Early Years Practitioner, First Steps Nursery, St. Peter's Hospital

Job overview

Join Our Friendly and Supportive Nursery Team

Are you a kind, thoughtful, enthusiastic and loyal Early Years Educator looking for an exciting opportunity to develop your skills and make a real difference to young children?

Our established and popular workplace day nurseries, based within the grounds of both Ashford and St Peters Hospital, are looking for passionate Early Years Educator’s to join our dedicated team, you may occasionally be required to work across both sites.

Across our two nurseries, we provide high-quality day care for 158 children each day, aged from 3 months to 5 years.

This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience across a wide range of early years settings while working in an environment that actively supports continuous learning, professional development and career progression.

Be part of something special

Every member of our nursery team plays an important role in creating a caring, stimulating and inclusive environment where children can learn, grow and thrive.

You will be involved in planning and delivering engaging activities in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage, providing nurturing day-to-day care, observing children’s development and sharing positive feedback with parents through both verbal and written communication.

We are committed to continually reviewing and developing our practice, and we value team members who want to contribute to that journey.

Join our dedicated nursery team’s and help us give every child the best possible start in life.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be a Key worker to a designated group of children participating in their supervision, enabling them to thrive by providing a stimulating, caring and learning environment in which children of all ages may develop. Enabling you to give positive feedback to parents about their children’s development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To be aware of and act appropriately on Trust Safeguarding Children Polices and Procedures.

Under the direction of the Advanced Early Years Practitioner assist in the day to day running of the nursery in accordance with all Trust and Nursery policies and procedures.

Sustain and develop good practice within the nursery, by sharing responsibility in offering a stimulating environment for the children in your care by ensuring a contribution of ideas covering The New Early Yearly Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) ensuring that a child can develop to the appropriate age and stage of development. Through observations on your key children produce individual short and medium term development plans.

As a key worker to a designated group of children be responsible for the documentation of the children’s Learning Journeys, enabling you to provide positive feedback to parents.

Engage in all physical aspects of the children’s health, well being, care and play i.e. lifting, running, bending sitting on the floor.

Develop links with parents and encourage parental participation within the nursery. Be understanding and receptive to parent’s wishes. Offer encouragement and advice when appropriate.

Be aware of the confidential aspects of work, treating all confidential information relating to the children, parents, staff and professional contacts in a manner which will protect the individual.

Follow all guidelines with regards to the administration of medication as well as the daily health and safety checks made within the nursery.

Attend regular team meetings and annual staff training to maintain all annual statutory training including Safeguarding Children and Adults, Information Governance, Health and Safety, Manual Handling, Equal Opportunities, Hand Hygiene and Fire Training.

For further information about this post, please contact: Catherine Loughman, ext. 4757 / Kelly Chester, ext. 2192..

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.