Early Years Practitioner
Early Years Practitioner (EYP)
The Opossum Federation is seeking an enthusiastic and committed Early Years Practitioner to join our team as soon as possible. We are a family of schools in East London dedicated to transforming and enriching the lives of the communities we serve. Our ethos is built on the belief that every child deserves a high-quality education that inspires and challenges them to meet their full potential.
The Role
- Workplace: Opossum Federation contract with an initial base at Newport Nursery.
- Position: Permanent.
- Salary: Scale 6, point 18-21 (£35,520 - £37,134 FTE / £30,689.99 - £32,084.52 Pro Rata).
- Hours: 36 hours per week, Term Time Only plus inset days.
- Mon-Thu: 9:30 am – 5:45 pm.
- Friday: 9:45 am – 5:45 pm.
Key Responsibilities
- Partnership: Work alongside Nursery teachers to help meet the aims of the setting and implement curriculum programming.
- Child Support: Act as a keyworker for a group of children, observing and assessing their development and maintaining accurate records.
- Curriculum & Environment: Lead specific activities, contribute to curriculum development, and share responsibility for creating a stimulating learning environment.
- Parental Engagement: Build trusting relationships with families and encourage parent involvement in their children’s learning.
- Safeguarding: Share responsibility for the safety, health, and welfare of children at all times.
Requirements
- Qualifications: NNEB/CACHE Level 3 or NVQ Level 3 in Childcare and Education (Essential).
- Education: GCSE Grade A*-C in English and Maths or equivalent (Essential).
- Experience: At least 2 years of experience working with children aged 0-4 (Essential) and experience with children with special needs (Essential).
- Skills: Excellent communication, ICT competency (Microsoft and Apple systems), and the ability to work flexibly in a fast-paced environment.
- Compliance: An up-to-date enhanced DBS disclosure is required.
How to Apply
To discuss the role or arrange a visit, please contact Chloe Foulger at hr@opossumed.org.
Closing Date: 22.03.2026 Interview Date: 15.04.2026
Note: Only applications submitted on the school's official application form will be considered.
Equal Opportunities
Waltham Forest is a diverse borough where diversity is valued and is integral to both, service delivery and employment of its staff. The Council is proud of its rich mix of communities and as the largest employer in the area, it works hard to respond to the changing needs of its population. We use our statutory duties on race, gender and disability equality and best practice in respect of age, faith and sexual orientation to ensure equality of opportunity in the workplace. The Council is committed to meeting its 4 equality objectives: - Promoting equality of opportunity - Opposing all forms of discrimination, intolerance and disadvantage - Ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities of Waltham Forest at all levels. - Providing fair, appropriate, accessible and excellent Services to all. Respecting Diversity is a core Council value. To support the above and reduce the risk of bias in its recruitment activities, the council is operating an anonymous shortlisting process, which hides personal information that can identify individuals until their application has been considered for shortlisting. The council also operates a scheme whereby, for jobs graded up to and including scale SO2, internal candidates are considered first. This includes those candidates who self-identify as having a disability for the purposes of the Disability Confident scheme. For more information, please refer to our recruitment and selection policy
How to apply
Email address for return of applications : hr@opossumed.org