Early Years Stronger Practice Hubs are now looking for applicants to join phase 2 of delivery; applicants will need to be willing to provide support in the areas covered by their local EYSPH. Please note that advisers will be required to work across more than one Local Authority.

Training will commence in September 2026, ahead of deliveringsupport to settings from January 2027 for the Spring term of AY26/27. Experiencedearly years professionals are invited to apply for the role of Early Years StrongerPractice Adviser (EYSPA). All advisers need to have completed training beforecommencing their role, so please only apply if you will have capacity to attendup to 3 days of face-to-face training between September and December 2026. Wehope to share the dates and locations of this training at the interview stage.

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Essential Experience and Qualifications

• Have at least three years’ experience and be currently working in an early years setting that is Ofsted rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’(or expected standard and above in all areas under the new Ofsted reporting framework) and include working with children across the age range of 0-4. This includes those working in schools, nursery schools, a Private, Voluntary, or Independent (PVI)nursery or other early years settings. This should include some leadership experience.
• We will also accept applications from staff currently working in early years roles within Local Authorities (LAs).
• Experience of providing external support beyond their home early years setting, for example to other nurseries or schools within their chain or trust, through EY Stronger Practice Hubs or Family Hubs. This may include offering professional guidance to early years educators, delivering training or workshops, supporting staff during inspections, modelling best practice in child development and safeguarding.
• Applicants should have experience in mentoring or coaching others, such as guiding early years practitioners, apprentices, or volunteers in professional development, and modelling best practice in childcare settings.
• A thorough and up-to-date understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and child development, to include:
  1. The prime and specific areas of learning, safeguarding requirements, and assessment expectations.
  2. Knowledge of child development milestones to inform planning, observation, and assessment, ensuring that provision is inclusive.
  3. Understanding of the impact of early experiences on long-term outcomes.
• Applicants for group-based setting support must have a Level 6 or above early years qualification and have agreement from their home setting manager/owner/head teacher to take part in the programme.

Desirable Experience

• Experience of leading on strategies to address gaps in learning and development, which could include:
  1. Supporting children with delays in areas such as speech and language or physical development, through collaboration with specialist teams such as speech and language therapists.
  2. Implementing strategies to improve school readiness.
  3. Using data from observations and assessments to identify trends and gaps and developing action plans to address these.
  4. Collaboration with others to embed inclusive practices, ensuring children with SEND or those from disadvantaged backgrounds receive tailored support.
  5. Delivery of coaching to improve educators' confidence and consistency in closing gaps.
  6. Use of evidence-informed practice to support settings to guide change.

• Have experience of specific areas of interest or expertise that can be applied intheir support offer such as: 
  1. Working with children with SEND
  2. Working with children with EAL
  3. Inclusion
  4. Safeguarding
  5. Leadership and Quality improvement
• Other relevant early years, child development,or coaching qualifications.

Given the focus of this programme is on providing peer-to-peer and setting-to-setting support, we intend to focus first on applications from people currently working within early years settings and will then consider applications from LAs.

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• Opportunities for flexible working
• Access to high quality CPD

To apply, please complete the EOI and email it to recruitment@tcset.org.uk