Nursery Manager (Maternity Cover)

Dodleston Pre-School is currently hiring a Nursery Manager on a fixed-term basis to cover maternity leave.

Fixed term contract until December 2024
Salary: £17,400 per year (based on 30 hours a week, 38 weeks a year)
Expected start date: 05/02/2024

The purpose of the job
Essential criteria
Desirable criteria
Main duties
Additional information
Apply today

Do you have Early Years experience that you think could benefit our pre-school?
Do you love working outdoors?
Are you looking for a part-time role that provides excellent work–life balance?

Our manager role at Dodleston Pre-School could be perfect for you!

We are currently recruiting for a Nursery Manager on a fixed-term basis to cover maternity leave. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, empathetic leader for this setting with strong personal ownership and succinct verbal and written communication skills.

They will have a good working knowledge of SENDCo responsibilities and procedures. They will be a team player who holds a minimum L3 qualification from the Ofsted-approved list with at least 3 years experience in an Early Years setting and 1 year in a manager or deputy role.

An enhanced DBS check will be required for the successful applicant, as well as 2 references.

The purpose of the job

  • To provide safe, high quality education and care for early years children
  • To fulfil legal and statutory requirements
  • To lead and manage staff on a day-to-day basis
  • To contribute to and implement Early Years’ policies
  • To ensure that all statutory, legal and setting obligations are followed and met

Safeguarding requirement: Dodleston Preschool is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. It is a requirement of all staff that they share this commitment and follow the prescribed policy and procedures to continuously promote a culture of safeguarding across the whole organisation.

Essential criteria:

  1. At least 3 years’ experience working in an Early Years care and education setting
  2. At least 1 year in a Deputy or Manager role
  3. Level 3 Early Years education and childcare qualification or equivalent
  4. Experience of delivering staff training to the wider staff team
  5. Experience of creating and reviewing policies
  6. Experience of creating health and safety plans, fire check schedules
  7. Knowledge of critical incidence plans and policies
  8. Ability to identify and address areas of staff weakness and develop targets to address these
  9. Experience of dealing with Ofsted
  10. Ability to act professionally at all times and balance staff needs with the needs of the setting as a whole
  11. Excellent organisational skills
  12. Able to see the ‘bigger picture’ and work with committee and staff to secure the future of the Pre-School
  13. An awareness of the following documents and how they relate to your role;
    • ‘Inspecting safeguarding in the early years, education and skills setting’
    • ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’
  14. Ability to ensure that the setting achieves and maintains at least a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating
  15. Sound understanding of child development and of children’s needs
  16. Ability to plan and implement a pre-school curriculum
  17. Demonstrable and detailed knowledge of current legislation relevant to the Early Years.
  18. Understanding of the Prevent Duty in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015
  19. Ability to comply with the requirements placed on the setting by the EYFS
  20. Ability to work with parents and families to encourage their involvement
  21. Work with the Business Manager and Committee to effectively market the setting to maximise occupancy levels and fee income
  22. Ability to effectively lead and manage a team, including conducting performance management processes such as:
    • Inductions
    • Supervision meetings
    • Appraisals
    • Setting objectives
  23. A commitment to continuously promoting a culture of safeguarding
  24. A commitment to equal opportunities and an understanding of equality and diversity issues
  25. Ability to write clear reports
  26. Knowledge of data protection and information management practices and their application within the setting
  27. Safeguarding Lead Experience. In line with the Government’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance:
    • Liaising with statutory children’s services and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), soon to become Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP) 
    • Providing support, advice and guidance for staff
    • Attending a child protection course that enables identification, understanding and responding appropriately to signs of abuse and neglect
    • Maintaining a good understanding and sound knowledge of the risks that may present to children and how this can manifest
  28. Experience of the SENCO role including:
    • Ensuring all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEN and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEN
    • Advising and supporting colleagues
    • Ensuring parents are closely involved throughout and that their insights inform action taken by the setting
    • Liaising with professionals or agencies beyond the setting
    • Ensuring all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEN and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEN
  29. A passion for Early Years education and a belief in the benefits of child-led environments

Desirable criteria:

  1. Experience in a child-led Early Years environment
  2. Level 6 or 7 childcare qualification is highly desirable. Level 4 or 5 would also be advantageous.
  3. Understanding and experience of ‘planning in the moment’ as an approach to practice
  4. Experience of working within an environment of continuous provision 

Main duties to include (but not limited to)

– Education and Curriculum: to ensure that all children have access to stimulating play experiences with a knowledge and regard to the new EYFS; observing, supporting and extending these; staff deployment to enable the best outcomes for both the children and the setting as a whole

– Team Leadership: to take responsibility for performance management systems, including supporting staff in carrying out their roles; to work alongside the Deputy to supervise staff, identify and provide training as appropriate; support staff wellbeing; lead regular staff meetings.

– Observation and Assessment: to be responsible for systems of observation and record keeping; liaising with Ofsted and other professionals as necessary to ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

– Policies, Procedures and Safeguarding: to ensure the welfare and safety of children within the setting at all times and the proper records are maintained; review and update policies at least annually; work with the business manager to ensure GDPR compliance

– Communicating with parents / carers & other key partners and extra curricular events: to liaise with families and other professionals where appropriate, providing and exchanging information and feedback; allocating keyworkers to all children; organise and oversee pre-school events (as allowed); updating and maintaining Tapestry

– SENCo role: to regularly review the SEN policy and practices, being responsible on a day to day basis for it’s implementation; identify any potential SEN requirements; support practitioners in implementing approaches for individuals; ensure record keeping is maintained and used to guide decision making; liaising with other professionals as well as parents/carers; understand local authority support for SEN, including ‘local offer’ support and services

– Additional duties: Setting up and packing away each day; assisting children with personal care; carrying out on-going cleaning alongside the other staff members; developing opportunities to further our existing offering; working alongside the business manager to increase pre-school recognition and revenue; to undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the committee in accordance with the Pre-School’s objectives.

More detailed information and guidance will be supplied upon application.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and the post holder will be required to undertake any other reasonable duties discussed and directed by the Committee. The post holder is also expected to be flexible and adaptable in their approach to fulfilling their duties.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and does require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them.

Additional Information

Dodleston Pre-School is an Equal Opportunities employer; applicants are welcome from all backgrounds and posts are open to all.

Benefits:
Company pension

Schedule:
9am-3:15pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday (the pre-school isn’t open on a Thursday).

School type:
Pre-School

Covid-19 restrictions and setting procedures apply

Experience:
Childcare: 3 years (required)
Childcare: 1 years as a deputy or manager

Work Location:
In-person in Dodleston village

Reference ID: DPS EY Manager (Maternity cover)

We are a rural setting just a few miles outside Chester, near the Flintshire border. Therefore, access to your own transport will be essential as the local bus route is not compatible with working hours.

We are an outdoor focused setting, so we believe that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing!

The successful candidate can look forward to a 30-hour work week with school holidays off, providing a fantastic work–life balance.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and does require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them.

How to apply

If this sounds like the type of vacancy you feel you’ve been looking for, then apply today by sending an email to dodlestonpreschool@googlemail.com.