Location: The Community Hub, Factory Quarter, Warple Way, London W3 7DQ
Contract Type: Part-time, term-time only, permanent
Hours: 12 -18 hours per week, 39 weeks per year
Additional Hours: Expected during Half Terms & School Holidays (additional pay, by agreement)
Salary: £7,800 - £11,600 per annum
Reports to: After-School Club Manager / Deputy Manager
Responsible for: Supporting Practitioners and other session staff during day-to-day delivery
Job Purpose
To plan, deliver and supervise high-quality, engaging after-school sessions as part of the Nourished Routes Wellness Curriculum, while taking additional responsibility for safeguarding and supporting the safe, consistent and effective delivery of the club.
The Senior Practitioner will undertake all the core duties of a Nourished Routes Practitioner, supporting primary-aged children to develop healthy lifestyles through hands-on cooking and nutrition education, inclusive physical activity, and creative wellbeing-focused arts and crafts.
As a senior member of the team and a Designated Safeguarding Lead, the postholder will provide guidance and support to Practitioners, model excellent practice and help ensure that safeguarding concerns are identified, recorded and responded to appropriately.
The Senior Practitioner may take responsibility for coordinating the session when delegated by the Manager or Deputy Manager. The role does not carry the full management, curriculum leadership or operational responsibilities of the Deputy Manager.
Key Responsibilities
1. Programme Delivery
Undertake all responsibilities of the After-School Club Practitioner role, including:
- Plan and deliver high-quality, age-appropriate activities aligned with the Nourished Routes Wellness Curriculum
- Deliver activities across one or more of the following areas:
- Cooking & Nutrition
- Physical Activity & Fitness
- Wellbeing Arts & Crafts
- Create engaging, inclusive activities that meet varying needs, abilities and interests
- Promote children’s confidence, independence, teamwork and positive participation
- Adapt activities to ensure all children can participate meaningfully
- Integrate Nourished Routes themes, values and wellbeing principles into daily practice
- Contribute ideas to programme planning and continuous improvement
2. Cooking & Nutrition
- Plan and deliver age-appropriate practical cooking activities aligned with national food education guidance and the Nourished Routes Wellness Curriculum
- Teach basic food preparation skills and healthy eating habits in a fun, safe and supportive environment
- Ensure strict adherence to food safety and hygiene standards
- Plan inclusively to meet diverse dietary requirements
- Understand and follow allergy management procedures and relevant risk assessments
3. Physical Fitness
- Lead structured, inclusive physical activities such as games, sports and movement challenges
- Promote physical health, coordination, teamwork and confidence
- Encourage positive participation, cooperation and enjoyment
- Adapt activities to suit varying abilities and needs
4. Wellbeing Arts & Crafts
- Deliver creative arts and craft activities that reinforce wellbeing themes and session learning objectives
- Support emotional literacy, resilience, mindfulness and positive peer relationships
- Incorporate relaxation, creative play and reflection to help children unwind after the school day
- Create a calm, nurturing environment where children feel safe, valued and heard
5. Designated Safeguarding Lead Responsibilities
As a trained Designated Safeguarding Lead, the Senior Practitioner will:
- Act as a Designated Safeguarding Lead during agreed sessions
- Promote a strong safeguarding culture across the club
- Be available to staff who wish to discuss or report safeguarding or child protection concerns
- Receive, assess and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns and disclosures
- Ensure concerns are accurately recorded and reported in line with the Nourished Routes Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
- Escalate concerns promptly to the appropriate senior DSL, statutory agency or other relevant professional where required
- Make referrals to children’s social care and other agencies where appropriate and in accordance with organisational procedures
- Maintain clear, accurate, confidential and timely safeguarding records
- Ensure safeguarding information is shared only with those who need to know
- Support staff to understand and follow safeguarding procedures
- Remain alert to signs of abuse, neglect, exploitation, peer-on-peer abuse and other safeguarding concerns
- Support the safe management of allegations or concerns involving staff or volunteers in line with organisational procedures
- Complete DSL training and all required safeguarding updates
- Maintain current knowledge of relevant safeguarding guidance and local procedures
- Work closely with the Manager, Deputy Manager and other Nourished Routes DSLs to ensure continuity of safeguarding oversight
- Participate in safeguarding reviews, audits and updates as required
The Senior Practitioner must never delay action on a safeguarding concern because the Manager or Deputy Manager is unavailable.
6. Senior Practice & Team Support
- Act as a positive role model for Practitioners, casual staff and volunteers
- Model high standards of professional practice, safeguarding, supervision and behaviour management
- Provide day-to-day guidance and practical support to less experienced colleagues
- Help new staff and volunteers understand routines, expectations and safe working practices
- Support consistent implementation of Nourished Routes policies and procedures
- Share observations and concerns about practice with the Manager or Deputy Manager
- Encourage a collaborative, supportive and reflective team culture
- Help maintain clear communication between staff during sessions
- Support colleagues to respond appropriately to children’s individual needs
7. Session Coordination
When delegated by the Manager or Deputy Manager, the Senior Practitioner may:
- Support the coordination of staff and activity areas during a session
- Help ensure children are appropriately supervised and staff are effectively deployed
- Lead staff briefings or end-of-session debriefs
- Monitor registers, collections and authorised handovers
- Respond to day-to-day issues arising during the session
- Ensure incidents, accidents, medication and safeguarding concerns are appropriately recorded and escalated
- Act as the senior point of contact on site for an agreed period or session where this has been formally delegated
The Senior Practitioner is not expected to routinely deputise for the Club Manager or assume the full operational and management responsibilities of the Deputy Manager.
8. Health, Safety & Supervision
- Maintain a safe, clean and well-organised environment
- Ensure high standards of supervision at all times
- Identify and respond to hazards and emerging risks
- Follow all risk assessments, emergency procedures and health and safety policies
- Administer first aid where required and within the scope of training
- Ensure accidents, incidents, medication and other relevant records are completed accurately
- Support safe collection and handover procedures
- Escalate health, safety or operational concerns promptly
9. Behaviour, Inclusion & Children’s Wellbeing
- Build positive, respectful and nurturing relationships with children
- Promote positive behaviour using the Nourished Routes approach
- Support children experiencing emotional, social or behavioural difficulties
- Help colleagues respond consistently to behaviour and wellbeing needs
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion
- Ensure children’s voices are heard and their views are respected
- Support an environment in which every child feels safe, valued and included
10. Administration & Record Keeping
- Complete session plans, registers, evaluations and other required documentation
- Maintain accurate incident, accident and safeguarding records
- Support the completion of communication logs and other session records
- Ensure information is handled confidentially and in accordance with organisational procedures
- Provide clear and timely information to the Manager and Deputy Manager
11. General Duties
- Build positive, respectful relationships with children, families and colleagues
- Communicate professionally with parents and carers within the scope of the role
- Attend training, briefings, supervision sessions and team meetings as required
- Follow all safeguarding, health and safety and organisational policies
- Actively promote the ethos and values of Nourished Routes
- Support special events, Supper Clubs, Holiday Clubs and community activities where required
- Undertake other reasonable duties appropriate to the level and responsibilities of the role
Person Specification
Essential
- Significant experience working with primary-aged children in an educational, childcare, playwork or enrichment setting
- Strong knowledge and practical understanding of safeguarding and child protection procedures
- Current Designated Safeguarding Lead training, or willingness to complete DSL training before undertaking DSL responsibilities
- Confidence in responding to safeguarding concerns and disclosures
- Ability to maintain accurate, confidential and professional records
- Experience planning and leading engaging activities for children
- Ability to support and guide colleagues positively
- Strong communication and organisational skills
- Ability to remain calm and make appropriate decisions in challenging situations
- Ability to engage, motivate and support children with varying needs
- Reliable, professional and flexible approach to work
- Strong alignment with the Nourished Routes ethos and values
- Enhanced DBS clearance and satisfactory references
Desirable
- Relevant Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in Playwork, Childcare, Education, Health & Wellbeing or a related field
- Previous experience as a DSL or Deputy DSL
- Experience supervising, mentoring or supporting colleagues
- Paediatric First Aid qualification
- Food Hygiene certification
- Mental Health First Aid or children’s wellbeing training
- Experience planning or delivering after-school, holiday or enrichment programmes
- Familiarity with the UK National Curriculum, PSHE guidance or relevant childcare frameworks
- Experience supporting children with additional needs
Personal Attributes
The successful candidate will be:
- Warm, nurturing and engaging with children
- Calm and confident when responding to concerns
- Approachable and trusted by children and colleagues
- Professional and discreet
- Proactive and solution-focused
- Reliable and highly organised
- Confident enough to provide guidance while remaining collaborative
- Reflective and open to learning
- Creative, adaptable and enthusiastic
- Committed to safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare
Our Ethos
At Nourished Routes, we believe in nurturing the whole child through food, movement, creativity and connection. Every session is an opportunity to build confidence, curiosity and lifelong healthy habits.
Our Senior Practitioners play an important role in bringing this ethos to life. They combine excellent hands-on practice with the confidence, judgement and safeguarding knowledge needed to help children and colleagues feel safe, supported and able to thrive.
Safeguarding Statement
Nourished Routes is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.
The Senior Practitioner holds additional safeguarding responsibility as a trained Designated Safeguarding Lead and is expected to act promptly, professionally and in accordance with Nourished Routes policies and statutory safeguarding procedures.
This role is subject to enhanced DBS clearance, satisfactory references and completion of all required safeguarding and DSL training.
Job Types: Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £14.80-£15.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
