Early Years Practitioner Assistant

Hightown Primary School, Southampton, Hampshire, SO19 6AA

26 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  To be negotiated with the successful candidate

• Closing date

  2 March 2026 at 12pm (midday)

• Date listed

  29 January 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other support roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Full-time equivalent salary: £25,186.00 - £30,564.00 Annually (FTE) See Trust Pay Policy for further details

Early Years Practitioner Assistant job summary

Hours:32.5 hours

Actual Salary: £18,872 (hourly rate: £13.06)

This is a fixed term role until 31st August 2026

At Hightown Primary School and Nursery our dedicated and skilled team of practitioners champion a culture of nurture, respect, and resilience, ensuring that all children are inspired to achieve the best possible outcomes.

The role will involve working as a key person under the direction of the Nursery Manager to provide a safe, stimulating and high-quality education and care to young children. The attached job description and person specification provides further information.

Why Choose Us?

We’re part of Inspire Learning Partnership, a forward-thinking, research-led Trust that puts people first. When you join us, you’re not just taking a job — you’re joining a community where your voice is heard, your development is invested in, and your well being is genuinely prioritised.

What We Offer:

• 🧘 Staff well being at the core of our culture, not just in policy but in practice

• 💫 Be part of a Trust that’s small enough to know you, but big enough to invest in you

• 🌱 A tailored induction and clear, supportive, career development pathways

• 🧠 A research-led culture where innovation, curiosity and brave thinking are encouraged

• 🏖️ Longer holidays than maintained schools, including a 2-week October half-term

• 💬 Access to high quality professional development, collaborative networks and inspiring colleagues

• 💰 Competitive salary

• 🚴 Blue Light Card, Cycle to Work scheme, Halfords & Tredz discount

You'll be a fantastic fit if you:

• ✨ Hold a nationally recognised Level 2 or 3 qualification for working with children aged 3 to 5 years

• 📅 Hold a minimum Level 2 Maths qualification and Level 2 English qualification (essential if you qualified after 1st September 2014)

• 🤝 Have Paediatric First Aid training, in date and have evidence of this, or a willingness to obtain the qualification within 3 months of starting.

• 🏗️ Have experience of an Early Years environment and the Early Years Framework

• 🧠 Know and understand how young children learn

• 🛡️ Are committed to safeguarding and supporting all pupils to thrive

• 🌍 Work in partnership with the key person, colleagues, parents and/or carers or other professionals

Come and See for Yourself.

We’d love to show you around and share what makes our school and Trust so special.

If you’re curious or ready to apply, get in touch to arrange a visit:

📧 info.hps@ilpartnership.org

Early applications are strongly encouraged — we reserve the right to interview exceptional candidates before the closing date.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

Inspire Learning Partnership is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

An enhanced DBS check is required for all roles in regulated activity. The specific safeguarding responsibilities of this role are outlined within Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025.

Further details concerning our safeguarding policies and procedures, including our statement on the Rehabilitation of Offenders, can be found on the Trust website.

As part of our due diligence and in line with the recommendation made in Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Trust reserves the right to undertake online searches on shortlisted candidates. Further details about our searches can be found within our Recruitment Policy.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Hightown Primary School

• School type: Academy, ages 2 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 226 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 2 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Hightown Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/hightown-primary-school

Hightown Primary School is a member of the multi-academy trust Inspire Learning Partnership and benefits from the many opportunities being part of this Trust offers to all its staff and pupils. The school benefits from a fantastic large outdoor space, which enhances our teaching and learning journey.
We are situated on edge of Southampton with great access links to the motorway and all the surrounding areas.

School location

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