Senior Nursery Practitioner
Salary: £25,854 - £28,142 per annum
Working Hours: 40 hours Monday - Friday
Responsibilities:
· Support the Room Leader and Deputy in leading and inspiring a team of childcare practitioners.
· Deliver high quality learning experiences in line with the EYFS.
· Act as a key person for a group of children and liaise closely with families.
· Plan and deliver activities that support personal, social, emotional, and academic development.
· Complete developmental records and online journals to track and celebrate each child’s progress.
· Support the day-to-day running of the room and nursery, stepping into a lead role when required.
· Collaborate with team members and attend planning, curriculum, and training meetings.
· Model outstanding childcare practice and contribute to the development of team members and apprentices.
Requirements:
· A Level 3 qualification in Early Childhood Education
· Proven experience of working within an EYFS setting.
· A strong understanding of safeguarding, early years development, and inclusive practice.
· Additional training such as Pediatric First Aid, Food Hygiene, Allergen Awareness, or SEN knowledge is desirable.
· Excellent communication and observation skills.
· An enthusiastic and professional approach with a genuine passion for early years education.
· Willingness to attend training and contribute to the ongoing success of the nursery.
Benefits:
· A salary of £25,854 - £28,142 per annum dependent on experience
· Working Hours: 40 hours across Monday-Friday (Shifts: 07:30-16:30, 08:00-17:00, 08:00-18:00 with half a day off)
· 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and closure over Christmas
· 50% discounted nursery fees
· Free lunches
· Free use of the fitness suite
· Free onsite parking
· Generous Pension Scheme
· Learning and progression opportunities, including 3 dedicated paid staff training days across the year
As part of The Peterborough School, you join a supportive family, with a long history of success. Joining the wider team, you will enjoy further benefits that being part of a thriving workplace brings. The Nursery recently expanded too, signaling the school’s success and ambition for the future.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Summary of the role
Providing a high standard of care and education for the children at all times by delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum to small and large groups of children, as well as their own group of key children.
Assisting the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader in leading a team of practitioners.
Ensuring all children in the Nursery have all the same life chances, are able to meet their own potential and have equality of opportunities in their learning, development and care.
Passion for the Outdoors
A genuine enthusiasm for working in natural environments in all weather conditions and developing children’s curiosity in the outdoors is vital for this position.
Main duties and responsibilities
· Promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children for whom you are responsible and with whom you come into contact.
· Creating a fun and stimulating environment for the children, setting up for the planned activities and tidying away at the end of the session. Plan, lead, and deliver engaging outdoor sessions that promote all seven areas of learning within the EYFS, with a strong focus on physical development, understanding the world, and communication and language
· Ensuring that personal and social needs for all children are met and providing activities with will assist personal and social development.
· Acting as a key person for a group of children, liaising closely with their parents, ensuring that theirs and their child’s needs are met and completing each child’s on-line journal to a high standard.
· Modelling good practice at all times, providing a positive role model for all children.
· Maintaining confidentiality at all times.
· Ensuring inclusion of all children, practitioners, and families at all times.
· Supervising children throughout all activities, interacting and encouraging their learning, supporting them at mealtimes and encouraging independence skills.
· Developing positive relationships with a specific group of key children, monitoring their development using Family on-line journals and assisting their progression through the Early Years Foundation Stage.
· Developing positive relationships with parents, welcoming them into the Nursery and providing developmental and general daily feedback in a concise and professional manner.
· Working together with other practitioners in all rooms in order for the Nursery to run smoothly and to encourage good team relations. Be prepared to challenge practice if required.
· Carrying out Register Time, Circle Time, Mealtimes, Outdoor play and extra-curricular activities in a professional and stimulating manner.
Organisational
· Attending weekly planning meetings with the Manager, Deputy Manager and other practitioners.
· Providing written reports at least twice per year on each of their key children’s progress and next steps.
· Reporting to parents at an annual Consultation morning regarding their child’s development and next steps and attending an annual Curriculum evening/day and discussing with parents the Nursery’s routines and curriculum.
· Reporting to their room leader, the Deputy Manager or the Manager any issues regarding Health and Safety.
· Attending staff meetings, room meetings and training courses as necessary. These may be outside of the working hours stated above.
· Attending meetings as required with SENCO, management and other professionals.
· Undertaking additional duties and responsibilities from the Room Leader, Deputy Room Leader or Managers. For example, cleaning jobs, filing jobs, completing book bags, nappies, etc
Line management duties and responsibilities
· Assisting the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader in organising the daily routine to incorporate key person time and ensuring that the children have the opportunity to spend time with their key person each week.
· Assisting the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader in leading a team of practitioners on a daily basis, supporting them, sharing ideas and completing inductions with new practitioners
· Assisting the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader in introducing new initiatives and ideas into the room in order to ensure that the children are challenged in their learning.
· In the absence of the Room Leader and Deputy Room Leader, attend morning meetings to co-ordinate the day-to-day running of the session and ensure that the practitioners complete key times with their children.
· Reporting to the Deputy Manager if the resources are low or need replacing.
· Maintaining close relationships with the practitioners in order to ensure that all areas of the Nursery work together and accommodate each other at all times.
· Supporting apprentices in developing their childcare skills and ensuring that apprentices complete specific tasks throughout the day
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
The professional, technical or academic qualifications that the Applicant must have to undertake the role or the training that they must have received
· English and Mathematics GCSE Grade 4 or above, or equivalent
· Completed or working towards N.V.Q level 3 or above
Safeguarding Training
Desirable
The professional, technical or academic qualifications that the Applicant would ideally have to undertake the role or the training that they should ideally have received
· Completed or working towards Early Years Foundation Degree
· First Aid Training
· Basic Food Hygiene training
· Allergen training
· COSHH training
· SEN training and/or knowledge.
· Additional safeguarding training, such as FGM, prevent etc
Experience
Essential
The categories of work or organisations, types of achievements and activities that would be likely to predict success in the role
· Minimum of 2 years’ experience of the Early Years Foundation stage
· Working within a small team
· Maintain and complete records and documentation to a high standard
Desirable
The categories of work or organisations, types of achievements and activities that would be likely to contribute to success in the role
· Understanding of how to support and differentiate activities to help children in their learning
Maintaining a record keeping system that would ensure that children’s records are up to date
Skills
Essential
The skills required by the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
· Ability to promote positive behaviour
· Good observation skills
· Good oral and written communication
· Passion for the Outdoors: A genuine enthusiasm for working in natural environments in all weather conditions.
Desirable
The skills that would enable the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
· A calm yet firm approach with children
· Ability to be able to work under pressure
Managing own time
Knowledge
Essential
The knowledge required by the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
· Excellent ability to use childcare knowledge to develop children’s skills
Desirable
The knowledge that would enable the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
· Looking for new ideas to introduce into the curriculum to further develop the children’s learning and development
Personal competencies and qualities
Essential
The personal qualities that the Applicant requires to perform effectively in the role and to ensure that the Applicant safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and young people
· A passion for nursery education and a motivation to work with children and young people.
· Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with children and young people.
· Able to work as a team, share responsibilities and understanding roles.
· Be punctual each day, arriving before the shift start time.
· Can show enthusiasm, tenacity and resilience with the ability to work under pressure, while maintaining a sense of humour.
· A willingness to contribute to the School’s ethos
Desirable
The personal qualities that would assist the Applicant to perform effectively in the role
· Evidence of commitment to improving skills through continuous professional development and training
Pay: £25,854.00-£28,742.00 per year
Benefits:
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
