Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Nursery
At Panda, we specialize in recruiting both permanent and fixed-term staff tailored to your nursery’s specific needs. Our team of Early Years experts works closely with you to understand the unique requirements of your setting, providing a truly bespoke Recruitment service. You’ll also find our transparent pricing listed on this page including our discounts explained for more than one placement in the same recruitment request, before you even contact us, because your time matters and clarity counts.
With no upfront fees and a strong focus on safeguarding children, we ensure every candidate goes through a rigorous vetting and compliance process. We are committed to delivering reliable, high-quality professionals who will be a great fit for your team and help your nursery thrive.
Permant & Fixed term Placements
From the first ad to the final hire, Here’s who we find for your nursery and what we do for you as part of our full recruitment service package.
The Roles We Recruit for Your Nursery
- Apprentices
- Lunchtime Cover Staff
- Nursery Assistants
- Third in Charge
- Level 2 & Level 3 Nursery Practitioners
- Room Leaders
- Deputy Room Leaders
- Deputy Nursery Managers
- Nursery Managers
- Maternity Cover Staff
- Nursery Cooks
- SEN Support Staff
- Support Office Staff
What We Manage on Your Behalf
- Write and manage compelling job adverts. We craft and publish tailored job advertisements across relevant job boards, trusted referral networks, and social media platforms to attract qualified and passionate early years professionals.
- Source, attract, and screen high-quality candidates. We proactively identify and engage suitable candidates, ensuring alignment with your specific role and setting requirements
- Conduct in-depth pre-interviews, vetting, and safeguarding checks. All candidates are interviewed in depth and verbally pre-vetted to confirm enhanced DBS status, right to work in the UK, relevant qualifications, training, and employment history, in accordance with safeguarding obligations.
- Provide a shortlist of suitable candidates, each accompanied by their CV and detailed insights from our pre-interview assessment. For each candidate you wish to move forward with, we’ll arrange interviews on your behalf, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.
- Collect and verify all required documentation: proof of right to work, a valid enhanced DBS certificate or Update Service code, evidence of relevant qualifications, and two written references from the candidate’s most recent professional experience. We use role-specific Reference forms tailored to the type of candidate, covering key areas such as safeguarding, professionalism, teamwork, communication, and early years practice, and you can even request custom questions.
- Help with job offer negotiations, ensuring all parties are happy with the terms.
- Deliver a complete compliance pack. Upon placement, we provide a comprehensive compliance file for each candidate, containing all verified documentation to support your safer recruitment duties.
This includes: A copy of the enhanced DBS certificate or Update Service share code; Proof of identity; Proof of address; Copies of qualifications and relevant training certificates (including Safeguarding and Paediatric First Aid); Two written references from the candidate’s most recent professional experience.
Your Free Consultation with Panda
For a trusted Early Years recruitment service
Our free consultation is all about you and your nursery. We take the time—however long it takes—to truly understand what you’re looking for in your next team member. The more we know about the role and your setting, the better we can tailor our recruitment process and match you with the right early years professional.
To advertise your vacancy and start the search for the perfect candidate, we’ll ask you to share the following details:
This is a personalized consultation—completely free, with no time limit. We’re here to listen, guide, and help you build a team that reflects your values and vision.
If you’re ready to start, simply register your vacancy, we’ll be in touch shortly to arrange your free consultation and begin understanding your staffing needs.
Our Hiring Process
As soon as the agreement is in place, we roll up our sleeves and get started. This is where your recruitment goals start coming to life.
“No upfront costs! Your placement fee is only due once the right candidate has officially joined your team.”
● Step 1: Book Your Free Consultation
We start with a no-pressure, completely free consultation about the qualities you are seeking in the roles we are to recruit for. No matter how long we chat, it’s all about you. We take the time to truly understand your setting and your Unique needs, so we can provide a recruitment service that’s effective, thoughtful, and tailored entirely to you. We also introduce ourselves properly, so you know exactly who you’re working with and feel confident from the very start. This is your space to tell us everything that matters in your hiring journey, so we can shape a recruitment service that fits your setting perfectly.
Step 2: Searching & Attracting Candidates
After your consultation, we craft a compelling job advert that reflects your setting’s values and what makes your role stand out. We then share it across relevant job boards, our website, social media channels, and through trusted referrals.
Maximizing visibility and reaching the right candidates.
Step 3: Selecting, Pre-interviewing & Shortlisting
We carefully review each application and personally conduct in-depth pre-interviews with every candidate before presenting them to you. Our focus goes beyond qualifications, we assess their passion for early years education, commitment to safeguarding, and how well they align with your setting’s values and team culture.
All shortlisted candidates are verbally vetted for DBS status, right to work, relevant qualifications and training, and a review of the Candidate’s employment history in line with your requirements. Rest assured, we also take care of collecting and verifying all necessary documentation to support your safeguarding standards in the next step.
From this tailored shortlist, we’ll arrange interviews and coordinate any trial days, ensuring a smooth, efficient experience that saves you time and supports a confident hiring decision.
Step 4: Negotiations Support & Compliance Pack Delivery
Once you’ve selected your ideal candidate, we’re here to support you through the offer stage. If you’d prefer, we can manage the negotiations on your behalf, communicating clearly and professionally to ensure both you and the candidate are fully satisfied with the terms.
Once a candidate accepts the offer, the placement fee becomes due. However, we continue supporting your nursery by collecting and verifying all necessary documents to ensure full safeguarding compliance. This includes the proof of right to work, copies of the Candidate’s DBS certificate or Update Service check code, evidence of relevant qualifications and training. We also obtain and share two written references tailored to the candidate’s role — using role-specific forms that gather meaningful insights from their most recent experiences. A complete compliance pack is then shared with your nursery for full peace of mind.
Safeguarding Checks
At Panda, safeguarding is not just a step in the process, it’s at the heart of everything we do. As specialists in safer recruitment, we go well beyond the basics to ensure that every candidate we present is someone you can trust in your nursery setting. We understand the enormous responsibility that comes with caring for young children, which is why our vetting process is designed to exceed expectations and align with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines and Ofsted standards.
Each candidate undergoes a comprehensive pre-screening and compliance check, ensuring they meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and professionalism. This includes:
We Take Candidate References Seriously!
At Panda Early Years Recruitment, we’re proud of our innovative and role-specific approach to reference checks. In fact, we have different reference forms for each candidate type — qualified early years professionals, apprentices still studying, those entering from another sector, and detailed forms for managerial positions. We gather references either via phone or through a secure online form. Our checks cover all key areas, including safeguarding, early years practice, and employment performance. What sets our reference checks apart is that, if there’s something specific you’d like to know about a candidate, we can tailor the questions to include it. Nothing generic — just the insights that truly matter to your setting.
With Panda, you can rest assured that every professional we recommend has been thoroughly screened and carefully selected to meet your safeguarding expectations and your setting’s unique values.
Take a moment to read through our Terms & Conditions, it’s where you’ll find everything you need to know about how we work, what we guarantee, and the standards we hold ourselves to. We believe in being upfront and transparent, so you can partner with us in full confidence.
Prefer to talk to us or have some queries? You’re welcome to call or email us — we’re here to assist you.
Email: info@pandaearlyyears.com or Call us: 07763 709879