Early Years Practitioner Level 3 – SEN School Setting
- Mole Valley, Surrey
- Easter 2026 start
- Full-time, term-time only
- Permanent contract
- £25,000 per annum
Interviews taking place ASAP
If you are Level 3 qualified in Early Years and you know that behaviour is communication, this role will make sense to you.
This is not a busy mainstream nursery where you are juggling ratios and ticking off observations while trying to manage behaviour charts.
This is a small, specialist SEN school setting supporting young children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH), Autism, ADHD, attachment differences and developmental trauma. Almost all pupils have EHCPs. Many have already struggled in other environments before they even finish EYFS.
This school was built differently on purpose.
There are no reward systems. There are no sanctions. Children are not labelled “good” or “bad”. The focus is regulation, safety and relationships first. Learning follows.
About the Early Years Environment
The Early Years provision supports children who:
- Struggle with emotional regulation
- Find transitions overwhelming
- Have speech, language and communication delays
- Present with sensory processing differences
- Need predictable, low-arousal routines
Class sizes are small. Staffing ratios are high. If a child becomes dysregulated, an adult supports them to regulate. They are not pushed back into learning until they are ready.
The curriculum combines EYFS foundations with:
- Nurture-based sessions
- Emotional literacy development
- Forest school and outdoor learning
- Sensory-informed practice
- Life skills and relationship-led activities
This is early intervention done properly.
The Role
As an Early Years Practitioner Level 3 in this SEN school setting, your role goes far beyond supervising play.
You must hold a full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification (CACHE, NVQ or equivalent). This is essential.
Day to day, you will:
- Support children within an EYFS framework, adapted for SEN
- Build secure, consistent relationships
- Co-regulate during dysregulation
- Adapt activities based on emotional readiness
- Support communication and play development
- Work closely with the class teacher and therapeutic team
You will be supported by Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Educational Psychology as part of an integrated approach.
This is a team environment. You are not left to manage things alone.
Staff Support and Culture
Working in trauma-informed SEN requires emotionally intelligent adults.
There is a daily reflection time built into the week. Every Friday is a half-day for pupils so staff can plan and reset. All staff have a protected lunch break.
Induction is structured and supportive. Ongoing CPD is part of the culture. You will grow here.
Who This Role Is For
This role is suitable for someone who:
- Holds a recognised Level 3 Early Years qualification (non-negotiable)
- Has genuine experience supporting children with SEN, SEMH, Autism or ADHD
- Understands attachment and co-regulation
- Can remain calm during challenging moments
- Is reflective, resilient and emotionally intelligent
This is not suitable for someone looking for a standard nursery role. It is also not suitable for someone without SEND experience.
You must genuinely want to work in a specialist SEN school environment.
If you are interested, apply now or contact Heeji Moon at Parker Smith Inclusion.