Location
Colchester, England
Salary
£25,760 - £27,476 per annum
Profession
Manager and corporate
Grade
Band 3
Deadline
03 Aug 2026
Contract Type
Permanent
Posted Date
22 Jul 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job overview

Hunnitots Day Nursery is looking for an Early Years Practitioner to join the nursery team as a Deputy Room Leader, to provide care for children aged 4 months to 5 yrs.

A full and relevant level 3 qualification in Childcare and Early Years is essential for this role.

As the Deputy Room Leader, you will work closely with the Senior Nursery Room Leader to ensure that the room runs effectively and efficiently in compliance with the Nursery policies and OFSTED standards. You will take responsibility when the Room Leader is absent and supervise other staff within their room. We are looking for people with excellent communication and listening skills to plan the day and respond to the different needs of the children we teach.

Hunnitots Day Nursery, based at Ipswich Hospital, has approximately 70 and 80 children booked in each day. Parents have a choice of in excess of 10 different sessions within the hours of 7 am to 6 pm. The choice provided aims to accommodate the variety of staff working patterns at the Trust.

If you think this is the role for you, then we would love to hear from you.

Previous applicants need not re-apply

Main duties of the job

  • To create and develop, with other members of staff, a stimulating environment to meet the needs of the individual child being aware of the requirements of different age groups in line with The Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS).
  • Plan and supervise stimulating experiences for all children within the room, catering to their individual stage of development.
  • Responsibility for ensuring that all Tapestry observations are completed by each Key Person. Overall responsibility for the updating of children’s information by liaison with parents, carers and staff.
  • Liaise with Senior Nursery Nurse/ Room Leader with any concerns raised about SENCO or Child Protection issues.
  • Liaise with parents/carers of new Key Children during initial room visit, complete relevant children / parent detail forms.
  • Encourage and support staff and student members to establish positive relationships with all members of the Nursery team, children and their families.
  • Keep up to date with the Code of Practice, SENCO objectives and Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS).
  • To be responsible for students, liaising with their tutors where necessary and supporting the student with their objectives.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with children aged 4 months to 5 years of age

Desirable

  • Experience of working in day care setting

Qualifications

Essential

  • NNEB/B Tech or NVQ level 3 or equivalent

Desirable

  • Food hygiene
  • Child protection
  • Manual Handling

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Child development
  • Planning for individual children
  • Group activities
  • Good communication skills
  • Able to demonstrate a commitment to Trust Values

WhatsApp job alerts

Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 3 Manager and Corporate roles in Colchester

Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.

Sign up for WhatsApp alerts

Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Deputy Room Leader with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust in Colchester, East of England, England. It is listed as a Band 3 Manager and corporate role. The advertised salary is £25,760 - £27,476 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 03 Aug 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (22 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.