Early Years Education / Childcare Practitioner

                                                                                                               🌟 Join Our Team at Marden Pre-school 🌟

Baby Room Practitioner – Permanent Position

Would you love to help babies and very young children feel safe, cherished and confident as they begin to discover the world around them? Marden Pre-school is looking for a warm, attentive and dependable Baby Room Practitioner to join our friendly team as who are moving into our new purpose built building.This is a wonderful opportunity to provide nurturing, responsive care during the most important early stages of development, with the possibility of a permanent position for the right person.

🌱 The Opportunity

At Marden Pre-school, every baby matters and every interaction is an opportunity to build security, communication, curiosity and trust. Our Baby Room provides a calm, inclusive and nurturing environment where babies can form close attachments, explore safely and follow their individual routines for feeding, sleep, personal care and play. You will be welcomed into a supportive team that values kindness, professional curiosity, reflective practice and respectful partnerships with families.

Contract: Fixed-term contract
Location: Marden Pre-school, Herefordshire
Hours: To be confirmed
Start date: To be confirmed
Salary: Dependent on qualifications and experience

🧸 What You Will Do

• Provide warm, responsive and consistent care so every baby feels safe, secure, valued and ready to flourish.
• Act as a key person, building secure attachments and working closely with families to follow each baby’s individual care, feeding, sleep and comfort routines.
• Plan and provide safe, sensory-rich, play-based experiences that support babies’ communication, physical development, emotional wellbeing and curiosity in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage.
• Observe, assess and record each baby’s learning and development, identifying appropriate next steps and sharing progress sensitively with parents and carers.
• Carry out feeding, bottle preparation, nappy changing, sleep checks and personal care safely, hygienically and with dignity, following each child’s care plan and the setting’s procedures.
• Maintain vigilant supervision and complete accurate records, including attendance, care routines, accidents, incidents, medication and any safeguarding or welfare concerns.
• Recognise signs that a child may be at risk of harm, respond calmly to disclosures or concerns, record facts accurately and report immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead in accordance with procedures.
• Follow safer working practices, professional boundaries, mobile-phone and camera rules, confidentiality requirements, whistleblowing procedures and arrangements for reporting low-level concerns or allegations.
• Work closely with colleagues, families and other professionals to support inclusion, additional needs, smooth transitions and continuity of care.
• Maintain a clean, safe, welcoming and well-organised Baby Room, completing daily safety checks and promptly reporting hazards or concerns.

💛 Who We Are Looking For

• A kind, patient, attentive and enthusiastic practitioner who understands the importance of secure attachments and responsive care.
• A relevant Level 2 or Level 3 early years qualification, or a commitment to working towards an appropriate qualification.
• A sound understanding of babies’ development, the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to provide safe, stimulating experiences for children under two.
• Experience of supporting babies’ feeding, sleep, personal care and emotional regulation, with close attention to individual routines and family preferences.
• A clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities, including recognising possible signs of abuse or neglect, maintaining professional curiosity, recording concerns accurately and reporting them without delay.
• The confidence to challenge unsafe practice, use whistleblowing procedures where necessary and maintain appropriate professional boundaries at all times.
• Strong communication, teamwork and organisational skills, with the ability to build respectful partnerships with parents and carers.
• A dependable, reflective and positive approach, with a willingness to complete required training and keep knowledge up to date.
• Paediatric first aid and recent safeguarding training are desirable; required training can be discussed with the successful applicant.

✨ Why Join Us?

• A warm, welcoming and collaborative team where you will be supported, listened to and encouraged to share your ideas.
• The rewarding opportunity to shape children’s earliest experiences and make a difference that can last a lifetime.
• A thoughtful induction, ongoing encouragement and opportunities to develop your skills and confidence.
• A caring and positive workplace with children, families and staff wellbeing at its heart.
• The exciting possibility of continuing your journey with us in a permanent position after the maternity-cover period, subject to the setting’s needs and a successful review.

📩 How to Apply

If our values speak to you and you would love to help children grow, learn and shine, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please send a completed application form and supporting statement telling us why you would be a wonderful addition to Marden Pre-school.
Closing date: 5/10/2026
Interview date: tbc
Contact: mardenpreschool15@outlook.com or via our Ey recruit or call 01432880034

🛡️ Safeguarding and Safer Recruitment

Marden Pre-school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and the successful applicant must place children’s safety and wellbeing at the centre of every decision, act promptly on concerns and maintain appropriately confidential records. Appointment will be subject to the setting’s full safer-recruitment process, including:

• A completed application form with a full employment history and satisfactory explanations for any gaps or discrepancies.
• A safeguarding-focused interview, including questions about the candidate’s suitability to work with babies and young children.
• Verification of identity, qualifications and the right to work in the UK.
• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, including the appropriate barred-list check for regulated activity.
• Satisfactory references, including one from the most recent relevant employer, obtained and checked before appointment.
• Any additional suitability checks considered appropriate for the role, which may include an online search of publicly available information as part of due diligence.
• Completion of safeguarding induction and all required training, with ongoing compliance with the setting’s safeguarding policy, staff code of conduct, safer working practices, whistleblowing arrangements and procedures for reporting concerns, low-level concerns or allegations.

Bring your warmth, imagination and passion to Marden Pre-school—and help give every child a happy, confident beginning filled with possibilities.

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