1 x Qualified Early Years Educator to work as a Secondary Key Person & Forest School Leader or Assistant

Location: Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4DY

Days: * 4 days a week, Monday - Thursday (we’ve been pioneering the 4-day working week since we opened)‍ - *3 days also considered

Hours: Ideally 9:00 until 17:45 but some 17:00 finishes may be possible

Weeks: We are open 38 weeks a year, term time only. Holiday work is available (see below)

Start: Monday 2nd November

Hourly Rate: Between *£13.52 and £14.72 p/h, depending on qualifications and experience

*Please note holiday pay is paid in addition to this, as we are term-time only, taking the hourly rate to between £15.15 - £16.50

Contract: Permanent

Visits: We encourage prospective applicants to visit before applying. To arrange a site visit, please email jenny@outtherekindergartens.co.uk

Closing date:  Midday Friday 16th October

Interviews: Week beginning 19th October

Job Details: This is an exciting opportunity to join our team and contribute to the overall success and continuous improvement of Out There Kindergartens. We're a small, independent group of three forest school nurseries across Bristol and South Gloucestershire. For ten years we've been building settings where children spend their days in nature, and we're looking for someone ready to lead and grow with us.

We seek someone on a journey: someone who fully embraces the outdoors (and dresses appropriately), is flexible and adaptable, kind and nurturing, and understands child development in the early years. Just as importantly, we want someone with strong leadership skills and a genuine desire to progress as we continue to grow and develop our settings. 

The role

You will act as a secondary key person to a small group of children. That means building caring and trusting relationships with the children, liaising closely with the key person, and building effective relationships with parents and carers. This is at the heart of the role.

Ideally, we are looking for someone who is Forest School qualified, or in training, but otherwise you will have a great love for the outdoors. You will help lead (or assist) our forest school sessions and practice alongside our other forest school leaders, planning and delivering rich outdoor learning experiences and contributing to risk-benefit assessments on and off site.

You will work closely with the manager and deputy to be the third person in charge , helping to lead the setting when the manager and deputy are away. You will be an excellent role model to the children and the team, helping to ensure high standards of early years care, teaching and learning.

Your future with us

We are a growing organisation, and we develop our leaders from within. This role potentially includes a fixed-term opportunity to act as deputy starting in spring 2027. For the right person, this is the first step on a genuine route into leadership with us. We will invest in you through coaching, mentoring and training.

About you

You will already have experience working in a nursery setting, ideally somewhere similar to ours, including some experience of leading others, whether a room, a team or a project. You will hold a Level 3 early years qualification or above. e.g. an early years Level 6 teacher or a primary teacher with QTS.

 Ideally you will hold a Level 3 Forest School Leader qualification, or currently BE working towards one. Alongside this, you will share a strong commitment to our vision and values: 

• social and emotional wellbeing

• developing social skills

• child-initiated learning

• nature connection

• promoting environmental sustainability

• interactive and hands-on learning

• building an inclusive and diverse community

Please note: We are a pack-up/pack-down provision. The job is both physically and mentally demanding. All team members work on a rota for setting up and packing down resources, preparing snacks and afternoon tea, and making sure the setting is clean and tidy for the next day.

Please note: Holiday work is also available on in October, Easter, May, and three weeks in the Summer. Everyone who works at the Kindie is required to work at least one whole week (4 days) of a holiday club. Please note this is paid at a different rate from the pay to the Kindergarten and paid according to the national living wage at the time.

For full details, see the job role spec linked below.

1 x Early Years SEND support lead practitioner

Location: Lincombe Barn, Downend, Bristol, BS16 2RW

Days: 3 days a week Monday - Wednesday (*potential to do 4 days a week Mon - Thurs)

Hours: We are open to children from 8:00 until 17:30. Applicants must be committed to working on a rota and be able to work at least two early starts (one 7:30 am and one 8:00) and two later finishes (16:45 and 17:45) depending on the number of days working.

Weeks: We are open 38 weeks a year, term time only. Holiday work is available (see below)

Start: Monday 1st November

Hourly Rate: Between *£13.10 - £13.75 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience

*Please note holiday pay is paid in addition to this, as we are term-time only, taking the hourly rate to between £14.57 and £15.41

Contract: Permanent

Visits: We encourage prospective applicants to visit before applying. To arrange a site visit, please email info@outtherekindergartens.co.uk

Closing date: Midday on Friday 16th October

Interviews: Week beginning Monday 19th October

About the role: Do you believe every child deserves to thrive outdoors? We’re looking for a passionate early years practitioner to help us make our forest school provision truly inclusive.

This key role strengthens our ratios and supports children with additional needs, working with children aged 2 to 5. It is not a 1:1 role. You’ll work as part of the team and alongside the setting’s SENCO to make sure we meet the needs of every child, especially those with SEND. The extra support is particularly valuable at transition times and when we head out to the woods.

What you’ll do

• Help take a lead on our SEND provision, tailored to our outdoor environment

• Champion inclusive practice and share best practice across the team

• Build up our resources and interventions

• Attend relevant training and external networks, and share your learning with the team

• Help shape and develop the role as it grows

What we’re looking for

• A good understanding of how young children learn and develop

• Experience in a similar role, ideally supporting children with additional needs

• A resilient, high-energy, patient and compassionate approach

• Openness to developing the role and your own CPD

• Commitment to an outstanding early years education in an outdoor, forest school environment

Experience in a forest school or outdoor setting is ideal, but we’d love to hear from you if you share our vision and values:

• Social and emotional wellbeing

• Developing social skills

• Child-initiated learning

• Nature connection

• Promoting environmental sustainability

• Interactive, hands-on learning

• An inclusive and diverse community

What we offer

• An amazing, dedicated team who will support you on your journey

• A 4-day working week

• Training and professional development, including SEND-specific training

• The chance to make a real difference to children’s lives, every day, outdoors

Good to know

We are a pack-up/pack-down provision. The role is physically and mentally demanding, and everyone works on a rota to set up and pack down resources, prepare snack and afternoon tea, and leave the space clean and tidy for the next day.

Holiday club work is available in October, Easter, May and the summer. Everyone at the Kindie works at least one full week (4 days) of holiday club a year. Holiday club is paid at a different rate, in line with the Real Living Wage at the time.

How to apply

Please read the full job description and person specification. We encourage visits before applying. To arrange a visit or ask any questions, email jenny@outtherekindergartens.co.uk.

[How to apply: application form / CV and covering letter, and where to send it]

Out There Kindergartens is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check with barred list check, satisfactory references and our safer recruitment procedures.

Please note we are a pack-up/pack-down provision. The job is both physically and mentally demanding, and all team members are asked to work on a rota regarding setting up and packing down resources, preparing snacks and afternoon tea and ensuring the place is clean and tidy, ready for the next day.

For full details, see the job role spec linked below.

Please note: Holiday work is also available on in October, Easter, May, and three weeks in the Summer. Everyone who works at the Kindie is required to work at least one whole week (4 days) of a holiday club. Please note this is paid at a different rate from the pay to the Kindergarten and paid according to the national living wage at the time.