SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT
“We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff, contractors and volunteers to share this commitment.”
JOB DESCRIPTION
Nursery Practitioner Level 3 / Transition Lead
Accountable to: Centre Manager
Purpose of the Role and Key Responsibilities
The purpose of the Nursery Practitioner / Transition Lead is to provide to the children with a learning, safe and caring environment, making sure to follow all the statutory requirements and ensuring each child is ready to transition to the setting and to school.
DESCRIPTION OF POST:
- Keeping a record of the children’s progress to share with parents and carers.
- Building and maintaining relationships with parents and carers to facilitate the daily learning and care of the children.
- Providing support to other nursery staff members.
- Creating an environment that meets the needs of the children by considering their cultural and medical needs.
- Advising the Nursery Manager about concerns relating to a child or parent/carer while respecting confidentiality requirements.
- Adhering to the nursery’s policies and procedures, as well as legislative requirements relating to childcare.
- Maintaining high standards for safety, cleanliness and hygiene.
- Creating fun and educational activities for the children under their care.
- Oversee the transition process to the setting and then to school, liaising with
Detailed below are the principal tasks and activities associated with your role. Please ensure you have read and understood them as they form part of your overall Contract of Employment with the setting. Activities and tasks are carried out on a daily, weekly or as required basis. You are a key member of the nursery staff team. You will be responsible for ensuring that all the activities and tasks detailed in this role description are being performed to the settings standards.
Your role will be appraised on a regular basis by the setting Manager during which your performance will be reviewed and assessed in accordance with personal and centre aims and objectives. Whilst the role description contains specific responsibilities, it is expected that you will have a high degree of integrity and initiative in managing your own performance and self-evaluation. If you are in any doubt about the role or would like to obtain further guidance, mentoring or training then please contact the Chairperson of the committee.
Main Areas of Responsibility
Child-Centred Practice
- Create a warm, joyful, and secure environment where every child feels valued, supported, and excited to learn.
- Deliver high‑quality EYFS provision through playful, purposeful activities that spark curiosity and build confidence.
- Observe, assess, and record children’s progress using clear, meaningful notes that inform planning and support individual needs.
- Champion inclusive practice by adapting activities, resources, and routines to ensure all children can participate and thrive.
- Working towards your personal career development.
- Supporting the development of the childcare provision.
- Providing an excellent range of activities that ensures that the child learns whilst having fun.
Partnership With Parents & Carers
- Build trusting, friendly relationships with families, keeping communication open, positive, and professional.
- Share children’s achievements, progress, and any concerns sensitively and promptly, ensuring parents feel informed and involved.
- Support families through transitions, offering reassurance, guidance, and practical strategies to help children settle and flourish.
Transition Lead Responsibilities
- Oversee all transitions into nursery, within the setting, and onward to school, ensuring each child’s journey is smooth, supported, and celebrated.
- Develop personalised transition plans that reflect children’s interests, needs, and learning styles.
- Liaise with external professionals, schools, and parents to share key information and ensure continuity of care and learning.
- Prepare engaging transition resources (books, photos, social stories, settling-in activities) that help children feel confident and secure.
- Lead on transition meetings, documentation, and follow-up actions, ensuring everything is organised, timely, and child-focused.
SEN & Inclusion Support
- Work closely with the SENCo to identify emerging needs, implement targeted strategies, and monitor progress.
- Contribute to SEN documentation including provision maps, personalised plans, and professional referrals.
- Use child-friendly approaches to support emotional regulation, communication, and independence.
Teamwork & Professionalism
- Collaborate with colleagues to plan exciting activities, maintain routines, and uphold a positive team culture.
- Model professional conduct, safeguarding awareness, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
- Contribute to the daily running of the nursery, including setting up environments, maintaining hygiene standards, and ensuring safety at all times.
- Bring creativity, humour, and enthusiasm to the team — making the nursery a place where children and staff genuinely love to be.
Enrichment & Environment
- Create inviting learning spaces that reflect children’s interests and celebrate their achievements.
- Plan fun extras such as themed days, outdoor adventures, sensory experiences, and seasonal activities that enrich the curriculum.
- Support children’s independence through routines that build confidence, resilience, and life skills.
Safeguarding & Child Welfare
- Uphold the highest standards of safeguarding practice, ensuring every child’s safety, dignity, and wellbeing is at the heart of daily routines and decision‑making.
- Maintain a vigilant, proactive approach to identifying signs of harm, neglect, or emerging concerns, responding calmly, sensitively, and in line with statutory guidance.
- Follow the nursery’s safeguarding policies, reporting procedures, and escalation pathways precisely, ensuring all concerns are recorded accurately and shared promptly with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
- Promote a culture of safety by modelling professional boundaries, safe working practices, and positive behaviour expectations.
- Support children in developing confidence, independence, and an understanding of how to keep themselves safe through age‑appropriate conversations, routines, and play.
- Engage with parents and carers in a respectful, supportive manner, sharing safeguarding information appropriately while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.
- Participate in regular safeguarding training, refreshers, and reflective practice to ensure knowledge remains current and aligned with local and national requirements.
Other Duties
- Join in with children’s imaginative play, including (but not limited to) answering important phone calls on the toy phone, attending pretend tea parties, and occasionally being cast as “the dragon”, “the shopkeeper”, or “the patient”.
- Wear costumes, themed outfits, or character accessories for special events, celebrations, and curriculum days — enthusiasm encouraged, dignity optional.
- Support with nursery events such as open days, parent workshops, seasonal celebrations, and fundraising activities.
- Contribute to creating displays, organising resources, and maintaining an inspiring learning environment that reflects children’s interests and achievements.
- Assist with daily routines including snack preparation, tidying shared spaces, and ensuring equipment is safe, clean, and ready for action.
- Participate in staff meetings, training sessions, and reflective practice discussions to support continuous improvement.
- Provide occasional cover when needed, ensuring consistency of care and a calm, positive atmosphere.
- Help maintain a joyful, collaborative team culture by bringing creativity, humour, and a willingness to get stuck in — whether that’s building a giant cardboard rocket or calming a glitter emergency.
- Support children during outdoor play, including supervising adventures, encouraging exploration, and occasionally rescuing well‑loved toys from the sandpit.
- Undertake any additional reasonable duties requested by the management team to support the smooth running of the nursery and the wellbeing of children.
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY:
The post holder is required to carry out their duties in a way that promotes diversity.
HEALTH AND SAFETY:
The post holder will take all reasonable care of themselves and of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications/Training
- Experience working with children (Required)
- Have at least a Level 3 award in childcare (Required)
- Recent First Aid Certificate (Desired)
- Recent safeguarding children Certificate (Desired)
- Knowledge or qualifications in SEND.
Knowledge/Skills
- Excellent understanding of how children learn and play
- Ability to relate well to children and to adults.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Good organisation, planning and prioritising skills.
- Methodical with a good attention to detail.
- Influencing skills.
- Ability to work to strict deadlines
Behavioural Attributes
- Child‑centred mindset — consistently places children’s wellbeing, safety, and emotional security at the heart of every decision.
- Warm, nurturing presence — builds trusting relationships through kindness, patience, and genuine enjoyment of being with young children.
- Positive role model — demonstrates calm, respectful behaviour, showing children how to communicate, share, and solve problems.
- Adaptable and flexible — responds confidently to changing situations, unexpected challenges, and the joyful unpredictability of nursery life.
- Creative thinker — brings imagination, enthusiasm, and fresh ideas to activities, environments, and transition support.
- Team‑spirited collaborator — works supportively with colleagues, values shared practice, and contributes to a positive, uplifting staff culture.
- Emotionally resilient — remains composed and solution‑focused during busy periods, behaviour incidents, or high‑pressure moments.
- Clear and confident communicator — engages professionally with parents, colleagues, and external agencies, using warmth and clarity.
- Reflective practitioner — seeks feedback, engages in training, and continually looks for ways to improve practice.
- Organised and reliable — manages time, documentation, and responsibilities effectively, ensuring transitions and daily routines run smoothly.
- Inclusive mindset — embraces diversity, adapts approaches for individual needs, and champions equality for all children.
- Proactive problem‑solver — spots issues early, thinks ahead, and takes initiative to keep the environment safe, calm, and engaging.
- Playful energy
Recruitment Compliance Requirements
- Completed application documentation
- Successful interview outcome
- Satisfactory reference checks in line with safer recruitment guidance
In addition to the ability to perform the duties of the post, issues relating to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children will need to be demonstrated these will include:
- Motivation to work with children and young people.
- Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people.
- Be suitable to work with children and young people.
- To pass all the relevant checks that must be done to safeguard the children and the centre.
This post requires the attainment of an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service certificate.
Pay: From £12.84 per hour
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Market Rasen LN8 3TA: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Education:
- GCSE or equivalent (preferred)
Experience:
- working with children: 1 year (preferred)
- Nursery experience: 1 year (preferred)
- Childcare: 2 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person
