Careers – Once upon a time

Would you like to join our team?

From time to time, we look to recruit talented and positive people who share our endless passion for Early Years. Our teams are made up of Early Years Practitioners, who hold qualifications from Level 2 up to Level 7 (Early Years teacher), Apprentices and Cooks.

We strive to put the children at the heart of everything we do and always want to hear from people who wish to join our teams.

While we welcome long term workplace students where we can, we do not take on volunteers.

We’re committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and look for people who want to share this responsibility. Rigorous recruitment checks are carried out and successful applicants will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and three acceptable references from suitable sources.

Our posts are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants must declare any convictions or cautions, spent and/or unspent, that are not ‘protected’ under the DBS filtering rules.

It is an offence to apply for these roles if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Current opportunities

We take care to provide a brilliant working environment for our teams, focusing on their professional development and wellbeing. We encourage higher learning and support progression across our three nursery schools.

OPPORTUNITY – Early Years Practitioner

We have an opportunity to welcome an Early Years Practitioner to our wonderful team at Constitution Hill.

We’re looking for someone who shares our passion in creating a magical environment through play, stories and exploration. The right person will work alongside our experienced team, delivering the high standards of care and development opportunities we strive for every day. Our ultimate aim is the happiness, wellbeing and indivdual development of each child at Once upon a time.

Applicants ideally will already have achieved a recognised Level 3 qualification in Early Years with sound experience in caring for children under three years old. We’re happy to hear from Practitioner with a Level 2 qualification, who is willing to study towards a Level 3.

Our working week provides an excellent work-life balance, with each week consisting of two full days, 7.45am – 6.15pm and three half days, a mixture of both mornings and afternoons, totalling 36.5 hours per week. The starting salary is £24,300, plus 32 days paid holiday and a workplace pension. There’s always overtime available. Ideal start would be June 2026.

Please email me for more information, or if you’d like to discuss the opportunity – georgia@onceuponatime.org.uk

OPPORTUNITY – Early Years Apprentice

We’re always happy to hear from you if you’re looking to begin an Early Years Apprenticeship. No previous experience is required, but passion for supporting children in the most important years of their life is a must. We’re looking for someone with a kind nature, with lots of initiative and energy.

We train our Apprentices to a very high standard, as they work and learn alongside our talented teams for 18 months, as they gain their Level 3 Early Years qualification. Each week our Apprentices work Monday – Friday from either 8am – 4.30pm or 9.45am – 6.15pm, totalling 40 hours per week. The starting salary is £15,700, rising to £16,640 from April 2026.

To apply, please complete the application below, including a supporting statement telling us about yourself, why you want to pursue a career in Early Years, especially at Once upon a time.

For anymore information about either of these opportunities, please email georgia@onceuponatime.org.uk

Position applying for

Job title *

Your Details

Full name *
Current address, including postcode *
Phone number *
Email address *
NI number
Do you require a work permit? *

Safeguarding

Do you have an enhanced DBS certificate? *
If Yes, What's Your Certificate Number?
What Date Was It Issued?
Are you on the Update Service

All job opportunities at Once upon a time nursery school are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (under the Exemptions Order) due to the nature of our business. Rigorous recruitment checks are carried out and successful applicants will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check and Update Service sign up.

Your Details

Have you ever received a caution or conviction, spent or unspent, as set out in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. *
If yes, please provide details, including the year and circumstances
Do you have any police proceedings impending or outstanding against you? *

Qualifications and Courses

Please detail the name, course provider and date of your highest and most relevant achievement e.g. Level 3 Early Years Workforce, Edexcel, April 2019

Please detail any relevant courses you’ve attended in the past three years, such as Introduction to Child Protection, Paediatric First Aid, Sign Language etc.

Employment History

Where do you currently work? *
Dates of employment *
What is your notice period? *
What are your main responsibilities? *

Please provide us with 5 years previous employment here

Health And Wellbeing

Can you perform all / some the essential job functions, tasks and/or duties listed here, with or without reasonable adjustments -
- - Being on the child’s level i.e. sitting and spending time on the floor interacting with the children, sitting at low level table height, getting up and down from the floor with ease
- - Lifting and carrying children for short periods of time
- - Lowering children into cots
- - Lifting and carrying equipment such a small stack of chairs or small table
- - Resilient and reactive to a fast paced environment, which can be loud

I can perform all these essential functions without reasonable adjustmentsI can perform some of these essential functions without reasonable adjustments

If you need reasonable adjustment for any of these essential functions, please explain what reasonable adjustments you’d require.

Supporting statement

After reading the information about the opportunity, the job description and person specification, please tell us why you think you are well suited to this role.

References

You may not list a friend or family member as a referee

Referee 1
Their place of work *
Their job role *
Connection with yourself *
Email address *
Phone number *

Referee 2 *
Their place of work *
Their job role *
Connection with yourself *
Email address *
Phone number *

Referee 3 *
Their place of work *
Their job role *
Connection with yourself *
Email address *
Phone number *