Job summary – A highly skilled and experienced Early Years Educator to join the White Stork Nursery team and play a pivotal role in providing exceptional care and education for young children. The primary responsibilities will be implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum, and creating a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for children aged 0-5 years. The purpose of the Early Years Educator is to work with management and the team to promote, encourage and implement safe, high quality education and care for the children. This post involves working alongside other Early Years Educators and Senior Early Years Educators.
Main duties and responsibilities –
• Curriculum: To work closely with management to implement comprehensive, child-centred curriculum that promotes the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development of children in line with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Ofsted registration, inspection criteria and child development knowledge.
• Learning Environment: Create an engaging and safe learning environment that encourages exploration, creativity, curiosity and involvement, while ensuring children's safety and well-being at all times. Actively support the development of children’s language and communication skills, and work with the team in facilitating a communication friendly nursery.
• Children: Implement and embed a team culture of high expectations for all children and to demonstrate commitment to ensuring that they can achieve their full potential.
• Assessment and Progress: Meet White Stork Nursery’s requirements for planning, observation, assessment and recording of children’s development, and adjust teaching strategies accordingly, ensuring individualised attention and growth. Maintain a positive and proactive culture to identify and support children whose progress, development or well-being is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances, referring for specialist support, when required.
• Safeguarding: Work with team members in the skills and behaviours that safeguard and promote good outcomes for children. To uphold the highest level of safeguarding practice and ensure White Stork Nursery policies and procedures are adhered to at all times.
• Promoting the Nursery: Effectively communicate information to prospective customers and provide guidance, support and reassurance to new customers.
• Parent Partnerships: Maintain open and effective communication with parents, creating strong partnerships, providing updates on children's progress, addressing concerns, and actively involving parents in their child's learning journey. This involves creating trusting relationships with all families and ensuring parents feel involved and part of the White Stork Nursery family. Work with fellow Early Years Educators with their parent partnerships.
• Staff Training: To attend training and other opportunities for professional development, including staff meetings to enhance skills and knowledge, staying up-to-date with the latest early childhood education trends.
• Equality and Inclusion: To prepare and use a range of resources suitable for children’s ages, interests and abilities considering diversity and promoting equality and inclusion.
• Management: To maintain staffing levels and ensure adequate supervision of children at all times. To support and work with the team and management to cover staffing as required. To advise senior staff of any concerns relating to individual children or their families or other staff members.
• Regulatory Compliance: Work with management for compliance with all relevant regulations including safeguarding and child protection, the EYFS and Ofsted etc, health and safety standards, and reporting procedures. To ensure the premises, garden and equipment are well maintained and meet Health and Safety, and the EYFS requirements. To have a sound knowledge of White Stork Nursery policies, procedures and expectations.
• Collaboration: Collaborate with other Early Years Educators, management, staff, children and parents to contribute to the overall growth and success of White Stork Nursery. To work with outside professionals and agencies where required.
Requirements –
• Experience of working in a nursery or similar environment, with a strong understanding of being a Key Person.
• Early Years qualification and training.
• In-depth knowledge of Early Years development, Early Years Foundation Stage, Ofsted and the Early Years sector.
• Enthusiastic and able to engage children through a genuine love to support and encourage development.
• Strong organisational and time management skills whilst prioritising tasks required in the nursery environment.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with children, parents, and staff.
• A calm, friendly, caring and patient nature to support children, parents and staff.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing needs and schedules in a dynamic childcare setting.
Please note – This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the responsibilities and requirements of the position. It is not intended as an exhaustive list of every aspect of the Early Years Educator’s duties.
The job description will be reviewed annually and may be subject to amendment at any time after consultation with the post holder.
White Stork Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expect all staff and volunteers to endorse this commitment. The successful candidate must complete an enhanced disclosure via DBS and full referencing checks. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974).