Preschool and Family Programmes Lead

We are looking for a passionate, pro-active and experienced Preschool Lead with the additional responsibility of our dynamic Family Engagement Programmes, to join our developing team. Leading the quality and development of our award-winning services for children, young people, and families at the Centre. This role emphasises a multi disciplinary and integrated approach to early years education, play, and child initiatives. Hours: 35 hours per week, 8 hours per day Monday to Friday (Hours will include some afterschool wraparound, occasional evenings and weekends) Holiday: 28 days inclusive of bank holidays and Christmas 2 weeks allocation. What does your role look like: Quality Oversight: Ensure high-quality early years learning and care at the Preschool. Develop quality assurance frameworks to evaluate service effectiveness in addition to the formulation of a meaningful programme of family and child centred activities within our Play and Family Support initiatives at the centre. Program Development: Design and manage family and child-centered activities in our play, and Family Support initiatives. Collaborate with practitioners to enhance educational offerings and align with best practices. Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration: Promote integrated working across early years sectors. Engage in collaborative planning with educators, social services, health providers, and community organizations. Leadership and Management: Advanced Early Years management knowledge, understanding and experience is fundamental to this role. Provide leadership and mentorship to staff, fostering professional development and continuous improvement. Community Engagement: Organise year-round activities reflecting the companies community's needs. Build relationships with partners to create a robust ecosystem for families. Benefits of working with us: 1. Highly Competitive Salary * Concessional Preschool Place * Employee Assistance Programme for Staff Mental Health Wellbeing and Support * Regular Socials and Team Building Opportunities. * Free Enhanced DBS Checks * Well-Established Career Path and Training Opportunities * Workplace Pension Scheme * Induction and Supervision Programme * Personal and Professional Development Plan * Fresh Fruit, Tea & Coffee available for all staff Requirements: A passion for working with children, young people and their families. With a recognised qualification in Early Years / Childcare at Level 3 with a proven track record of 5 year's experience in a management / leadership role in an early years setting. Experience of * Devising and applying a high quality curriculum for young children within the Early Years Foundation Stage. * Managing a team of early years professionals to improve the quality of EY practice * Working with external groups / partners / organisations in a EY provision in a way that supports the child and its’ family in a holistic way. * Oversight and designed lead for Safeguarding children, Health and Safety. * Monitoring activities / services using a database system. * Managing and working within a designated budget. General: Key Responsibilities You will be part of a rapidly developing, small and dynamic team, delivering a Preschool service and a range of innovative early intervention, targeted services and family support provision from our centre. You will be skilled at leading a team, engaging parents, creating links between a range of stakeholders and service delivery, whilst also possessing the administrative and organisational skills to ensure all work is clearly tracked, monitored and evaluated as per our standardised online software (Blossom and Salesforce) and individual funders requirements. Education & Learning * Responsible for providing a high quality of education and learning, ensuring that staff are properly deployed, and to offer appropriate stimulation and support to the children attending the setting. * Responsibility for drawing up long-term, medium-term and sessional curriculum plans which take into account the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), and to monitor the effectiveness of the setting’s curriculum; this may include working with external professionals. * Advocate and lead for early years curriculum based on outdoor learning through play. * Supervise the drawing up and implementation of the daily programme of activities and events. * Comply with current Ofsted inspection requirements for achieving a ‘Good’ or above rating. * Organise the key person system, ensuring parents/carers are aware of their child’s key worker and that key workers regularly and effectively engage with their key children’s parent/carer. * Responsible for implementing systems of observation and record keeping so that children’s progress and achievements are effectively and regularly assessed and to monitor the effectiveness of assessment procedures. * Understand and appreciate the importance of monitoring and evaluation in a preschool based setting. * To carry out visits and inductions for new children and to ensure a smooth settlement. Health & Safety * Fulfil duties as the Safeguarding Designated Officer to ensure that the welfare and safety of children is promoted within the setting and that any child protection concerns are always acted upon appropriately and immediately. * Ensure that the Preschool is a safe environment for children, staff and others, that equipment is safe, standards of hygiene are high, safety procedures are implemented at all times and fire drills are regularly practiced. * Contribute to and implement all early years policies and procedures, e.g. register and signing out procedures, accident and incident records, child protection, health and safety, confidentiality, food safety, setting hygiene and complaints; and oversee that all policies and procedures are followed. * Ensure that children attending the setting receive a balanced and healthy diet. Leadership & Management – Create a positive and professional working environment for staff, encouraging teamwork and a desire to achieve. – Responsibility for monitoring the quality of teaching, keeping up to date with current best practice, identifying training needs, and ensuring that staff are appropriately supported to carry out their role effectively, including the Early Years SENCO. – Ensure that performance management systems are in place and implemented e.g. induction, probation, supervision, team meetings, annual appraisals, and objective setting. – Participate in the recruitment of staff and ensure that job descriptions are kept up to date. – Aware at all times of the Preschool’s financial position, understanding the balance between spending and income and the consequence of fluctuations in occupancy levels, raising any concerns with the trustees immediately. – Ensure the petty cash system is managed appropriately and that any systems for income collection or invoicing are followed. – Promote the Preschool and its’ curriculum and activities/events by actively engaging with parents/carers and encouraging their involvement. – Update and manage central database systems. – Positively represent the centre in meetings and stakeholder events and give presentations. – Organise and be actively involved in the set up and pack away of every session. – Ensure equipment and resources are ordered within budget and maintained. – Ensure that all conditions within the agreement with the centre are respected and adhered to. – Politically and creatively aware and ‘plugged in’ to emerging needs and support for families in need. – Understand the role of the trustees (Committee) in relation to the Preschool, liaising closely with the Chair, attending committee meetings as required and promoting staff and parent’s understanding of the Committee’s role. – Establish effective and respectful working relationships with key contacts A safe place where children, young people and families can come together, to play, learn and thrive. Join us and become part of a happy, motivated and friendly team who support the social, emotional and learning needs of our intergenerational community, through our embedded approach of Listening, Collaboration and the Creation (LCC) of meaningful activities