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The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
About
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Lead Early Years Practitioner
Accepting applications until: 15-Mar-2026 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 15-Mar-2026 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Freeman Hospital
- Town
- 317 01 Freeman Hospital
- Postcode
- NE7 7DN
- Major / Minor Region
- Tyne and Wear
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (Band 4)
Specialty
- Main area
- 317 Staff Nursery - FH
- Interview date
- 25/03/2026
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS hospital trusts in the country. We have around 16,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.7 billion.
With strong history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation regionally, nationally and internationally, we’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country.
As well as providing a wide range of hospital and community services, we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job overview
Free Spirits Nursery
Freeman Hospital
Free Spirits is a busy 88 place Nursery, graded Outstanding by Ofsted. The Nursery caters for children 6 months to Pre School, located within the grounds of The Freeman Hospital.
Are you ready to join an Outstanding Nursery setting?
A vacancy has arisen within the Nursery for a full time member of staff to join our ‘Outstanding’ team.
We are looking for a passionate and energetic member of staff with a sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and child development. Could you be this person?
Are you enthusiastic about working with children and supporting their learning and development?
Are you able to use your own initiative, research and keep your knowledge up to date?
As part of a team would you be able to plan varied and stimulating activities which challenge children’s learning and development?
We would welcome applications from candidates who would like an opportunity to join our ‘Outstanding’ team. A sound knowledge of The Early Years Foundation Stage and a positive approach to child care is essential. Experience working with babies would be desirable.
- Interview Date: 25 March 2026
- 37 hours 30 minutes/week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
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- Be able to work as part of a team, use own initiative and be actively involved in Nursery routines, overseeing the room as a whole.
- Implement Nursery and Trust Policies and Procedures, under the direction of the Nursery Managers.
- To care and supervise children aged 0-5 years, under the general direction of the Senior Staff and Nursery Managers.
- To plan and implement a structured, stimulating environment through play, following a curriculum to encourage all areas of development as required by OFSTED.
- To supervise Early Years Practitioners and students helping them develop within their role.
Working for our organisation
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
With around 2 million contacts with patients every year, we deliver care from:
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Freeman Hospital
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Cramlington Manor Walks
- Urgent treatment centres
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
A minimum of NVQ level 3 in childcareor an equivalent in childcare is essential. An NVQ level 4 in childcare or an equivalent in childcare would be desirable.
Please ensure that your qualification is relevant and applicable before applying. This can be checked on the following website:Check an early years qualification - GOV.UK
Job Purpose
- To care and supervise children aged 0-5 years, under the general direction of the Senior Staff and Nursery Managers
- To plan and implement a structured, stimulating environment through play, following a curriculum to encourage all areas of development as required by OFSTED.
- To supervise Early Years Practitioners and students helping them develop within their role.
- To settle in new children, working closely with parents/carers and senior staff throughout the induction period
- Ability to work alongside external professional bodies on a regular basis.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3 in Childcare or equivalent (in Childcare)
Desirable criteria
- NVQ Level 4
- Paediatric First Aid
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Sound knowledge of child development
- Demonstrate good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
- Welfare Requirements
- Legislation/Policies & Procedures
- Working as part of a team
- Observation, Planning and Assessment
- Child development
Desirable criteria
- Good knowledge of Nursery and Trust Policies and Procedures
- Health and safety
- Safeguarding
- SEND
- Experience in a day care setting
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Highly motivated, able to give direction enthusiastic with good interpersonal skills.
- Ability to communicate with others
- Ability to lead and give direction
- Ability to work with others
- Good interpersonal skills
Desirable criteria
- To be highly motivated and have a flexible working approach
- Ability to work in collaboration with colleagues as well as an individual.
- To provide and maintain high quality childcare within the Nursery
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Marika Knotts
- Job title
- Nursery Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0191 2231888
- Additional information
For further information, please contact either Marika Knotts, Nicky Wagstaff or Emma Crowe on 0191 2231888 or ext. 31888
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