Nursery Teacher
Part time (0.4 FTE)
“
Leaders maintain a school culture that actively promotes inclusion and mutual respect highly successfully. This is a significant strength of the school.
ISI Inspection - 2025
Extensive individual support enables pupils to...develop a breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm for scholarship. This is a significant strength of the school.
ISI Inspection - 2025
”
Co-education: phased entry from 2027
See our brochure for further details
Welcome to RGS Prep.
Step through the front door and you will be met with a warm welcome, the sight of inquisitive, energetic and courteous children and the feeling that anything is possible. Our Six Values of Collaboration, Courage, Inclusivity, Integrity, Respect and Scholarship are at the core of all that we do. We nurture these Values through small class sizes, individualised academic and pastoral support and most importantly, the passion of our staff.
We announced in December last year the exciting news that RGS will become coeducational, offering girls the same opportunities that our boys enjoy. RGS Prep will admit girls into our main entry points: Nursery, Reception and Year 3 in September 2027 and the transition will then progress organically through the year groups. You can read more in our brochure (see opposite).
Staff at RGS Prep join us from a range of backgrounds and bring with them a wide variety of beliefs and interests. We actively encourage staff to share these with our assemblies, lessons, 'Inspire' days, workshops and extra-curricular provision.
If you are offered a position here, you would be joining a close-knit and collaborative team.
I look forward to receiving your application.
Toby Freeman-Day, Head
Job Title: Nursery Teacher (part time)
Responsible to: EYFS Co-ordinator, RGS Prep
Responsible for: no direct reports
Job Purpose
To be a Nursery teacher, leading the EYFS class across the curriculum.
The post holder will be a trained teacher, leading a Nursery class (ages 3-4) in a range of subjects and look after them pastorally as their Form teacher. Whilst there will be a number of specialists involved with the pupils, the post holder will be their primary teacher and point of contact.
Key Responsibilities
• Plan and deliver lessons that meet the needs of all pupils.
• Set clear learning targets informed by prior attainment.
• Create a stimulating and well-organised classroom environment with accessible resources.
• Monitor, assess, record and report pupils’ progress, integrating formative and summative assessment into planning.
• Communicate effectively with parents regarding pupils’ development, progress and attainment.
• Lead, organise and direct support staff within the classroom.
• Maintain accurate and efficient records, including registration and administrative routines.
• Attend departmental meetings, INSETs and whole-School staff meetings as required.
• Participate in the appraisal of own performance and contribute to the development of others where appropriate.
• Maintain up-to-date subject knowledge and seek opportunities to extend qualifications or expertise.
• Contribute to the extracurricular life of the School.
• Be aware of the individual needs of pupils, offering guidance and support as necessary.
• Maintain high standards of conduct, punctuality, presentation and behaviour among pupils
• Promote the safeguarding and welfare of children at all times.
• Follow school safeguarding, child protection, and confidentiality policies.
• Report any concerns regarding pupil welfare or safety to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Act as a positive role model, promoting respect, inclusion, and emotional wellbeing.
• Work collaboratively with staff, parents/carers, and external professionals where appropriate.
• Participate in training, Inset days, meetings, and performance management.
• Reflect on practice and engage in professional development, particularly relating to SEND and emotional wellbeing.
• Uphold the school’s values, policies, and ethos.
Teaching our pupils to learn
• Classroom management: teaching staff will determine clear boundaries of behaviour, based on mutual respect and trust. High expectations will be set and a range of strategies will be used to manage classes effectively, with praise, sanctions and rewards used consistently and fairly.
• Formative and summative assessment: of student work, consistent with school marking policy and on a sufficiently regular and timely basis.
• Maintaining classrooms and equipment: staff will treat all school property with respect and care and, equally, ensure their students do likewise.
• Reporting on student progress: teaching staff will complete reports and grades in a prompt and timely fashion, as and when required by the school, in the appropriate directed manner and style.
• Professional Development: teaching staff will reflect on and seek to continually improve their practice through, for example, collaboration with other staff, engaging with CPD course opportunities and the school’s Individual Development Plan (IDP) appraisal process.
• Planning: teaching staff will be able to demonstrate evidence of planning in terms of where the lesson fits within the scheme of work and then deliver well-structured lessons using an appropriate range of teaching practices.
• Special Educational Needs: teaching staff will make themselves aware of and accommodate pupils’ specific learning and medical needs.
Supporting and enriching our school community
• Appearance: teaching staff should wear smart business dress which mirrors the dress code of the pupils, or appropriate RGS Prep issued co-curricular clothing when required.
• Attendance: teaching staff are expected to support school events, such as assemblies, Prize Giving and Sports Day as well as attend those events as required by the Head including Assessment Days, Parents’ Evenings and INSET days.
• Co-curricular contribution: teaching staff, including part-time staff on a prorata basis, are expected to make a significant contribution to the co-curricular life of the school. An example of what constitutes a significant contribution is taking a team with fixtures and after school practices, helping with a club and being involved with a House Staff are matched to their skills where possible and so may contribute in equivalent ways to the example above.
• Duties: teaching staff are expected to play their part in covering lessons and undertake duties as part of the ‘staff duty rota’ and carry out any other responsibility as reasonably requested by the Head.
• Pastoral contribution: teaching staff are expected to play a full role in the pastoral life of the school; this will include taking a Form group.
• Punctuality: staff should ensure prompt attendance within school contracted business hours.
Upholding the School policies
• Awareness and modelling of school policies: teaching staff will read and act upon, or in accordance with, all the relevant school and departmental policies, and complete the annual ‘staff awareness’ form.
• Equal opportunities: staff are expected to adhere to the School's equal opportunities policy.
• Ethics and behaviour: staff will uphold public trust in the profession and the reputation of the school by maintaining the highest standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school. They will show tolerance of and respect for the rights of others and not undermine Fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. They will ensure that their personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.
• Safeguarding: staff are expected to be aware of and comply with all aspects of the School’s safeguarding policy and to undergo initial and ongoing training; and be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of the students for whom they are responsible.
• Student safety and wellbeing: staff will display the highest possible regard for student safety and wellbeing in accordance with policies, procedures and reasonable good sense at all times, whether on or off school premises.
Your career at RGS Prep begins with a warm welcome and comprehensive induction. You will be introduced to colleagues, key people within the school and fellow new starters from across the departments.
Opportunities to get involved in wider school activities are many and varied; sporting fixtures, theatre productions and residential trips to name just a few. Then there are the social groups set up by and for colleagues ranging from badminton to bingo and one-off events such as theatre trips. However you choose to get involved, you are guaranteed to find yourself among like-minded individuals.
We are proactively committed to creating a diverse staff body, which reflects the community that we teach. At RGS Prep we value diversity and inclusion; we want to attract the best people for the roles available. This is regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs.
Nikki
Teacher of KS 1, joined 2025
What do you love about your department? They made me feel so welcome and part of the team from day 1!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Walking, spending time with my family and friends, training my new puppy and travelling.
Deputy Head (Academic), joined 2010
What's the best thing about working at the RGS?
Seeing happy, smiling faces each morning makes every day a good day.
If you could give one bit of advice to your younger self what would it be? Don't be afraid. Nothing is ever as scary as it seems at the starting line.
PA to the Head, joined 2025
What's the best thing about working at the RGS? Being part of a friendly, warm but professional community, oh and the lunches...
If you could choose any other career, what would it be? Mountain guide.
In addition to joining a successful and sociable staff body you will also receive the following benefits:
Remuneration
Well above the national scale, comparing favourably with others in the independent sector.
Pension Choice of the Teachers' Pension Scheme or a Defined Contribution Scheme
Fee reduction
Employee Assistance Programme
Fee reduction for son(s) of staff is available (after a qualifying period and subject to success at the entrance examination).
A free, confidential counselling & wellbeing support service that can support you, your partner or spouse, and dependent children over 16 still living at home.
Medical
Dining
Career progression
Private medical scheme.
Lunch and refreshments are provided during term time.
The RGS has a proven track record of career progression, both within the School and promotion to other schools.
RGS Prep is a kind, inclusive, tolerant community where diverse opportunity, personal development, high achievement and collaborative partnership define who we are.
RGS Prep is a long-established IAPS school for approximately 330 pupils, which has occupied the same site in a quiet, leafy residential area of Guildford since 1930. It is well known for its excellent academic and pastoral strengths, alongside outstanding music departments and strong sport and extra-curricular opportunities for all pupils.
RGS Prep's academic reputation is justly well-known but what sets it apart is its warm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils are offered a happy, caring and stimulating environment where they can progress to their full potential. An excellent allround education based on skilled teaching in small classes is at the heart of RGS Prep's approach to learning which strives to provide the widest possible range of experiences. RGS Prep guides each pupil on their journey and gives them the skills and understanding of how to learn, not just what to learn. Visitors to RGS Prep are struck not only by the cheerful, purposeful atmosphere of the school but also by the diversity of its activities.
The school also aims to develop those qualities that cannot be measured by academic assessment. The development of each pupil’s interpersonal skills, team spirit, strong self-awareness and leadership potential is achieved through a broad range of extracurricular activities which also foster curiosity, creativity and individuality.
In the Early Years at RGS Prep, we follow the statutory framework provided by the Department for Education for Early Years providers. The Nursery and Reception (Shell) classes, work on a two-year rolling programme of topics to ensure a wide range of content and smooth transition from Nursery to Shell.
As well as following the seven areas of learning, pupils enjoy a variety of specialist lessons including Music, French, PE and Outdoor Learning. They also have access to iPads and a digital screen within the classroom to ensure ICT is part of their learning from an early age. How the pupils learn is tantamount to their success, hence they enjoy collecting credits when they display learning habits such as responsible risk-taking, persistence, independence and accuracy.
Pupils are supported by a teacher and teaching assistant in each class to ensure that their learning can be tailored to their needs and interests. The Learning Support department can also offer advice and extra lessons as appropriate. Pupils enjoy a variety of trips and visits from specialist providers throughout the year, helping to broaden the curriculum and enhance their social skills.
In Years 1 and 2, the curriculum offers a broad content of study, using the National Curriculum (KS1) as a basic framework. The combination of group work activities and high individual attention, promotes appropriate learning for all children across the various levels of ability. Specialist teaching takes place in PE, music, drama and French. The curriculum is planned to smooth the transition into KS2.
Close links to the RGS senior school has encouraged academic standards to be pushed higher and the school has invested in new facilities. Since the millennium, RGS Prep has continued to evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world and has more than twice as many teachers as 30 years ago. Digital technology and interactive whiteboards are in place throughout the school. A new state-of-the-art Sports Hall was opened in 2016, a dedicated rehearsal space for RGS Guildford Cathedral choristers in 2022 and a Pre-Prep Library in 2023. Throughout the last 10 years, new outside spaces have been created and refurbished in both the Prep and Pre-Prep departments including an adventure playground, outdoor classrooms and permanent cricket nets.
“
“ Staff in early years support children's social development well.
ISI Inspection - 2025 “ “
Leadership opportunities begin in the Prep school, such as sitting on the equality, diversity and inclusion council."
ISI Inspection - 2025
Guildford is a vibrant and exciting place in which to live. Rich in history, it is a welcoming town with a flourishing and varied cultural life. Entertainment is diverse with a number of lively and nationally renowned venues including G Live, the Yvonne Arnaud theatre and the eclectic Electric Theatre. There are outstanding sport and leisure facilities which include the state-of-the-art training venues and sports complexes of Surrey Sports Park and Guildford Spectrum. Guildford offers one of the south east’s best shopping experiences with the iconic High Street combining exclusive and popular national chains as well as a number of independent retailers. Dining options cater for every taste and budget with local traditional and gastro pubs in nearby Surrey villages drawing customers from a wide area.
Educationally, Guildford is thriving. RGS Guildford is regularly ranked in the top ten single-sex schools in the country. RGS also enjoys close links with other girls’ schools, Guildford High School, Tormead School and St Catherine’s, Bramley. The University of Surrey was awarded ‘University of the Year for Graduate Employment’ by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
Guildford has the advantage of being very accessible and enjoys excellent transport links. London is just over a 30-mile drive via the A3 and well served by trains (just 29 minutes to Clapham Junction and 39 minutes to London Waterloo). International airports London Gatwick and London Heathrow are only 30 minutes from the town.
Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are close by; the Surrey Hills and North Downs are on the school's doorstep and provide opportunities to enjoy the stunning countryside; the south coast is approximately one hour by car.
William Cobbett “
The town of Guildford, which I, who have seen so many, many towns, think is the prettiest and…most happy-looking, that I ever saw in my life.
The setting:
The Surrey Hills
North Downs
South Downs
Picturesque villages
The south coast
Travel by rail:
Clapham Junction 29 minutes, London Waterloo 39 minutes
Portsmouth Harbour 60 minutes
Gatwick Airport 45 minutes
Travel by road:
London 32 miles via the A3, Heathrow 22 miles; Gatwick 34 miles via A3 and M25 Portsmouth 44 miles; Brighton 59 miles
North Downs
The Royal Grammar School, Guildford meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. All applicants who are offered employment will be subject to an enhanced criminal record check from the DBS before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands or final warnings, as well as convictions. It is of fundamental importance to The Royal Grammar School to ensure, so far as possible, that those who take up appointments do not pose a risk to the children in its care.
Further details will be sent to applicants invited to interview which will expand on the above.
We are proactively committed to creating a diverse staff body, which reflects the community that we teach. At RGS we value diversity and inclusion; we want to attract the best people for the roles available. This is regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socioeconomic status or religious beliefs.
Please note: applications will be considered on receipt and we reserve the right to close applications early.
