Assistant Early Years Practitioner (XR02)
Are you looking for a new challenge and have the ability to support and nurture young children as they develop in a busy nursery setting?
At the LTHT nurseries you will be joining a dedicated team providing childcare predominantly to Leeds NHS employees.
Across 3 settings we provide care for around 168 pre-school children Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm all year round (excluding Bank Holidays). Each setting is unique and we celebrate the differences and experiences our employees bring to us.
The Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust is one of the largest teaching hospitals in England. By joining our Team, you will become part of the LTHT family and have access to the full benefits of an LTHT Employee including:
1. 27 Holidays per year (pro rata) plus bank holidays, increasing to 33 days.
2. Access to family and carer friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave, flexible working, and Carers passports.
3. Dedicated wellbeing packages including team Health and wellbeing champions and mental health first aiders.
4. Discounted childcare.
5. Access to Trust benefits such as Car Lease, Childcare and bike to work schemes.
6. Favourable terms and conditions.
7. Access to ongoing training and development.
8. Access to NHS employee discounts across many services in the UK including supermarkets, restaurants, holidays, travel, gyms and sports services, plus many more.
Expected Shortlisting Date: 08/01/2025
Planned Interview Date: 22/01/2025
Main Duties of the Job
The successful candidate will work as part of a team delivering high-quality childcare in the early years, embedding the following practice:
1. Work collaboratively with managers and group co-workers in the development of quality care.
2. As a key carer, the jobholder will adapt and develop a settling-in programme to meet the child's/family's individual needs including first contact with the parent/carer.
3. As a key carer, the jobholder will discuss nursery routines/policies and procedures with new parents including any relevant paperwork.
4. Observe and record developmental milestones for children's individual profiles.
5. Ensure each family receives daily positive feedback.
6. Develop a variety of communication channels for parents/carers which promote partnership, delivering important information to parents about their child's development or more emotional bound issues such as biting, potty training, safeguarding, etc.
7. Assist in planning and providing safe appropriate child-led and adult-initiated experiences, activities, and play opportunities indoor, outdoor, and out-of-setting to ensure child development is key.
8. Support the continued development of the setting and lead on further provision and opportunities for children.
About Us
LTHT Nurseries provide childcare for 168 children per day in 3 settings across Leeds Teaching Hospitals predominantly for NHS staff.
The post holder will work collaboratively with the management team and other practitioners (up to 25 staff) to support the delivery of both care and education for the children of up to 70 families and carers within the setting, whilst sustaining and developing consistent relationships with service users.
To support the management team in delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage across the setting to raise and maintain the excellence of the Early Years Provision through quality interaction with the children.
To support and develop an environment that meets the Ofsted Welfare Requirements and the individual needs of the child and family.
Job Responsibilities
Job Purpose: To support the management team in delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage across the setting to raise and maintain the excellence of the Early Years Provision through quality interaction with the children.
Job Dimensions: The postholder will work collaboratively with the management team and other practitioners (up to 25 staff) to support the delivery of both care and education for the children of up to 80 families and carers within the setting, whilst sustaining and developing consistent relationships with service users.
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Required
Qualification: It is essential that the jobholder holds a childcare qualification recognised by Ofsted (NNEB, CACHE, BTEC, and NVQ level 3).
Experience: The jobholder must have experience in working in a childcare setting, observing, gathering evidence, and profiling. They must have the ability to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage to meet children's individual needs. It is desirable for staff to have experience of supervising others and working in partnership with parents and carers.
The Leeds Way Values
Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:
1. Accountable
2. Empowered
All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values.
Core Behaviours and Skills
The jobholder will:
1. Show empathy for the diverse needs of children, families, and carers.
2. Communicate professionally with parents, children, colleagues, and outside agencies.
3. Supervise and develop students.
4. Possess basic computer skills to enable them to type, print, and organize children's observations, pictures, and posters.
5. Negotiate with colleagues, provide constructive feedback and promote openness, honesty, and teamwork.
6. Organize the implementation of play and care plans with team members.
7. Be confident in recognizing and dealing with changes in behavioral habits in children, staff, families, and other adults.
Core Knowledge and Understanding
The jobholder will:
1. Have sound knowledge and understanding of child development from birth to 5 years.
2. Have knowledge of working towards Ofsted Welfare Requirements and experience of Ofsted inspections.
3. Have knowledge and skills in planning and recording children's progress relating development to the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and an understanding of the different views of children that form and underpin practice.
4. Have knowledge and skills in gathering information to support children with specific special needs, following the DFES code of practice.
5. Have knowledge and skills to work in partnership with parents.
6. Have knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding and CAF regulations.
Principal Duties & Areas of Responsibility
The jobholder will:
1. Supervise and work with Assistant Practitioners.
2. Provide individual support to child and family, particularly being involved in meetings with parents, implementing Individual Education Plans, and meeting with multi-agencies on behalf of the nursery setting for the child's individual needs.
3. Support the management team (i.e., Deputy and Early Years Professional) to develop, implement, and evaluate play and planning using the EYFS for the individual child and family.
4. Work collaboratively with managers and group co-workers in the development of quality care.
5. As a key carer, adapt and develop a settling-in programme to meet the child's/family's individual needs including first contact with the parent/carer.
6. As a key carer, discuss nursery routines/policies and procedures with new parents including any relevant paperwork.
7. Observe and record developmental milestones for children's individual profiles.
8. Ensure each family receives daily positive feedback.
9. Report concerns or family developments to the appropriate manager.
10. Develop a variety of communication channels for parents/carers which promote partnership, delivering important information to parents about their child's development or more emotional bound issues such as biting, potty training, safeguarding, etc.
11. Assist in planning and providing safe appropriate child-led and adult-initiated experiences, activities, and play opportunities indoor, outdoor, and out-of-setting contexts which will enable the children to develop and learn.
12. Maintain a positive and proactive culture to support children whose progress, development, or well-being is affected by changes or difficulties in their personal circumstances ensuring staff know when to inform colleagues for specialist support.
13. Maintain a culture of listening to children, paying attention to what they say whilst valuing and respecting their views from birth to the end of the foundation stage. Use quality interaction by talking to the children, giving constructive and sensitive feedback, and helping children understand what they have achieved and what they need to do next.
14. Support all team members in developing children's profiles.
15. Plan and prepare for consultation evenings with team and parents/carers.
16. Liaise with the children's parents/carers and Special Needs Co-ordinator to implement Individual Educational Plans to support the child's individual needs and next steps so that activities are differentiated for the necessary level for the child.
17. Support all team members to deliver the EYFS in order to raise the quality of Early Years provision.
18. Support the process of effective assessment recording, systematic observations, and reporting on progress in children's development and learning and using this as a basis for differentiating provision to plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child.
19. Monitor daily routines and standards to meet Ofsted Welfare Requirements.
20. Take an active role with the management team to ensure play plans reflect the child's individual needs following the curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage, highlighting the child's next step.
21. Take an active part in staff, team, and room meetings organized by the EYP/Deputy to ensure a consistent quality approach throughout the nursery.
22. In the absence of the management team, you may be asked to take responsibility for a limited time for the setting.
This list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive but indicates the main areas of work and may be subject to change after consultation with the post holder to meet the changing needs of the service.
Health and Safety/Risk Management
All staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service users. This includes complying at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Policies, including Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures, and reporting incidents using the Trust Incident Reporting system.
Infection Control
The jobholder must comply at all times with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Infection Control policies, in particular by practicing Universal Infection Control Precautions. Hand hygiene must be performed before and after contact with patients and their environment.
Equality and Diversity
The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person, whether they are staff, patient, or visitor should receive less favorable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
To ensure all staff demonstrate positive values and attitudes that we expect from the children and parents and to promote an inclusive setting with adequate resources in place.
Person Specification
Experience
* A sound knowledge of child development for under 5 year old children.
* A knowledge of the welfare requirements for Ofsted.
* Experience of gathering observations and evidence to record a child's progress.
* Experience of working in a busy daycare setting.
* Experience of partnership with parents.
Skills & Behaviours
* To nurture children's learning through stories and songs.
* Ability to communicate effectively with babies and young children.
* Ability to create a warm, caring environment for all children.
Qualifications
* An Ofsted recognised level 2 childcare qualification.
* Paediatric first aid.
* Food safety training.
* Safeguarding training.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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