Your commute matters too.
You can love a nursery and still get fed up with spending an hour and a half getting there every morning.
This Level 3 Nursery Practitioner job in Finchley is around a five-minute walk from Finchley Central Underground station, with bus connections nearby and cycle storage available at the setting.
And when you arrive, you're not walking into a purpose-built block on an industrial estate.
The nursery operates from a large Edwardian house on a quiet residential street, surrounded by extensive gardens.
What you'd be joining
The setting cares for children from three months to five years, with different rooms supporting children at different stages of their early years journey.
Its latest Ofsted inspection recorded 34 teaching staff, with 23 holding relevant early years qualifications between Level 2 and Level 7, alongside staff with QTS and Early Years Professional Status.
That's worth knowing as a Level 3 practitioner.
You aren't joining somewhere where qualified staff are thin on the ground.
You'll have experienced people around you.
The day-to-day role
You'll take responsibility for a key group of children and be expected to confidently manage their learning and development.
That will include:
Building strong relationships with your key children Planning activities around children's interests Completing observations and assessments Tracking children's development Maintaining accurate learning records Supporting personal care and daily routines Communicating regularly with parents and carers Contributing to room planning Creating stimulating indoor and outdoor experiences Maintaining excellent safeguarding practice Supporting children's transitions between rooms and routines Working collaboratively with other qualified practitioners
Current recruitment for a practitioner at this exact type of Finchley setting specifically asks for someone confident managing their own key group independently, rather than somebody who still needs close supervision with the basics.
The garden is properly used
The nursery has extensive outdoor space, and Ofsted found children regularly using the spacious garden for physical play, including balancing equipment and wheeled toys.
The location also gives the nursery access to Victoria Park, Avenue House and the local library, all within easy reach of the setting.
The latest inspection specifically noted children visiting the local library as part of developing their interest in books and stories.
So learning doesn't have to stay inside the nursery gates.
What kind of practitioner would fit?
You'll need:
A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification At least one year of recent nursery experience Good knowledge of the EYFS Confidence acting as a Key Person Strong safeguarding knowledge Good communication with families The ability to plan and assess children's learning A warm and dependable approach
This is probably better suited to somebody who already knows how a nursery room works than someone newly stepping into their first qualified position.
Why consider it? £30,000 to £34,000 per year Full-time, permanent position 40 hours per week Family-run nursery Company pension Cycle to work scheme Large Edwardian setting Extensive gardens Experienced and highly qualified team Strong public transport links Approximately five minutes from Finchley Central Underground Close to local parks and community facilities
The setting's latest Ofsted report also found that staff wellbeing is important to management, with practitioners reporting that they felt happy and well supported.
That doesn't mean every day in early years suddenly becomes easy.
But it does mean staff support is something inspectors could actually see evidence of.
If you're looking for a Level 3 Nursery Practitioner job in Finchley, Early Years Practitioner role in N3 or qualified nursery position near Finchley Central, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today through Tiny Tots Recruitment for a confidential conversation about the opportunity.