Head of the Nursery

Head of the
Nursery

Welcome from the Head

Thank you for your interest in King’s House School. I am very proud of our staff here
at KHS, and we are a friendly and caring school with a strong sense of community,
where pupils can thrive and flourish. The pastoral aspect of school life is at the heart of
everything we do, and we pride ourselves on providing an inclusive environment that is
both nurturing and challenging. I am proud of the supportive and collaborative culture at
King’s House, which helps staff and pupils to be the best they can be.

It is a joy to watch our pupils grow into confident young people, ambassadors for King’s
House when they leave us at 13+ to go onto a wide range of day and boarding Senior
Schools. We value a broad and balanced academic education, enabling our pupils to
develop their academic, social, sporting, emotional and artistic attributes.

We are committed to recruiting excellent staff across our teaching and non-teaching
departments and King’s House School Enterprises, with the opportunity to develop
careers. You will be joining the school at an exciting time, when we are investing in
our facilities to ensure an inspiring education for students for many years to come. In
September 2024, the school moved to coeducation with girls currently in over half of our
year groups.

I hope this provides you with a flavour of what life is like at King’s House School, with a
staff team who develop enthusiastic young people who can be relied upon to make a
positive contribution in all areas of school life.

Mark Turner
Head

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rooms, two science laboratories, a new design technology room and music area.
There are three forms in each year group. Forms are mixed-ability in Years 4 - 6
with some subjects setted, and streamed in Years 7 and 8. Pupils experience
increasing exposure to subject specialist teachers, who will teach a range of year
groups and sometimes more than one subject. The curriculum the pupils follow
prepares them for Common Entrance at the end of Year 8.

Throughout their time at King’s House, the pupils are encouraged to take part in
art, drama, music and sporting activities. There are productions every year for all
year groups, concerts and many more performance opportunities for music, as
well as numerous games fixtures and sporting activities. There are also outings
for all years to enrich the curriculum, and from Year 3 residential trips in the
summer term.

King’s House offers its pupils a broad and balanced curriculum and prepares
them well for their transition on to their next school. We cherish each pupil as an
individual and provide them with the skills and mental resilience to succeed in
whatever path they choose to take. Small class sizes means that we can get to
know each child and identify their unique strengths, interests and passions.

King’s House School

King’s House School was founded in Richmond in 1946 and has been a boys’ prep
school since then until September 2024, when girls joined for the first time as we
move to co-education. The school operates on three sites in or around Kings Road,
which is on the very pleasant setting of Richmond Hill. The Senior Department (for
pupils from Year 4 to Year 8) is at 68 Kings Road, the Junior Department on its own
site just down the hill, and the Nursery around the corner on Princes Road. The
school also has a 35-acre sports ground just over Barnes Bridge, where there are
numerous pitches, athletics facilities, cricket nets, tennis courts, two 3G pitches and
all-weather pitch.

All children in the Nursery are guaranteed a place in Reception, and there are also
small intakes at Years 3, 4 and 7. Pupils generally stay until 13 when they move on
to a wide range of single-sex, co-ed, day and boarding schools, with a number each
year gaining scholarships.

The Nursery operates from its own site in a carefully restored building on Princes
Road. The youngest children, in Hedgehog Class (rising 3s), are based on the top
floor and Squirrels and Rabbits Class (rising 4s) on the ground floor. There is a very
positive, caring atmosphere to the Nursery, and the ground floor has an additional
Woodland Library also used for small group activities and specialist teaching. The
Nursery has its own dedicated staff supplemented with specialists from the school
PE, Music, Drama and Copmuting departments.

The Junior Department (JD) is housed in two Victorian buildings which have
been sensitively redesigned and linked to provide an exciting and stimulating
environment for the pupils. There is a two-form entry to Reception with about forty
children in the year group. This number grows to about 48 in Year 3 with three
forms. The class teachers deliver the vast majority of the curriculum, but pupils
do have lessons with specialist teachers for Music, languages, PE and Games and
Computing. All children take swimming lessons at a local pool from Years 1 - 3, and
the Early Years and Key Stage 1 regular use The Nest, the outdoor learning area the
Sports Ground. Pupils have Games lessons at the Grounds from Year 1 once a week,
and twice a week from Year 3.

Pupils move to the Senior Department site for Year 4. This is the original school
site and has been developed substantially since then. It is a deceptively large area
which includes the school’s theatre, gym, Astro turf pitch, two computer

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The Role
The Head of the Nursery Department assists the Head by leading the Nursery Department.
The Head of Nursery Department keeps the Head fully informed through a weekly meeting
and through informal contact. They liaise with the Deputy Head and Head of Junior
Department on academic, pastoral, administrative and staff matters, referring serious
matters to the Head if necessary.

The Head of the Nursery Department is a member of the Senior Leadership Team, and is
fully involved in the management of staff, interviewing, selecting, guiding, leading,
disciplining and appraising, as delegated by the Head, who retains full and ultimate
authority.  They are also responsible for reporting to the Governors, via the Head, on the
progress of the Nursery Department, and ensuring its further development.

How to apply: please complete the application form on our website

https://kingshouseschool.org/application-form/

Closing Date: 15th May 2026

Start Date: 1st September 2026

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Salary: King's House Salary Scale
Reporting to: Head
Free school lunches during term time
Contract type: Full-Time, Two Year Fixed Term Contract (until
31st August 2028)
Pension: generous contributions to our Defined Contribution
Scheme

We welcome early applications and will consider holding interviews and
appointing before the closing date for strong candidates.

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Job Description

Responsibilities

To include but not limited to:

• Overseeing the day-to-day activities and arrangements of pupils and staff in Nursery

Department (ND)

o Managing the day-to-day running of the Nursery Department
o Communicating with parents about day-to-day Nursery School administrative issues

and future events

o Overseeing the work of the Nursery Department Secretary
o Liaising with the JD and SD Secretary where necessary
o Liaising with the Bursar’s office over budgetary and Health and Safety matters
o Planning for medium and long-term activities, events and visitors
o Arranging and overseeing parent consultations
o Supporting the implementation and retaining oversight of wrap around care and

After School Care provisions in the Nursery

• Overseeing the implementation, development and review of the curriculum in Nursery

Department

o Monitoring planning, delivery of the curriculum, assessment, recording and analysis

of pupil progress

o Monitoring pupil progress
o Coordinating assessments
o Preparing the Nursery Department timetables
o Liaising with the Deputy Head Academic over use of Senior Department staff and

resources

o Promoting an active learning environment, with particular regard to excellent

practice

o Liaising with the Head of the Junior Department, the EYFS coordinator and the

SENCO where appropriate

o Monitoring Learning Support in the Nursery Department
o Overseeing the implementation of the EYFS guidance and regulations in the

Nursery

• Assisting in the planning and organising of school events

o Sports Day
o Overseeing the Nursery Department Productions
o Help oversee Ducklings on a Wednesday afternoon
o Coordinating and Monitoring of Nursery Department outings and trips

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Job Description

Responsibilities

To include but not limited to:

• Over-seeing the welfare, including general pastoral care and discipline in the Nursery

Department

o Keeping the Safeguarding of pupils as a high priority in the ND
o Managing any concerns in line with the school’s policies
o Promoting a caring and secure environment where pupils will flourish
o Liaising with/meeting parents about Pastoral Care issues
o Ensuring all children are given opportunities for success through the varied

aspects of the curriculum

• Managing staff

o Being a Line Manager of Nursery Department staff
o Appraising Nursery Department staff
o Monitoring and guiding staff performance
o Inducting and supporting new members of staff (including ECTs) in their

general staff role

o Managing Nursery Department duties, including implementing rotas to ensure

we are within ratios.

o Managing the Nursery Department Budget

• Meetings

o Attending SLT Meetings
o Chairing weekly Nursery Department Meetings
• Acting as one of the Fire Wardens for the Nursery Department
• Teaching within the classes as appropriate
• Monitoring the Use of Premises
• Holding keys to the Nursery Department building and alarms
• Locking and setting the alarm of the Nursery Department when necessary

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Person Specification

The ideal candidate will have some or all of the following:

Qualifications and Experience

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QTS
Educated to degree level or equivalent qualification
Experience of working in Early Years, either in Nursery or Reception
Experience in leadership roles within independent schools
advantageous
Ability to lead, inspire and support pupils
Ability to think creatively and imaginatively
Excellent classroom management skills
Experience of teaching early phonics
Excellent ICT skills
Ability to work collaboratively and to be supportive of others
Enthusiasm for teaching and desire to help young people to succeed

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• Willingness to contribute to the extra-curricular life of the school

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Safeguarding

King’s House School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants
must be willing to undergo the child protection screening appropriate to the post,
including checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service and references from
previous employers. Staff must be aware of the systems within the School which
support safeguarding and must act in accordance with the school’s Safeguarding
& Child Protection policy and Code of Conduct. Staff will receive appropriate child
protection training which is regularly updated.

Equal Opportunities Employer

King’s House School is an equal opportunities employer that believes in equal
opportunities for all, celebrates, and welcomes diversity. Employment decisions
throughout the school are made without regard to any status protected by law.

If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage of the application process,
please feel free to contact our HR Manager via email:
towersey-veal.g@kingshouseschool.org or detail the adjustments in your
application.

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020 8940 1878     info@kingshouseschool.org

King’s House School, 68 Kings Road, Richmond, TW10 6ES