LEEDS MENCAP
24,537 per year
The Vinery Centre, 20 Vinery Terrace, Leeds LS9 9LU.
Full-time
Nursery Practitioner JOB TITLE: Nursery Practitioner REPORTING TO: Room Leader Salary: Hours: 12.55 per hour, £24,537 per annum 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday all year round. Annual Leave: 28 days per year plus public holidays. Location: The Vinery Centre, 20 Vinery Terrace, Leeds LS9 9LU. Main duties and responsibilities: Overall: • Work under the guidance of the Childcare Manager and Deputy Managers. • Deliver high quality childcare and education. • Establish positive working relationships with your colleagues and any other professionals that work with the children and their families. • Work in partnership with other childcare providers and schools to promote the successful transition of children into other settings. • Support the on-going development of services. High Standards of Care and Education for the Children: • Effectively implement the setting’s policies and procedures. • Encourage working practices that positively promote children’s health, safety and general wellbeing. • Protect children from danger. • Liaise with parents/carers to help ensure that the particular needs of children are met and that parental choice is considered in terms of care given. • Sustain a safe, welcoming, purposeful, stimulating and encouraging environment. • Promote the use of informed observation and other strategies to monitor children’s activity, development and progress systematically and carefully, and to use this information to inform, plan and improve practice and provision. • Support the process of effective assessment, by accurately recording the children’s developmental progress. • Plan and provide safe, appropriate, child-led and adult initiated experiences, activities and play opportunities in indoor, outdoor and in out-of-setting contexts, which enable children to develop and learn. • Select, prepare and use a range of resources suitable for children’s ages, interests and abilities, taking account of diversity and promoting equality and inclusion. • Actively support the development of children’s language and communication skills. • Promote positive behaviour, self-control and independence through using effective behaviour management strategies and developing children’s social, emotional and behavioural skills. • Work in partnership with parents, colleagues and other professionals to ensure co- ordinated support for children with additional needs. Relationships with children and families: • Establish fair, respectful, trusting, supportive and constructive relationships with children, by communicating sensitively and effectively with children. • Listen to children, pay attention to what they say and respect their views. • Establish fair, respectful, trusting and constructive relationships with families and parents/carers and communicate sensitively and effectively with them. • Work in partnership with parents/carers and other family members, providing formal and informal opportunities through which information about children’s well-being, development and learning can be shared to improve outcomes. • To ensure effective means of communication to families using the centre regarding the provision, including through letters home, notice boards, etc. Staff and Team Development: • Complete a staff induction programme. • Attend and positively contribute to staff meetings. • Attend relevant training courses. General Operational: • Ensure that all Ofsted requirements are met. • Ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in your care working within safeguarding policy and procedures. • Ensure the efficient and hygienic upkeep of the rooms and facilities. • Ensure the confidentiality of information about families accessing the setting, complying with Data Protection Act. • Assess the safety of equipment and resources within the setting. • Keep up to date with the nutritional needs of the children, so that that specialist diets are adhered to and to ensure individual feeding programmes are implemented. • To provide cover to deliver within the setting as needed. • To provide child development reports as required. • Any other duties and tasks as requested, to support organisational activities, such as fundraising events and staff meetings. Leeds Mencap is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk of harm. We expect all staff and volunteers to fully share and demonstrate this commitment. All posts are subject to an enhanced DBS check. We aim for our team to reflect the diversity of people in Leeds and welcome applications from all communities. Person Specification for Nursery Practitioners In order to fulfil the requirements of the post, applicants must meet the following criteria. Candidates will only be short listed for interview if they can demonstrate in their application that they can, or have the potential, to meet these criteria (essential criteria are marked (E) and desirable criteria are marked (D)). Criteria How this will be assessed Essential/ Desirable Experience Experience of working in an early years setting. Written application, Experience of working with children in the 0-5 age range and their families. Experience of working as a member of a team Experience of planning and carrying out activities in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Experience of working to safeguard and protect children. Experience of working with parents and carers from a range of backgrounds. interview Written application, interview Written application, and interview Written application, interview and test Written application and interview Written application and interview Skills Clear communication skills with both adults and children, in writing and verbally. Written application, interview and test Creative in approach to children’s learning and development. Written application, interview and test Responsive to change and can adapt to new systems and flexible working patterns. Written application and interview Able to plan and prioritise in a flexible way. Able to plan enjoyable and challenging activities across the different areas of learning and development. Clear commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. Written application and interview Written application, interview and test Written application and interview Able to work collaboratively with colleagues and other professionals. Written application and interview Able to produce good quality observations and reports. Able to use various computer programmes, such as word and iConnect. Written application and test Written application and test D E E D E D E D E D E E E D D Knowledge and Qualifications Level 3 childcare qualification or above Sight of certificate E GCSE Maths and English at Grade C/4 or above or evidence of equivalent aptitude. Sight of certificate E Knowledge of the EYFS requirements ideally EYFS Observation, Assessment and Planning training. Knowledge of how children develop and learn Paediatric First Aid Certificate. Written application and interview/sight of certificate Sight of certificate Written application and interview Sight of certificate Able to demonstrate a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development. Written application, interview Knowledge of the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs. Written application and interview Knowledge of data protection/ability to respect confidentiality Written application and interview Knowledge of child protection issues and policies and relevant Safeguarding Children Board procedures. Written application and interview Working knowledge of relevant Health and Safety requirements. Written application and interview Working knowledge of Food Hygiene requirements. Written application and interview E D E D E D E D D D To apply please download application pack from our website https://www.leedsmencap.org.uk/jobs or contact administrator@leedsmencap.org.uk. Please note we do not accept CVs. For more information please contact Abigail Cunningham on 0113 467 3050 or e-mail abigail.cunningham@leedsmencap.org.uk We would also ask you to complete our Equality and Diversity monitoring form. This form is for monitoring purposes only and will not be treated as part of your application. Please send completed forms to administrator@leedsmencap.org.uk.