Nursery Practitioner

**Nursery Nurse and Room Leaders**

**Reports to Room Leaders or Manager**

**salary up to £23000 per year dependant upon experience and role taken**

**Working hours - shift patterns negotiable to support working families**

Here at Treetops, in our position of ‘carer to the child’, the welfare of all of our children attending the nursery is paramount. “We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.”

To be an enthusiastic, engaging and motivational nursery nurse. You will be passionate about children, demonstrate a positive attitude by providing first class childcare.

**Scope of Position**
- To work as a member of the nursery team to ensure that all children attending the setting receive high quality care, are kept safe and receive rich and stimulating play experiences which meet their individual needs.

**Key Responsibilities**

**Childcare and Education**
- Provide high standards of quality care within the nursery including the environment, resources and experiences offered to children.
- Observe, support and extend children's learning.
- Maintain accurate and effective children’s records.
- Work in partnership with parents/carers and other family members.
- Demonstrate good practice with regard to special needs and inclusion.
- Work with the Childcare and Education team to continuously improve quality of childcare and education.
- Ensure that children are kept safe and that staff understand, and when necessary follow, Child Protection Procedures.
- Ensure that the nutritional needs of the children are met and that Food Safety Regulations are complied with.
- Comply with the statutory framework for the EYFS, ECM, relevant legislation including the Children Act 1989 and 2004.
- Develop and maintain highly professional working relationships with parents, advisory teachers, schools, area SENCO and other agencies that may visit the setting.
- Learn about current developments in childcare and education policy and practice.
- Be a key person carrying out all related responsibilities in building relationships with a small group of children and their families.
- Plan appropriately for key children using the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum for guidance and liaise with room leader to support planning ensuring Learning Journey is regularly updated.
- Follow programme of activities as devised by room leader and lead when necessary whilst room leader is not present.
- Specific Child Care Tasks:
1. To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing.
2. Washing and changing children as required.
3. Providing comfort and warmth to all children.

4. Providing conscientious and effective supervision of the children
5. To interact and engage with the children

**Health and Safety**
- Undertake a shared responsibility for health, safety and cleanliness throughout the nursery.
- Ensure the general cleanliness of the children is maintained at all times
- Adhere to all Health and Safety policies and procedures.
- Be fully aware of all emergency and security procedures e.g. fire precautions, security, dropping off and collection of children.

**Operational**
- Promote the nursery to current parents and potential customers.
- Work with the manager and inspectors during inspections by regulatory bodies and to assist in the implementation of any recommendations.

**Staff**
- Work as a team with other staff members.
- Support and mentor students.
- Be responsible for participating in all self-development activities including appraisals, supervisions, training, staff meetings, parents meetings, etc.
- Develop and promote parental partnership and involvement ensuring professional handover to colleagues and parents.

**General**
- Undertake any other duties as reasonably requested by line management.
- Adhere to all company policies and procedures and assist in reviewing them.
- Ensure the company’s policies on diversity and equal opportunities are adhered to
- Ensure you follow the companies’ duty of care and code of conduct documents.
- To be an ambassador for 1stSteps Day Nursery both within the nursery and in the wider community.

**Person Specification: Nursery Nurse**

**Reports to Room Leader**

**Essential Criteria**

**Desirable Criteria**

**Relevant Experience**

Experience of working with children 0- 5 years

A Childcare and Education qualification equivalent to NVQ level 3

Current First Aid at Work Qualification

**Knowledge**

A sound knowledge of child development for children from birth to five years

An understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum

An understanding of a play based approach to children’s learning and development

A knowledge of research related to childcare and education

Knowledge and understanding of the inspection processes of regulatory bodies

Understanding of the role of the ‘Key Person’

Knowledge of child protection p