Lead Early Years Practitioner

Role summary

Lead Early Years Practitioner is a full-time role at YMCA Fairthorne Group in Newport, England, United Kingdom (on-site). Posted 2026-08-25. Experience level: 2-5.

Job title

Lead Early Years Practitioner

Company

YMCA Fairthorne Group

Location

Newport, England, United Kingdom

Work arrangement

on-site

Employment type

full-time

Category

Healthcare Support

Experience level

2-5

Date posted

2026-08-25

Job description

Lead great practice. Make a difference for every child.

Some Early Years roles are about your own room.

This one is about the whole nursery.

As a Lead Early Years Practitioner at the YMCA Fairthorne Group, you’ll be part of the nursery leadership team, helping to strengthen practice across the setting whilst supporting children who may need something extra to thrive.

This is a primarily supernumerary role, giving you the space to work alongside practitioners, observe children, coach colleagues and help make sure additional needs are identified and supported well.

As an Lead Early Years Practitioner

You’ll still spend meaningful time with children.

You’ll just have the opportunity to influence far more than your own key group.

A role with wider impact

You’ll work across the nursery, supporting children, practitioners and leaders.

A big part of your role will be helping us make sure that children with additional needs, vulnerabilities or emerging concerns are noticed early and supported consistently.

You’ll:

work alongside practitioners across the setting

observe children and help identify where additional support may be needed

support key persons to develop appropriate support plans

help coordinate referrals and next steps where specialist support is required

coach practitioners and model strong Early Years practice

support colleagues to build confidence in SEND, behaviour and inclusion

contribute to nursery improvement priorities

help embed high standards of care and practice across rooms

support safeguarding and safe Early Years practice

deputise for the Nursery Manager when required

spend time directly with children in rooms and outdoor spaces.

This isn’t leadership from a distance.

You’ll be in the nursery, alongside the people and children you’re supporting.

Helping every child belong - Children don’t all develop in the same way or at the same pace.

Some need additional support with communication., some with behaviour or emotional regulation, some may have an identified SEND need and others may simply be experiencing something in their lives that means they need more support for a period of time.

Your role is to help us notice.

To ask the right questions.

To work with practitioners and families.

And to make sure the support around the child is thoughtful, consistent and appropriate.

The aim isn’t to define children by what they find difficult.

It’s to understand what they need so they can participate, grow in confidence and feel that they belong.

Developing great practitioners

A big part of this role is helping other people become even better at what they do.

You’ll observe practice, share ideas, model approaches and coach colleagues.

Sometimes that means helping somebody recognise something they’re already doing brilliantly.

Sometimes it means supporting them to try something differently.

And sometimes it means having a constructive conversation when practice needs to improve.

We’re looking for someone who can challenge positively, build confidence and bring people with them.

Because better practice for practitioners means better experiences for children.

The person we’re looking for

Ideally, you’ll hold a Level 5 Early Years or Childcare qualification.

We’re also happy to consider experienced Level 3 practitioners who have the right background and are willing to continue developing.

You’ll need experience of:

working in an Early Years setting

supporting improvements in practice

modelling good practice and coaching colleagues

understanding child development

supporting behaviour and additional needs

working with children who may be vulnerable or need additional support.

You’ll also need a good understanding of safeguarding and health and safety.

Paediatric First Aid and Designated Safeguarding Lead training would be valuable, but we can support the right person to complete these where needed.

More importantly, we’re looking for somebody who is:

confident without needing to dominate

warm and approachable

observant

calm under pressure

comfortable giving constructive feedback

able to build trust with practitioners and families

curious about why things happen, not just what happened

passionate about inclusion

motivated by seeing other people develop

committed to improving experiences for children.

A different kind of Early Years setting

Fairthorne Manor Nursery is set within 95 acres of woodland and open space near Botley, giving children the opportunity to experience nature and outdoor learning as a natural part of everyday nursery life.

Children can explore, investigate, get muddy, build confidence and develop independence through real experiences both indoors and outside.

For practitioners, it means working in an environment where learning doesn’t stop at the nursery door.

And as Lead Practitioner, you’ll help make sure those experiences are accessible and meaningful for every child.

Benefits that make a difference

100% off childcare - Free childcare for YMCA employees at our nurseries.

Extra support during the school holidays - One free week of YMCA Day Camps for each of your children every year, plus 50% off a second week.

More time away from work - 25 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays, increasing with service up to 30 days, with the option to buy up to 10 additional days.

Celebration Leave - An additional day to celebrate something that matters to you.

Health and wellbeing - Access to our Health Cash Plan and Employee Assistance Programme.

Family support - Enhanced family leave provisions.

Everyday benefits - Blue Light Card eligibility, Cycle to Work scheme and discounts on activities, camping and experiences at YMCA Fairthorne Manor.

Career development - Access to professional learning and development, with opportunities to build specialist knowledg