NURSERY ASSISTANT
NURSERY ASSISTANT (Qualified Full Time ) for The Lodge Day Nursery at Ipswich School
THE LODGE DAY NURSERY
We offer exceptional childcare provision for children aged 3 months to 5 years, in the centre of Ipswich. You will join a team of professional, qualified staff in a caring, supportive setting. The Lodge is easily accessible in the heart of Ipswich. Our attractive buildings offer bright, spacious rooms, a large garden and outdoor environment and we are situated close to Christchurch Park.
We work in partnership with families to ensure each child feels safe, secure and has plenty of opportunities to discover new adventures, learn, grow, and thrive. We have four age ranges: Discoverers, Explorers, Adventurers and Pre School and children move onto the next stage at the appropriate time, when they are ready for the next stage in their development. Our specially designed rooms provide the perfect environment for each age range and children always have regular access to our spacious garden and outdoor areas. Our Pre School class has a full-time qualified teacher during term-time to lead on the EYFS curriculum learning outcomes.
Our delicious food is locally sourced and cooked on the premises by our own chef. We provide food, selected nappies and milk.
The Nursery opens all year round from 7.30am until 6.00pm (apart from one week over Christmas and one week in August).
We are thriving, and looking for ambitious nursery professionals eager to grow their own careers, whilst helping us to provide the very best care for our growing numbers of children. We are seeking someone with the relevant experience, skills, qualifications and passion to be our part lunch time team.
IPSWICH SCHOOL
Ipswich School has been listed as one of the top 130 schools in the country and is certainly one of the foremost independent schools in East Anglia. It was established prior to 1399, although it moved to its present site in 1852. We have over 1,080 pupils aged between 5 and 19 and we are fully co-educational.
We are delighted to be named in the Sunday Times Parent Power report as the top independent school in Suffolk, and in the top 130 independent schools in the country.
Many of the children who attend the Lodge Day Nursery transition seamlessly into the Reception class at the Prep School.
THE ROLE OF NURSERY ASSISTANT
As a member of our nursery team, you will help us to deliver the EYFS curriculum, which ensures a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children attending the nursery. You will work closely with other staff to provide a stimulating, safe and caring learning environment appropriate to the needs of the children in our care.
Here is a more detailed look at the role of Nursery Assistant in The Lodge Day Nursery:
RESPONSIBILITIES
● To work closely with the Room Leader, Deputy Room Leader and other staff to provide a stimulating, safe and caring learning environment appropriate to the needs of the children in the nursery.
● To work as a member of the nursery team to promote the physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of the children in the nursery.
● To plan, prepare and set out in an appropriate way, in cooperation with the room team, activities related to the nursery themes or agreed programme.
● To initiate, facilitate and evaluate programmes of activities (age appropriate) for groups and/or individuals, for example, story sessions, listening and reading, art and craft work, computer activities, cooking, music, dance, special needs activities in consultation with the nursery team.
● To ensure that the materials, equipment and resources are available for groups and/or individuals to undertake planned activities, to tidy up at the end of the session and to encourage children to help whenever possible.
● To share and at times to take sole responsibility for groups of children working in areas (both inside and outside under the direction of qualified staff) where a variety of activities are available, facilitating and enabling them by providing appropriate levels of support and interaction.
● To keep careful records of the child’s development and progress and share them with parents, the child and other professionals as necessary.
● To encourage the children (as age appropriate) in self-care, independence, caring for their peers and their environment, and good behavioural standards, setting excellent examples at all times.
● To advise the senior staff of any concerns with regard to children, parents, equipment or with regard to health and safety.
● To maintain and ensure adequate resources are available for activities planned within the activity room and inform senior staff of any likely shortages.
● To maintain confidentiality with regards to any information about the children, their families or School business, including staff matters.
● To take responsibility as required for any activity under the authority and direction of the Deputy Room Leader, Room Leader or the Manager, for example, visits out of the nursery, group work, maintaining registers.
● To act as a Key Person.
● To pass relevant information to other key persons for them to talk to parents as required.
● To attend meetings as and when required.
● To deal appropriately with minor accidents and injuries both indoors and outdoors.
● To be vigilant in matters of safety.
● To assist with the EYFS Late Stay facility in the Prep when required.
● To be flexible within the working practices of the nursery. Be prepared to help where needed, including to undertake certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleansing of equipment etc.
● Look upon the nursery as a ‘whole’ assessing where your help can be most utilised, be constantly aware of the needs of children.
● To ensure the setting is a high quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from differing cultures and religious backgrounds, and stages of development.
● Work alongside parents/carers of special needs children to provide full integration in the nursery.
● To ensure each child is collected by someone known to the nursery.
Specific Child Care Tasks:
● The preparation and completion of activities to suit the child's stage of development;
● To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing;
● Washing and changing children as required;
● Providing comfort and warmth to an ill child.
This list is not exhaustive and duties may be changed or added to as determined from time to time.
Specific Child Care Tasks:
This list is not exhaustive and duties may be changed or added to as determined from time to time.
● To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing
● Washing and changing children as required
● Providing comfort and warmth to an ill child
● To attend all out of working hours activities, e.g. training, staff meetings, parents/carers evenings, Christmas party, etc.
| Knowledge, Qualifications and ExperienceEssential | Desirable |
| You will ideally hold a current and relevantchildcare qualification NVQ Level 2, or ideallylevel 3, or be working towards this.Previous experience of working with youngchildren and babies.Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring ServicesCheck.Paediatric First Aid Certificate. | Further qualifications.Evidence of continuous self development andupdated knowledge, particularly in the areasof responsibility for this post.Knowledge of pupil welfare issues includingchild protection, raising achievement, SENDprovision etc. |
| Skills and AbilitiesEssential | Desirable |
| Have an excellent understanding of safe workingpractices in relation to child care.Have an excellent understanding of childdevelopment. Some previous experience of using a computerand preferably online Learning Journey software.Have the ability to work methodically andprioritise your own workload.Have the ability to work as part of a team andalso own initiative.Conversant with the current Early YearsFoundation Stage curriculum. | A positive approach to completing relevant shortcourses and qualifications.Some understanding of the importance of Health& Safety and Food Hygiene in the workplace. |
| Personal Qualities | |
| Essential | Desirable |
Be honest, reliable and flexible.
Be able to build excellent working relationships with children, parents/carers and colleagues within the LDN.
● Have the ability to manage change positively.
Have the ability to attend for work punctually and be well presented.
Have excellent attention to detail.
● Have a high level of patience.
● Enjoy working with children.
Have the commitment to provide the highest standards of child care.
● Have the ability to multi-task.
Have the willingness to learn, and undergo further appropriate training.
Be flexible, positive, friendly and have a supportive approach to work.
Have a pleasant disposition with a capability to respond positively under pressure.
Have a sense of fun, and understanding with other adults.
WORKING AT THE LODGE DAY NURSERY
YOUR HOURS OF WORK, SALARY AND BENEFITS
You will join a friendly and supportive team, we offer plenty of opportunities for further professional development, working in a high achieving school in a fantastic area, with excellent facilities for both children and staff.
What you need to know:
We currently have Full time roles available in our nursery team, ideally for qualified people (or those who have relevant experience of working with young children and babies). You will work for 3.5 hours each day, 17.5 hours each week, on Mondays – Fridays throughout the year, to help us make sure we maintain our staffing ratios during the busy nursery lunchtime period.
Your starting salary will be between £26,084.86 - £25,272.88 per annum, for the actual hours outlined above, and will depend on your skills, qualifications and experience.
All our appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of a 5 months probationary period.
You will have 28 days paid holiday each year (including bank holidays) and a further 5 days as paid time off when the nursery is closed in August (one day) and at Christmas (4 days). Giving a total of 33 days paid time off each year. We should let you know that holiday (usually 4 days) must be taken during the week each year when the nursery is closed in August, and we will let you know the dates well in advance each year.
You will be entitled to join our defined contribution pension scheme for support staff (the employer contribution rate is an attractive 10% of your gross pay), and you will receive three times your salary as death in service life cover. You will also join Smart Health, a wellbeing scheme for staff offering 24/7 online GP and mental health support.
You will be able to use the School’s swimming pool and fitness gym free of charge and you will have a free freshly prepared lunch each day in School (when the school is in session). We also have (limited) free parking available for staff.
We have a review and development scheme for staff, to assist in your professional development, and we have a fantastic track record of supporting our nursery staff in training and development activities and gaining further qualifications.
CLOSING DATE AND INTERVIEW ARRANGEMENTS
Please advise us of any special requirements you may have if you are called for an interview. If your special requirements mean that you need to submit this application in a different format please contact us.
Completed application forms should be returned by noon on Tuesday 1st September 2026 to: Director of HR, Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 3SG. Please mark the envelope Private and Confidential. You can also email your application to hr@ipswich.school if you prefer.
Candidates shortlisted for interview will be advised as soon as possible after the closing date and interviews are likely to be held on Friday 11th September 2026. If we have not been in touch with you by 4th September , then we regret that your application will have been unsuccessful, but we would like to thank you for your interest.
PLEASE NOTE
Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining the position. The Ipswich School policy on the recruitment of ex offenders and the Code of Practice relating to the Disclosure and Barring Service are available on request.
Ipswich School’s employees are responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people they are responsible for, or come into contact with. The post holder must adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Policy at all times. If, in the course of carrying out his/her duties, the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School he/she must report any concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead,The Manager of The Lodge Day Nursery .
Ipswich School’s employees are expected to attend training in safeguarding children as directed.
Applicants are advised that in the interests of the health and safety of all its pupils and employees, Ipswich School operates a ‘No Smoking’ Policy and employees are expected to comply with the statutory restriction on smoking in public places.
August 2026