Erskine Stewart Melville - Nursery Teacher Assistant

Summary

We are currently seeking to fill the position of Nursery Teacher Assistant.

Detail

About ESM

Welcome to Erskine Stewart Melville, a vibrant independent school set in beautiful grounds in the heart of Edinburgh. We offer a co-educational nursery, junior school and senior school. 

We are a consistently award-winning School, with an educational legacy that stretches back more than 300 years. Our Schools have always been pioneers of rounded education. Children’s education is underpinned by our values: kindness, confidence, resilience, integrity and curiosity. From virtual reality headsets in the classroom to developing one of the first outdoor learning programmes in Scotland, we are always searching for new ways to develop the whole child.  

The people that work for us are passionate, pioneering and strive for excellence in everything they do. We value the incredible contributions they make to school life, we invest in their careers and we support their ambitions so that they flourish professionally and personally. 

About the role

Erskine Stewart Melville are currently recruiting for a Nursery Teacher Assistant to join the Nursery on a temporary basis from 4 January 2027 to 25 June 2027 (subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks). The role is term time and part time, working 15 hours with a salary of £9,281.25 - £9,922.50.  The role is based at the Junior School on Ravelston Dykes.

The purpose of the role is to delivering a high quality, child centred service as part of the Early Years’ team and will include such duties as:

• Reading and updating Children’s Personal Care Plans as required
• Supporting the personal and pastoral care of children, including at Snack/ Lunch, Toileting, First Aid and Toothbrushing, following all appropriate ESM Polices, Nursery procedures and guidelines and external legislative documents. 
• Supporting responsive planning, observations and Focus Weeks with support from Early Years colleagues.

The successful candidate must have experience of working with children and be a kind and enthusiastic person who puts the interests of the children first. Ideally they would have experience of supporting a teacher in a classroom.

To learn more about this role, please access the job description provided. 

Benefits 

Employees get access to a range of benefits including:  

• Free Sports’ Club membership, including access to pool and fitness suites 
• Generous holiday allowance 
• Generous pension 
• Death in service benefit 
• Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity leave 
• Membership of the ESM Discount and Benefits Scheme, including a range of discounts at 130,000 retail and entertainment locations 
• Employee Assistance Service 
• Cycle to work scheme 
• Car leasing salary sacrifice scheme 
• Annual professional review process 
• Regular salary reviews 
• Funding towards professional qualifications

ESM is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. International applicants will therefore be unable to apply for and secure a Skilled Worker visa. The successful candidate will only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right work in the UK.

We are looking for individuals who can embody and promote ESM values of Kindness, Confidence, Resilience, Integrity, and Curiosity while role modelling behaviours in line with our school pillars of Ambition, Innovation, and Community.

ESM is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and Disclosure Scotland.

All staff working at ESM have direct access to young people therefore all posts within the school are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Any enquiries about this position should be directed to recruitment@esms.org.uk 

The deadline for applications is midday on 27 November. We anticipate that interviews will take place the week beginning 7 December. 

Documents

• Nursery Teacher Assistant - JD updated NOV 2026 DOCX Document