Job Description

Early Years Practitioner (Level 3 SENCO)

Location: Exeter

Salary up to £27,299 per annum

Contract/Hours:  Permanent /Full Time – 40 hours per

Closing date: Midnight on the 25th of August 2026

Benefits:   

• Time off to recharge - 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays  
• Treat yourself: Staff discounts portal and blue light card with 15,000 + retailers
• Salary Finance – access to financial advice and the ability to manage savings or loans directly from your salary 
• Childcare Discount – A whopping 60% off childcare within our nurseries and out of school clubs 
• Up to 3 Days Dependency Leave – to care for dependents in an emergency. 
• Paid maternity, adoption, and paternity leave  
• Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities  
• Secure your future: Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover 

Why Spring Nurseries

As Spring Nurseries, you're joining supportive, purpose-led team where every day helps shape children's futures while your own career is actively developed and progressed.

A bit about the role 

As Early Years Level 3 and SENCO, you'll play an important role in creating a warm, inclusive and nurturing environment where every child can learn, develop and thrive. Working closely with children, families and the wider nursery team, you'll support children's individual needs and help ensure that they receive the right care, encouragement and opportunities to reach their full potential.

This is a supernumerary role, providing dedicated time to focus on your SENCO responsibilities. However, there is an expectation that you will work alongside the children and staff in the room when required, offering practical support, sharing expertise and helping to maintain high quality inclusive recruitment.

You'll support the team with SEND-related paperwork, observations, records and individual support plans, while working alongside practitioners to share your knowledge, guidance and best practice. You'll help staff feel confident supporting children with additional needs and work closely with families and other professionals to ensure children receive the right support.

Key Expectations:

• Support children with SEND, ensuring that individual needs are understood and met.
• Maintain accurate send paperwork, observations, records and individual support plans.
• Work closely with practitioners, providing guidance, advising and support around inclusive practice.
• Build positive relationships with children, families and external professionals.
• Work alongside children and staff in the room when required, supporting high quality care, learning and play.

What we need from you    

In the role of Early Years Practitioner (Level 3), we're ideally looking for someone who has:  

• A Level 3 early years and childcare qualification (NNEB, CACHE, NVQ Level 3 or equivalent) 
• Ideally, you have completed SENDCO training or be willing to undertake a Level 3 SENDCO qualification.
• A strong understanding of the EYFS and how children learn and develop through play.
• A passion for continuous learning and growth, Aligned with our core values and the Spring career pathway 
• An understanding of children's development needs (0 to 5 years)
• A positive attitude and a commitment to excellence

A Bit about The Nursery 

Spring Cedars is a welcoming and supportive setting, where you’ll work alongside a dedicated team of professionals. Following a recent refurbishment, the nursery has a fresh, modern feel and a newly developed outdoor area, providing an inspiring environment for both children and staff to learn, develop and thrive.

Ready to make a difference in the lives of children? Whether you're looking for a career change or the next step in your journey, we'd love to hear from you!

Apply now and help us give children a healthy start in life! 

Contact: If you need support with your application, please contact our Recruitment Team at RecruitmentService@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13521.

We'll be happy to give you any support you require.  

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion 

At Spring Oscars we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within the organisation. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity for all groups. 

Male staff are often under-represented within this sector, and we would like to encourage more male applicants for our roles. 

We are committed to safer recruitment practices to protect our service users; therefore, all applicants are expected to have an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding best practice. 

Application Process.

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

There are 5 sections for you to complete - Personal Details, CV, Supporting Statement & Information, Equality & Diversity, Submission & Declaration – please refer to the Job Description when applying. 

We also want to know what unique qualities you can bring to help us reach our vision for children and families.  

Talent Pool: We're sure you've got what it takes to join our ambitious team. If you're unsuccessful this time around, we'd like to hold your details in case similar jobs come up that you might be better suited for. But feel free to let us know if you'd rather, we didn't do that. 

Want to know more about Spring and Oscars?

Check out our socials on  X, Linkedin, Facebook or Youtube

See below for further information about working with us:

Employee Reward Booklet

Spring Early Years Career Pathway