Nursery Support Operative - Nurseries - 107880 - Grade 2
University of Birmingham · United Kingdom · £24,097–£24,505 (stated in the posting)
Position Details
Nurseries, Campus Services
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £24,097 to £24,505, with potential progression once in post to £25,203
Grade: 2
Please note we are advertising 2 roles.
1 x Full time working 35 hours per week, permanent.
1 x Part time working 28.5 hours per week, FTC until 30/09/2027.
Closing date: 25th April 2027
This role is also open as an internal secondment opportunity which would need to be agreed by your current line manager.
We will be shortlisting and interviewing candidates throughout the duration of this advert and reserves the right to close the post early if we make an appointment. You are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
Background
Pre-appointment checks
In line with recommendations and regulations relating to Early Years safeguarding and recruitment, please note that for this role:
- The University will seek references from at least one referee prior to interview. Candidates must therefore provide at least one referee whom we can contact immediately. The remaining referees will usually only be contacted if you are offered appointment. Please indicate clearly on your application form which referee(s) we may contact prior to interview.
- Candidates invited to interview will be asked to disclose all past names, for the sole purpose of verifying identity for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and safeguarding checks. Candidates will be asked to bring documents to verify their identity (e.g. birth/adoption certificate and any evidence of name changes).
- All successful candidates will be required to undergo a DBS check covering all names used.
Join the award-winning team at Birmingham Day Nurseries - the perfect place to learn and grow.
The University operates 3 successful day nurseries – The Elms and The Maples (both in Edgbaston), and The Oaks (in Selly Oak) – providing high quality childcare for over 330 children belonging to University staff, students and local families. You will be joining a dedicated and supportive team of over 120 nursery professionals with many years of experience, in a warm and welcoming environment where you will be encouraged to develop and thrive.
This role will primarily be based at The Elms with flexibility expected to support our other nurseries when required. The Elms supports children from babies to pre-school ages 3-5, with impressive outside space and a sensory room.
Find out more about our Day Nurseries: Our nurseries · University of Birmingham Day Nurseries and what it is like to work here: Staff experience · University of Birmingham Day Nurseries
Please ensure to carefully read the information regarding pre-appointment checks and essential qualifications before applying.
Role Summary
In this role, you will provide high quality care, learning and development for all children of various age groups attending the Nursery. You will ensure that children are safe, happy and receive stimulating play experiences with their individual needs met, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). You will also carry out light domestic duties as and when required in the playrooms.
Birmingham Day Nurseries is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. As such we have stringent safeguarding policies and procedures in place across each of our nurseries. We expect all staff and volunteers to share our commitment, understand their responsibilities towards safeguarding and to uphold all policies and procedures. This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, satisfactory references, and safer recruitment vetting checks.
Main Duties
Provide high quality, positive care for babies and children from 6 weeks old to 5 years through social, emotional, educational and practical interaction, nurturing and guidance.
Promote all aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework.
Make sure children are kept safe, are well, and that Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures are followed.
Contribute towards observations and keep recordings of the activities and progress of children.
Partner with parents/carers to keep them informed of their child’s day and progress.
Support the wider team in creating a safe, secure and welcoming environment that enables children to participate in a range of adult and child-led learning and development experiences, whilst building confidence and independence.
Ensure the nutritional needs of babies and children are met throughout every stage of their development, adhering to Food Safety Regulations, NHS Guidance and Department For Education Nutritional Standards.
Attend to children’s basic care needs, including changing nappies and helping children with potty/toilet training.
Work as part of a team to provide a high-quality nursery service in line with the setting ethos, implementing the setting’s policies, procedures, routines and contributing ideas and strategies for ongoing development.
Work with outside professional bodies or agencies as appropriate.
Ensure the health and safety of Nursery users through implementation of the settings health and safety procedures and ensuring the completion of ongoing risk assessments.
Undertake other duties as required.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
Essential
Hold a minimum qualification of NVQ Level 2 Childcare and Education or equivalent
GCSE English Language and Maths or equivalent Level 1 qualifications
Basic Literacy in English
Knowledge of developments in early years education and willingness to undertake training
Sound knowledge of legislation, regulations, Ofsted requirements, inspection criteria and the Early Years Foundation Stage
Understanding of how to ensure health and safety and hygiene in a childcare setting
Approachable with good interpersonal skills, and able to communicate with a range of people including parents, children, staff, visitors and other professionals
Demonstrate a commitment to all aspects of Inclusion
The ability to retain and interpret information provided such as policies and procedures which regulate work practices.
Desirable
Current and relevant experience in an early years setting
Paediatric First Aid training
Basic Food Safety training
Pre-appointment Checks
As part of Early Years safeguarding requirements, all standard preemployment checks must be completed before appointment.
We will request one reference before interview, so please provide at least one referee who can be contacted immediately. Additional referees will usually only be contacted if an offer is made.
Candidates will be asked to account for any gaps in employment/education.
Candidates invited to interview must disclose any previous names for identity and safeguarding verification. Please bring documents that confirm your identity (e.g., birth/adoption certificate and any proof of name changes).
All offers are subject to a satisfactory DBS check due to the nature of the role.
Dimensions
This role does not directly manage others. This role does not own a budget.
Planning and Organising
You will undertake a range of activities within the Nursery that are allocated on a daily basis or by pre-determined routines and frameworks. You will need to complete these within the day or certain timeframes (with some tasks such as inspections needing to happen in specific time frames).
Problem Solving and decision making
You will work within existing processes and procedures, with an expectation to refer to the Manager before making any changes to Normal Operating Procedures. There will be prescribed procedures, with experience showing which the best course of action is.
Internal and External relationships
You will interact with children and carers/parents from a range of backgrounds and will need to have a high level of communication skills to provide quality care, learning and development for all children attending the nursery, and to work in partnership with carers/parents.
DBS required
Pre-employment DBS
The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory DBS clearance prior to appointment.
Informal enquiries to Selina Hunt, email: s.hunt@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
The role of the Nursery Assistant is to ensure that all children attending The Elms Day Nursery receive high quality care, are kept safe, and receive rich and stimulating play experiences which meet their individual needs and support all aspects and components of the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. At the Elms we work with children, parents, external agencies and the community to ensure the welfare and safety of children to give them the very best start in life. Children have the right to be treated with respect, be helped to thieve and be safe from any abuse in whatever form.