Early Years Practitioner

We are seeking to recruit an Early Years Practitioner to join our Ladybirds team for 30 hours a week on a term-time contract. A Level 3 childcare qualification is essential.

**Benefits**:

- Salary dependant upon experience
- Free uniform and winter coat
- Free on-site parking
- Free refreshments
- Quarterly staff appreciation activities including free Christmas meal
- Unlimited online training and development opportunities
- NEST Pension Scheme
- Access to external Professional counsellors - supporting your wellbeing 24 hours a day.
- Optional private medical insurance

**Purpose**:

- To provide a high standard of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual care for children in the nursery.
- To ensure all individual needs of children are identified and met.
- To understand the characteristics of effective teaching and learning and implement these with all children.
- Ensure all Company policies, procedures and operational practices are adhered to at all times.
- To be a key person to a group of children, planning and implementing a programme of activities suitable to their development using the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS).
- To be responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons they are responsible for or meet.

**Main duties and responsibilities**:

- To be a positive role model and always maintain a positive attitude with children, parents’ visitors and work colleagues to ensure that the Company values are maintained.
- Always supervise and support children.
- Recognise all children as individuals, ensuring their needs are recognised and met.
- Ensure that practice and provision in the nursery meets the requirements of the EYFS.
- Read, understand, and implement all Company policies, procedures and operational practices.
- Ensure that any changes to policies, procedures and operational practices are adhered to within the required timescale.
- Contribute to maintaining a clean, safe, attractive, and welcoming environment.
- Prepare and supervise activities.
- Observe, evaluate, and record children’s developmental progress and plan the next steps for their learning, and keep a record of your key children’s development for parents.
- Work in partnership with parents and other family members and encourage their
- Ensure that the nursery offers an inclusive environment to all staff, parents and children.
- Ensure confidentiality, where appropriate, is maintained.
- Attend team meetings and any identified training.
- Ensure the environment and equipment are safe and standards of hygiene are high, reporting any issues to the Manager immediately.
- Provide support and direction to pool staff, apprentices and students.
- Liaise with the SENCO to ensure children with additional needs are supported effectively and targeted support plans are met.
- Act immediately and appropriately to any Child Protection concerns, following the procedure in the Safeguarding Children Policy.
- Take an active role in nursery projects, special events and information-sharing meetings with parents/carers.
- Be flexible and prepared to help in other areas of the nursery, with domestic duties, or duties which may be reasonably required of you, as identified by the Nursery Manager.

**Person specification**

Knowledge
- A full and relevant level two or three qualification childcare qualification.
- Knowledge and understanding of planning and providing high-quality childcare and education in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.
- Knowledge and understanding of supporting children’s behaviour
- Awareness and understanding and commitment to diversity and equality.

**Skills**:

- An enthusiastic approach to working with early years children
- Demonstrate good practice in early years care and education
- Flexibility
- Committed to working as part of a team
- Good interaction with children
- Ability to work closely and constructively with children
- Recognise that parents/carers are the main educators
- Ability to model good practice to staff
- Ability to work in partnership with parents and carers
- Effective time management and organisational skills
- Ability to use judgement and common sense, and be able to work on own initiative.

Experience
- Experience of working in childcare setting with children between the ages of 0-5 years.
- Experience of observation, planning and assessment and completing learning journeys
- Provide evidence of child protection, equal opportunities, first aid and food hygiene training.

**Safeguarding**

Wisbech Day Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and students to share this commitment.
- Ability to safeguard and promote the welfare of children
- Understands the importance of safeguarding and protecting all children whatever their personal circumstances
- Can show an ability to contribute towards a safe environment
- Can show they have follo