistent behaviour management approach, while always being supportive, respectful, and inclusive.
• Conduct high-quality observations and assessments, accurately tracking children's progress and identifying any developmental gaps or concerns.

About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details
Date posted: 05 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 3
Salary: £25,760 to £27,476 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours
Reference number: 150-MT2707-CC-C
Job location: Butterfly Nursery, Hove Polyclinic site, Marshall Way, Brighton, BN3 7HY

Job responsibilities
Main responsibilities

• Always be a positive role model for the children and act as a professional representative of the nursery.
• Ensure high nursery standards by adhering to SCFT and internal policies and comply with the 'Welfare Requirements' of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• To be responsible for planning, implementing, and recording according to Ofsted/EYFS standards.
• To ensure Health and Safety is consistently upheld in the designated room nursery, gardens and hospital premises.
• To work with the Nursery Management team and Estates Department to promptly address building and maintenance needs for safety, by reporting required works to the management team in the assigned area.
• To undertake certain domestic jobs within the Nursery.
• To support junior staff, students, and volunteers, assisting in their professional development and providing constructive, respectful feedback.

Childcare

• To work with all age groups in the nursery as required.
• To ensure the inclusion of all children, parents and colleagues.
• To have a good knowledge of child development, child legislation, Early Years Foundation stage, and to keep abreast of current trends in early years care.

Partnership with Parents

• Actively collaborate with parents and carers daily to share updates, celebrate progress, and provide ongoing support for their child's learning and development.
• To support and attend parents evenings and Parent Nursery Group meetings, when required.
• To act as a Key Person for a designated group of children, taking responsibility for their developmental records and leading parent-teacher consultations.
• To act as a mentor for Level 2 practitioners and apprentices, modelling best practices and communication.

Administrative duties

• All team members must record and report any accidents or incidents always involving children or staff in the nursery, including outside Nursery hours, to the Nursery Management Team.
• To ensure a risk assessment for activities undertaken within the allocated room and nursery premises.
• In the absence of any team members in the allocated room, make sure all children's observations and next steps are covered.
• Report to the Nursery management team any reportable child sickness.
• To support the development of the nursery teams within the allocated room.
• To report to the Nursery management team any conversations or messaging from parents about any financial dealings.
• To promote good staff relations, support, and maintain an efficient working team and effective communication within the nursery and the allocated room.
• To support trainee staff, students and other unqualified workers while in the nursery, and volunteers.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Early Years Qualification: (e.g., NVQ Level 3, CACHE Level 3, or equivalent or above)
• English and Maths: GCSE Grade C/4 or above (or Functional Skills Level 2).
• Paediatric First Aid: A current, valid certificate (or a commitment to obtain one within the six-month probation period).

Desirable

• Safeguarding/Child Protection training.
• Food Hygiene certificate.

Experience
Essential

• Experience in an early year's childcare setting 0 - 5 years.

Skills and knowledge
Essential

• Child Development: An understanding of how children learn and the expected milestones of physical, social, and emotional development.
• The ability to observe children and record in different ways, e.g. digital platforms
• Good knowledge of risk assessments, hygiene practices, and maintaining a safe environment.
• Strong verbal and written skills for liaising with parents, colleagues, and external agencies

Other requirements
Essential

• Flexible approach to changing routines or covering different rooms within a setting.
• Ability to take initiative within the scope of the post.
• A warm, caring nature and a genuine passion for working with young children.
• To understand work-related boundaries and the ability to refer matters of importance to a senior colleague.
• Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality.
• An understanding of equal opportunities in relation to childcare, parents, and staff.
• The job is physically demanding; practitioners must be prepared to be active and spend time outdoors in all weathers.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details
Employer name: Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
Employer's website: https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Head of Trust Nurseries, Cara Mitchell, cara.mitchell@nhs.net

Apply through our website.