ESP recruit level 2 and 3 nursery practitioners who are friendly, professional, hardworking and committed to doing their best for all children, even if they are only there for one day!

What do you need to become a supply nursery practitioner?

If you can tick off all of the below, then you will be an excellent addition to the ESP supply team:

• Be resilient, reliable and adaptable

• Have a positive can-do attitude and plenty of enthusiasm

• Passionate about providing the best quality care and education for children

• Hold a full and relevant Level 2 or Level 3 qualification (as approved by the DfE, see below for more information)

• Hold a suitable current paediatric first aid qualification that meets the early years criteria

• Provide suitable references

• Have an acceptable DBS check

Qualifications

To count in staff:child ratios, you must hold a full and relevant early years qualification at Level 2 or Level 3. This means the qualification must meet DfE’s approved criteria for early years practice.

Because these criteria have changed over time, whether a qualification is accepted often depends on:

• The exact title of the qualification

• The awarding organisation

• The date you started the qualification (this is important because the criteria changed in different years)

The DfE has created a simple online qualification checker that tells you instantly whether your qualification is full and relevant for Level 2, Level 3, or Level 6 ratios.

👉 Use the official “Check an early years qualification” tool
This online service lets you:

• Confirm if your qualification is approved

• See what level it counts at (2, 3 or 6)

• Save or print the results for job applications

It’s quick, accurate, and the best way to be confident your qualification meets the latest requirements.

Would you like to work with a supply service that puts nurseries and practitioners first?

Exeter Supply Partnership (ESP) is a not-for-profit organisation, providing a supply service to a growing number of primary schools and nursery settings across Devon and Torbay. Set up by schools, ESP is the preferred choice for many in the area and word is spreading. We are regularly contacted by new schools and settings wanting to access our services due to our ethos and non-commercial approach to providing supply cover.

If you think ESP sounds like the right organisation for you, we would love to receive your application. Have a question or still thinking about it, connect with us or contact our office on 01392 927171 option 1 and our friendly team will be happy to help.

If you would like to apply but are unable to submit your details below, please email info@exetersupplypartnership.com. 

When uploading your CV, please ensure that this includes your full education and employment history. Any missing information will be requested before proceeding. Please also include details of any particular qualifications, skills and professional development relevant to the role.

Please note that employment history should contain the following details:
- Name and address of employer
- Position held
- Responsibilities, age range, subject/s taught
- Employment start and finish dates
- Reason for leaving