Nursery Assistant

Sherborne Schools Group is seeking a permanent, part-time Nursery Assistant who will be responsible for the supporting, caring and leading activities with the Nursery children at Sherborne Prep School. While their primary place of work will be Sherborne Prep School, the postholder will also be expected to contribute to and support initiatives across the wider Sherborne Schools Group. From time to time, they may be required to work at other schools or sites within the Group to meet the needs of the business.

Sherborne Prep School seeks to appoint an experienced Nursery Assistant to join the nurturing Pre-Prep Department to deliver an outstanding learning experience for the children. The ideal candidate will have a creative sense of imagination, an abundance of patience, warmth and contagious enthusiasm, as well as the passion to deliver an ambitious educational experience for the pupils.

Sherborne Prep is a vibrant independent 3-13 day and boarding school which celebrates childhood through a broad and stimulating curriculum. We develop happy, enthusiastic and independent children who flourish in an inspiring and nurturing environment and aim to provide a magical childhood learning experience for every child. Based in the beautiful rural town of Sherborne in Dorset, we believe that a happy child is a learning, thriving child who has the ability to maximise their potential and we aim to help each child to find their talents and to provide avenues and encouragement for these to be pursued. Our hope is that the children from Sherborne Prep will leave as happy, confident and kind individuals with the skills required to be successful learners. They will also be well-prepared for their next stage in learning with a natural readiness to embrace the challenges of an ever-changing world. The School recently merged with Sherborne School and became part of the Sherborne Schools’ Group.

Nursery staff are responsible for delivering the EYFS framework. The Nursery Assistant has pastoral and academic responsibility for all children, alongside the other staff working in the nursery setting and will develop supportive and connected relationships with parents and colleagues.

If you think you have the warmth, energy and enthusiasm to achieve outstanding outcomes and infuse children with a life-long passion for learning, then we would love to hear from you.

Hours of Work:

24 hours per week Monday to Friday.  Hours of work are likely to be:

12.00pm to 5.00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays

8.00am to 5.00pm Wednesdays (less 30-minute unpaid break)

11:30am to 5.00pm Fridays

The post-holder will be required to work during School term time as well as attend relevant school Inset days and first aid training. Some flexibility will be required on occasion to meet the demands of the post. 

For further information, please see the job description.

The closing date for applications is 9.30am Monday 2 February 2026 and interviews likely to take place on Monday 9 February 2026.

Sherborne Schools Group Recruitment and Selection Policy Statement

Sherborne Schools Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  Applicants for this post must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including reference checks with previous employers and a criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.