Childcare Assistant

Joining the Trust also allows you access to a number of saving options via our salary sacrifice schemes and a wide range of discount opportunities with retailers and service providers.

Job overview

Are you looking for an amazing first role in your childcare career? Or maybe you want to move to a larger childcare setting where you’ll make a real difference?

Offering year-round childcare to NHS and hospital staff, each site cares for up to 144 children and features dedicated baby, toddler, and pre-school units, extended opening hours, alongside a school holiday club at the Northern General.

We pride ourselves on giving children the best start in life, and our great staff are committed to giving children a fun, social, stimulating, and safe environment for them to develop and thrive.

We’re looking for people who share our enthusiasm, commitment, and high standards to delivering fantastic childcare to work across both our sites. To apply, you’ll need your Level 2 Early Years / Childcare qualification, and a sound knowledge of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standards.

Being part of the NHS, you’ll also have access to a wide range of rewards and benefits you won’t find in the private sector – from pay progression, great annual leave and NHS pension, flexible hours, discounts with local and national shops and retailers, discounted travel, childcare with us, and more.

Main duties of the job

Providing an interesting and stimulating environment which is well organised and facilitates independence and resourcefulness for the children.

Developing quality activities and role play situations, inside and outside which provide an interesting, inclusive and stimulating environment.

Providing excellent care and educational opportunities for the children within your care.

Contributing to the organisation, preparation, and collection of resources in the nursery.

Planning and implementing activities and experiences which are appropriate for children of all ages and stages of development using the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and Ofsted guidelines.

Preparing children’s work for display, ensuring that it is well presented and promotes self-esteem.

Providing information displays for parents and carers.

Please note this advertisement can be appointed as either a full time or part time opportunity.

Working for our organisation

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

Sunshine Day Nurseries are part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Staff training and development is really important to us, and we offer the chance to do further childcare qualifications, including a Level 3 apprentice scheme, as well as a variety of regular in-house and external courses.

Have any questions or want to find out more? Feel free to get in touch via the details below for an informal chat, or to arrange a visit to see our nurseries for yourself.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Ability to demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills to Level 2 as evidenced by: NVQ 2 in Childcare/Education or equivalent qualification
• General IT Skills
• Paediatric First Aid Certificate

• Food Hygiene Certificate
• Safeguarding Certificate
• First Aid Certificate

Experience

• Relevant experience within a Day Care/Childcare setting
• Relevant experience in EYFS and curriculum planning
• An awareness of child development and Health & Hygiene
• Some knowledge on Safeguarding Children

Other Factors

• Willingness to undertake training as required by the post

Candidates are advised to read the attached guidance on using AI technology. When you complete your application, you are required to declare that the information in your application form is true and complete. The personal statement is exactly that; personal.

When selecting to apply via NHS Jobs, you will be redirected to our preferred recruitment system called Trac. You will be asked to create and submit your application via the Trac recruitment system.

You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. All communications should be sent via your Trac system account.

If you are offered employment at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals your information will be transferred from the Trac recruitment system into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. In addition, in submitting an application form, you authorise our Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the ESR IAT process should you be appointed.

Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email sent via the Trac recruitment system, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

The Trust is committed to its obligations in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, and we positively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Should you require any assistance in applying for the position please contact the General or Medical Human Resources Departments on the number identified on the NHS Jobs page for the organisation.

Job Share applicants are welcome for all full time posts unless indicated but cannot be guaranteed. In addition for Fixed Term Contracts, internal secondments may be considered, please seek the approval of your current line manager before applying for the position.

All employment with the Trust is subject to a number of NHS Employment Checks being met to a satisfactory standard including verification of identity, eligibility to work in the United Kingdom, references and qualifications in addition to professional registration, a disclosure and barring records check and occupational health check if these are deemed to be a requirement for the position to be undertaken.

For more information about our organisation and the opportunities available, please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.