Early Years Assistant

Job Description

Job Title: Early Years Assistant
Responsible to: Nursery Manager
Pay: £15,596 - £16,879

Purpose of job
To work as a member of the Early Years team to provide high quality education and
care appropriate to the developmental needs of children, working in partnership with
their parents/carers.

To promote the physical, social, emotional and intellectual development of children
through a sensitive understanding of each child’s changing needs, while at all times
encouraging their independence and self-reliance.

To  provide  and  sustain,  in  cooperation  with  the  team,  a  stimulating,  secure  and
caring  environment  that  promotes  equal  opportunities    for  the  children  and  their
parents, families and carers.

Main Tasks/Duties

1.  With the support of Qualified Practitioners to assist with the observing, assessing
and recording of each child’s progress in accordance with the centre’s policies,
using  the  expertise  of  colleagues  and  outside  agencies  to  draw  up  individual
plans for children when appropriate.

2.  With the support of Qualified Practitioners to assist with the planning and

evaluating daily, weekly and termly to meet the needs and interests of children
leading to the achievement of the relevant Foundation Stage curriculum.

3.  To  work  with  individual  and  groups  of  children  as  appropriate  to  their
development, age and interests, ensuring that each child has access to a broad,
balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum.

4.  To take responsibility for children in both the indoor and outdoor areas, providing

appropriate levels of support and supervision.

5.  With  the  support  of  Qualified  Practitioners  to  ensure  that  those  children  with
special and educational needs are identified, cared for and have an appropriate
well-planned individual educational plan.

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6.  To take on the role of key worker.

7.  To support and value each child’s home, culture and language.

8.  To share responsibility for the presentation of children’s work and the compilation
of  displays  which  celebrate  achievement,  support  areas  of  interest  or  provide
information about the Nursery.

9.  To support the children in learning to take care of resources and equipment and
to help them to take responsibility for putting them away tidily in the right place.

10. To share responsibility for the selection, making and maintenance of resources

and equipment.

11. To  maintain  confidentiality  of  information  about  children  and  their  families,
sharing sensitive or personal information only with those colleagues who need to
know.

12. Encouraging and supporting relationships between parents, families and carers
and  the  nursery  so  that  each  child  benefits  from  the  shared  interest  in,  and
knowledge about, their progress. This includes informing and involving parents
in  their  child’s  progress  through  daily  informal  contact  and  review  meetings
where relevant.

13. Attend parent meetings, assist in events that promote the centre or community

as required by the Centre Manager.

14. Implement the Equal opportunities policy fully, and actively work to challenge

disadvantage and to overcome discrimination and stereotyping.

15. Monitor and maintain on a daily basis the safety and cleanliness of both the

indoor and outdoor learning environment, and monitoring the implementation of
the Health and Safety policy.

16. Administer First Aid in accordance with the centre’s policy and be responsible for

recording accidents and informing other staff and parents about them.

17. To keep up-to-date with current legislation and practice in the education and care

of young children.

18. Participate in the development, implementation, monitoring and reviewing of the

nursery’s policies, procedures and plans.

19. Share  in  making  decisions  and  recommendations  about  routines,  procedures

and organisation of space to maximise the achievement of all children.

20. To attend and participate in staff meetings and professional training days.

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Early Years Assistant Person Specification – Short-Listing Criteria

Experience
§  1 years experience working with as a volunteer or paid in a early years setting

Knowledge
§  A basic understanding of child development and early years and childcare

legislation

§  A basic understanding of equal opportunities and anti discriminatory practice
§  Awareness of child protection issues

Skills
§  Good communication skills
§  Ability to relate easily to children and parents and to establish and maintain

effective working relationships at all levels

§  Ability to be flexible, to show initiative and develop new skills.
§  Ability to work in a team

Education/Training
§  A commitment to or achievement of NVQ level 2 in childcare is essential.
§  Valid First Aid Certificate is desirable

Hours:
Based on a 37.5 hour week.

Holiday entitlement:
25 days a year, 3 of which to be taken at Christmas, and bank holidays

Location: Quaggy Children’s Centre Nursery or Margaret Bondfield Nursery

QDT operates an auto enrolment pension.

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