Suffolk Jobs Direct
Nursery Assistant

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
- Ipswich School
- Address: 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3SG
- Salary: £11,566 per annum
- Hours: Part time, 17.5 hours per week
- Contract: Permanent, required as soon as possible
- Reference: 5366
Place of work: The Lodge Day Nursery
Ipswich School are seeking a Nursery Assistant (Lunch Time Cover).
What is the main purpose of their role?
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.
What will the job entail?
We currently have part-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 to Fridays throughout the year, to help us make sure we maintain our staffing ratios during the busy nursery lunchtime period.
Your 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.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What you will need
- Previous experience of working with young children and babies.
- Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Services Check.
- Paediatric First Aid Certificate.
About us
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 7.30 am until 6 pm (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.


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
What will offer you
Why should they choose your school?
What are the benefits about working there and unique selling points?
- 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.
For more information
Please read the Job Description (pdf) [https://sccrecruit.blob.core.windows.net/assets/ExtOrgs/Attach/H-Aug/5366-Nursery-Assistant-Ipswich-School-JD.pdf]
Please contact our HR department by calling 014730 408300.
How to apply
To apply, please visit our website [https://www.ipswich.school/vacancies]
Please submit your completed application form via email to the Director of HR: hr@ipswich.school [hr@ipswich.school] or to the school: Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich IP1 3SG
Please mark the envelope private and confidential. Please note that we cannot accept a CV in place of a completed application form for a position which involves working with children and young people.
Closing date: 12 pm, 28 August 2026.
Interview date: 8 September 2026.
IMPORTANT PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING
To apply, please follow the application process detailed above.
This job does not have a Suffolk Jobs Direct online application form.
The ‘Apply Now’ button below only allows you to submit a job alert, not an online application.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location