Essex County Council
Part Time Pre-school / Nursery Assistant (term time only)
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About The Role
Part Time Pre-school / Nursery Assistant (term time only)
Permanent, Part Time
£25,959 Per Annum, full time equivalent
Location: Harwich & Dovercourt
Working Style: Fixed-base worker
Closing Date: Monday 31st August 2026 at 11.59pm.
Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.
The Opportunity
Please note this role is being offered as a Part Time opportunity, working 24 hours per week, over 5 days / sessions, term time only (38 weeks per year) on the following days and times, however days and / or hours could change and flexibility, with prior notice would be expected.
- Mondays: 8.30am - 12.30pm
- Tuesdays: 12.00 Midday – 4.00pm
- Wednesdays: 8.30am – 4.30pm
- Thursdays: 12.00 Midday – 4.00pm
- Fridays: 8.30am – 12.30pm
To apply you must hold a level 2 or above accredited qualification in Early Years Childcare and Education and have experience of working in an early year’s setting.
Interviews date: Week Commencing 14th September 2026
Adult Community Learning (ACL) is ECC’s provider of lifelong learning experiences for Essex residents.
ACL offers childcare facilities for parents to help them move nearer to, enter, or progress within the workplace or gain skills to enhance life chances. The Nursery/Pre-school is registered with Ofsted and is also open to community children whose parents/carers are not attending ACL.
To read more about our business area, please visit: https://www.aclessex.com/acl-life/preschools/ or Policy, Economy, Investment and Property
Responsibilities
The Nursery/Pre-school Assistant will be part of a team and will be expected to provide high standards of quality care within the nursery/pre-school with responsibilities encompassing the environment, resources and experiences offered to children and their families.
They must:
- Ensure rich and diverse indoor and outdoor play experiences are offered taking regard of the EYFS and the individual needs of children.
- Be a key person carrying out all related responsibilities.
- Observe, support, and extend children's learning.
- Maintain accurate and effective children’s records.
- Work in partnership with parents/carers and other family members.
- Ensure that children are kept safe and understand safeguarding, and when necessary, follow Child Protection Procedures.
- Demonstrate good practice with regard to special needs and inclusion.
- Promote positive attitudes to race, culture, gender, religion, and abilities.
- Undertake a shared responsibility for health, safety, and cleanliness throughout the nursery/pre-school.
- Be responsible for participating in all self-development activities including appraisals and supervision meetings, team meetings etc.
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The Experience You Will Bring
Essential:
- Level 2 qualification in childcare.
- English and Maths Skills at level 2.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport with both children and adults.
Desirable:
- Level 3 qualification in childcare.
- The ability to work effectively under a variety of circumstances and develop skill within the role.
- The ability to plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children’s emotional, physical, social, and intellectual capabilities.
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.
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Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events, and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email daniel.warner@essex.gov.uk
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.
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