Lead a room where every child can thrive.

Lily’s Nursery & Daycare is a brand-new early years setting in Greenhithe, Kent, caring for children from six months to five years across three dedicated rooms. We are looking for three experienced, passionate Room Leaders – one for each room – to help shape the nursery from the very beginning. You will create a safe, nurturing and inspiring environment where children, families and colleagues feel valued and supported, and you will lead your team to the standards Ofsted expects of an outstanding early years setting.

Three Room Leader positions

We are recruiting a Room Leader for each of our three rooms. The main duties below apply to every Room Leader; each post also carries the age-specific responsibilities set out here. Please tell us which position you are applying for.

1. Under Twos Room Leader

Lead our under twos room, providing warm, attachment-based care built around each child’s own routines.

·        Have relevant training, knowledge and experience of working with babies and children under two years old in order to support their specific needs

·        Use this training, knowledge and experience to support each child’s individual needs, including settling, sleep and care routines, weaning and early communication

·        Support team members to gain the specific knowledge and skills required to work effectively with babies and children under two

2. Two Year Olds Room Leader

Lead our two-year-olds room, planning experiences that build language, independence and confidence at this crucial stage.

·        Ensure every child in the two-year-old room receives their progress check at age two, as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and that these are shared with parents in an appropriate and timely manner

·        Support all team members working with this age group to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to complete two-year-old progress checks effectively

3. Preschool Room Leader (3–5 years)

Lead our preschool room, delivering an ambitious curriculum that prepares children to make a confident, happy start at school.

·        Support all team members to conduct an end-of-nursery review for each key child, to send to or take to school, so the new provision has a clear understanding of each child’s key strengths and areas for development

·        Lead the room’s school-readiness approach so children leave Lily’s curious, capable and well prepared for the next stage of their learning

·        For this post, Early Years Teacher Status or another full and relevant Level 6 qualification is highly desirable

The role – job description (all three positions)

As a Room Leader you will lead the day-to-day running of your room, support and develop your team, and maintain excellent standards of care, learning and safeguarding. This job description reflects the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and the standards Ofsted expects of an outstanding setting under the Education Inspection Framework: a high-quality education, strong behaviour and attitudes, rich personal development, and effective, well-led safeguarding.

Purpose of the post

·        Ensure all children are safeguarded and their welfare and safety is promoted

·        Ensure a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for all children in your care

·        Give support to other team members within your immediate room and the wider nursery

·        Work as part of a team in order to provide an enabling environment in which all individual children can play, learn and develop

Main duties

1. Safeguarding and children’s welfare

·        Follow the nursery safeguarding procedure to ensure all children are kept safe, well and secure, and ensure all team members are able to do the same

·        Ensure good standards of safety, hygiene and cleanliness are maintained at all times and be responsible for the health and safety standards appropriate for the needs of young children

·        Ensure room checks and outdoor checks are conducted in line with nursery procedures

·        Ensure a child who is unwell is treated appropriately and parents are notified immediately in order for the child to be collected

·        Ensure someone known and agreed by the nursery and parent collects each child

·        Ensure confidentiality of all information received by all team members in your area

2. Quality of education – curriculum, teaching and assessment

·        Formulate and operate an ambitious programme of activities that meets the individual needs and interests of children in your area, in conjunction with other team members and the Manager and in line with the EYFS

·        Support and facilitate the preparation and completion of activities to suit each individual child’s stage of development and interests

·        Keep records of your key children’s development and learning journeys, share these with parents, carers and other key adults in the child’s life, and conduct reviews for parents in conjunction with the Manager

·        Ensure all record keeping is accurate and up to date within your designated area, including learning journeys, sleep charts, accident forms, daily record sheets and any other forms or records required for each child’s welfare, learning and development

·        Support all team members with the early identification of, and intervention for, children with possible special educational needs or additional needs, giving physical, emotional and intellectual guidance as appropriate

·        Ensure the provision of a high-quality, inclusive learning environment that meets the needs of individual children regardless of any disabilities, family backgrounds or medical history

3. Leading and developing your team

·        Lead, motivate and support the team in your room, modelling consistently outstanding practice

·        Support team members to have the specific knowledge and skills required to work effectively with children of the age group in your room

·        Support all staff to develop their role within the team, especially as a key person

·        Undertake appropriate supervision meetings and processes for all members of your team, in conjunction with the nursery management approach

·        Feed into appraisals, target setting and nursery operations as deemed appropriate by the Manager

·        Attend nursery management meetings and report appropriate information back to your team

·        Support new team members through induction, in partnership with the Manager

·        Support team members to seek out any training or support they may require to fulfil their roles and responsibilities, and support all staff to engage in good team working

·        Participate in training programmes with a wide variety of students (placements and volunteers), giving guidance and support

4. Partnership with parents, carers and professionals

·        Liaise with and support parents and other family members

·        Develop and maintain strong partnerships and communication with parents and carers to facilitate day-to-day caring and early learning needs

·        Liaise with the local authority and other professionals associated with the nursery

5. Daily routines and wider nursery life

·        Ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing

·        Wash and change children as required

·        Undertake certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. preparation of snacks and meals and cleaning equipment, and such other duties and responsibilities of an equivalent nature as may be determined from time to time by the Manager

·        Be involved in out-of-hours activities, e.g. training, monthly staff meetings, parents’ evenings and fundraising events, as required and agreed

·        Work alongside the Manager and staff team to ensure that the nursery vision is fulfilled

·        Read, understand and adhere to all policies and procedures relevant to your role, support team members to do the same, and ensure all policies and procedures are followed

·        Be aware of the community profile of the nursery and ensure all staff uphold its standards at all times, both within work hours and outside

About you (person specification)

Essential

·        A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification (or above)

·        At least 3 years’ experience working within a nursery setting

·        Strong leadership, communication and organisational skills

·        Sound working knowledge of the EYFS, safeguarding and Ofsted requirements

·        A secure understanding of child development for the age group you will lead

·        A genuine passion for children’s learning, development and wellbeing

·        Commitment to equality, inclusion, confidentiality and professional conduct

Desirable

·        A current paediatric first aid certificate (or willingness to complete training)

·        Experience of completing two-year-old progress checks or supporting children’s transitions to school

·        Experience of mentoring, coaching or supervising early years practitioners

·        Early Years Teacher Status or a full and relevant Level 6 qualification (highly desirable for the Preschool Room Leader post)

Safeguarding and safer recruitment

Lily’s Nursery and Daycare is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff, students and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments will be made in line with our safer recruitment procedures: the successful applicants will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check (including the children’s barred list), provide suitable references, and evidence their qualifications, identity and right to work in the UK before starting employment.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a short cover letter outlining your relevant experience to info@lilysnursery.co.uk, clearly stating which of the three Room Leader positions you are applying for. You are welcome to apply for more than one position. We look forward to hearing from you.

Note: This advert and job description should be read alongside Lily’s Nursery and Daycare’s policies, employment terms and the regulatory requirements that apply to the nursery.