Senior Early Years Practitioner

**Role Description**

LYN employees are expected to value the core values of the company, Create, Learn & Grow. The aspects should be reflected in all aspects of their work. At LYN we refer to our Deputy Nursery Managers as Deputy Head of Nursery and our Nursery Manager as Head of Nursery.

**Context and Purpose of the Role**

The role of the Deputy Head of Nursery is to work with the Head of Nursery to ensure the nursery provides inclusive and outstanding care and education for all children at LYN. Working with the manager and fulfilling managerial responsibilities in the manager’s absence as well as taking on additional day to day leadership responsibilities. The Deputy Head of Nursery will be an inspiring, compassionate, kind, and caring leader who seeks to motivate and lead educators.

The Head of Nursery is responsible for the daily running and administration of the Nursery whilst always adhering to the Company policies and procedures. The Deputy Head of Nursery acts in a role always supporting this. The role involves ensuring compliance with the Childcare Act 2006, all Health and Safety legislation, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, and requirements as laid down by the Government and regulated by Ofsted and any internal framework or compliance procedures.

**Responsible to**:
The Deputy Head of Nursey is responsible to the Head of Nursery

**The Deputy Head of Nursery has Responsibility for**:
**General responsibility**

Offer all children equal opportunities regarding their religious persuasion, racial origins, gender, disabilities, cultural or linguistic background; in particular, challenging situations where racism or discrimination is displayed. Support children’s wellbeing at all times.

Support the requirements of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities via specialist programs so that the Company’s admission policy may be as inclusive as possible. Identify an individual to be trained to support this.

Develop and maintain the nursery environment and equipment to ensure that it provides a clean, safe and high-quality learning environment that offers children a wide range of experiences and works in conjunction with the Company mission statement.

Ensure that appropriate records and administration systems, including the children’s families, staffing, registers, health and safety, sickness records etc., are maintained to ensure confidentiality of information.

Ensure that Health & Safety policies are fully implemented within the nursery with support from the Health and Safety Consultant. Ensure the required standards of cleanliness and hygiene are achieved, risk assessments are in place, the environments and equipment are appropriately maintained, and that best practice is communicated and promoted throughout the nursery.

Develop and maintain an ethos of reflective practice across the nursery and use information to develop and support development plans designed to address areas identified for development across the nursery and for individuals.

Develop and maintain an ethos of reflective practice across the nursery and use information to develop and support development plans designed to address areas identified for development across the nursery and for individuals.

Adhere to the guidance issued in the Company’s Operational Plan, Policies and Procedures, and Staff Handbook, and ensure this is implemented throughout the nursery (this may include duties relating to administration, early years practice, leadership of the team and personal behaviour and responsibilities).

Work with the management team to ensure the smooth running of the nursery.

Attend meetings and training as necessary to ensure own professional development and ensure the smooth running of the nursery.

Take necessary action to ensure the smooth running of the setting and the safety and well-being of children, parents, and colleagues.

Provide excellent care and education to all children and have responsibly for your key family. Work as a team to ensure all learning development is recorded and the children care needs are met and communicated to all.

**Specific responsibility**

Oversee the learning and development programs, curriculum, and assessment within the nursery. Ensuring that the nursery provides high quality childcare and early years education and is compliant with Company policy, relevant legislation, and current requirements as laid down by the Government and regulated by Ofsted.

Support staff in the maintenance of appropriate planning, observation, and assessment procedures to ensure a consistent service and maintain, with practitioners, a recording system for individual children that can be shared with parents and other professionals and agencies enabling improvements to working methods and service.

Working in partnership with parents, ensuring regular communication and interaction with parents including, producing a monthly newsletter for all nursery parents, monitoring the settli