What skills and experience we're looking forKey Responsibilities:Ensuring Exceptional CareProvide a high standard of care, re.....
What skills and experience we're looking for
Key Responsibilities:
Ensuring Exceptional Care
Provide a high standard of care, responding to children’s unique needs with empathy and professionalism. This requires knowledge of child development to tailor activities and support to individual needs.
Promoting Safety and Welfare
As a safeguarding lead, implement safety protocols, monitor risks, and proactively address any concerns to maintain children’s well-being.
Facilitating Learning and Development
Develop an enabling environment where children can learn and grow through stimulating activities and explorative play. Encourage curiosity, creativity, and a love of learning.
Exhibiting Leadership and Dedication
Lead by example to inspire their team, uphold high standards, and foster a culture of excellence and professional growth.
Key Areas of Focus:
Nursery Improvement: Lead and execute improvement plans, ensuring targets are met daily and they lead specific areas for nursery enhancement.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Manage safeguarding duties, communicate with the Nursery Manager, and act as a deputy in handling child welfare concerns.
Management Information System (MIS): Oversee daily records of attendance, food, medication, and first aid incidents to maintain accurate, up-to-date information.
Environment: Ensure the physical space aligns with Ark Start’s ethos, keeping it organised, tidy, and engaging. Regularly assess and improve learning areas to foster children’s engagement.
Planning and Assessment: Oversee curriculum planning, ensuring resources support teaching goals. Guide staff through developmental assessments and external moderations to maintain a cohesive educational approach.
Training and Professional Development
Training Structure: You will engage in weekly supervision sessions and regular coaching. These are designed to provide a mix of on-the-job learning, reflective practice, and skill development tailored to lead nursery settings.
Mentorship: A designated mentor will support your professional growth, offering guidance and insight as you build the skills required for nursery management.
Importance of Training: This training is crucial for fostering a consistent, high-quality approach to early years care within Ark Start’s standards. By completing the program, you will gain a deep understanding of early childhood best practices, leadership skills, and operational management competencies, preparing you to lead a nursery effectively.
Requirements:
• Minimum Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care or equivalent
• Experience working as a L3 qualified educator
• Right to work in the UK
• An awareness of keeping children safe, noticing safeguarding and welfare concerns, and knowing how and when to take appropriate action
• A team player that can work collaboratively as well as using own initiative
What the school offers its staff
Benefits:
A Real Living Wage Employer: We are a Real Living Wage employer with a minimum salary of £13.15 per hour for all roles in London. We also pay 11% pension contributions
Ongoing Learning: We are committed to providing the best development for all our staff. We close the nurseries for five days each year to focus on staff training and ensure there is protected time for training and supervision each week for every adult. We work hard to ensure there are clear career progression routes
Annual leave: We are proud of our staff and want everyone to feel valued for playing their part. That’s why staff receive 25 days holiday each year, excluding bank holidays
Wellbeing: Staff wellbeing is incredibly important to us. We know that while incredibly rewarding, working in a nursery can be challenging. We therefore work hard to ensure all staff have the support and infrastructure they need to take care of their wellbeing
Part of a Network: Ark Start is part of Ark, a charity that aims to transform children’s lives through education. Ark operates a network of 39 schools across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth, and Hastings as well as a number of charitable ventures. Being part of a network means our staff get access to the opportunities, infrastructure, and support of a large organisation
Commitment to safeguarding
Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. In order to meet this responsibility, we follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants. All employees must undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred.
