Nursery Assistant Chapeltown in Leeds

Salary: B1 £25,185 - £25,989 pro rata

Hours: 22.5 hours (all year round) – working on an 8am to 6pm shift pattern

Contract: Permanent

Location: Little Owls Chapeltown

Are you interested in a career in childcare? Little Owls nurseries are currently recruiting for nursery assistants. Little Owls is a great place to progress in your childcare career and many of our nursery assistants move on to become managers. We support staff to learn and progress by offering regular training.

About The Role

As a nursery assistant based in one of our Little Owls nurseries you will be part of a great team and will deliver a high standard of care which meets the individual needs of the children. It is rewarding work, as well as energetic and at times challenging.

• Provide high quality care and education for all children and support for families
• Observe and monitor children’s development and contribute to reports of their progress
• Liaise with and provide professional advice to parents, social workers and health visitors

About you

We are looking for qualified, enthusiastic, adaptable candidates with personal qualities to care for and develop young children. You must have:

• excellent communication and listening skills
• ability to safeguard and motivate children and sustain their interest in play activities
• ability to write reports and plans to document children’s learning, development and wellbeing to the required standard

Experience and qualifications

• minimum of level 2 qualification in childcare (see GOV.UK guidance for details)
• good standard of literacy and numeracy
• basic computer literacy
• GCSE Maths and English or equivalent as recognised by CWDC, or commitment to achieve this within 2 years
• Paediatric First Aid or Emergency Paediatric First Aid certificate or commitment to achieve within the first 3 months of employment, as required in the EYFS framework

Knowledge

• Knowledge of current legislation, policy and guidance relating to early years and safeguarding
• Knowledge of EYFS requirements and code of practice

Experience

• Experience of working with children and/or families
• Experience of work in a nursery or childcare environment
• Experience of teamwork

Behavioural and other characteristics

• Committed to continuous improvement
• Willingness to participate in training and development
• Understand and promote equality and diversity

What We Offer You

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to support wellbeing and financial wellbeing

How To Apply

Apply for this job online. Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact: Andrea Smith, Children and Family Service – Tel: 0113 3784516 Email: andrea.smith@leeds.gov.uk

Applications received are assessed for shortlisting every two weeks. We hold interview panels regularly to fill ongoing vacancies in our nurseries. Please be aware that successful applicants will be employed by LCC and not a particular centre and could be asked to work at any of the city wide Little Owls Nurseries.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you’ll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose: Under the general direction of the Manager and senior staff, the Nursery Assistant role is to work as part of a team to deliver a high standard of care which meets the individual needs of the children. To make and maintain positive relationships with the children and to safely meet the physical care and management needs of children. All staff are required to support the services main purpose of encouraging and enabling children to develop, behaviourally, educationally and emotionally. To create and maintain a customer focused attitude and approach at all times that promotes positive relationships and generates a culture of openness and trust. To deliver efficient, effective and quality services by way of flexible working. To work together with colleagues from other service areas and organisations to provide and maintain a safe secure and learning environment that promotes the safety and welfare of children in which they can prosper, develop and achieve. To foster, maintain and support pro-social behaviour, a restorative and solution focussed approach with children, and colleagues.

Responsibilities

• To provide high quality care and education for all children and support for families
• To provide a broad and balanced Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum that will meet the requirements of the relevant national and local standards
• To establish and deliver on the delivery of Individual Educational Programmes (IEP) and the Early Support Programme for children with Special Educational Needs and disabilities (SEND)
• To observe and monitor children’s development and contribute to written reports of their progress
• To maintain client confidentiality
• To liaise with and provide professional advice to, parents, social workers and health visitors involved with a child and their family
• To liaise with local primary schools and prepare reports that will support the child’s transition into school
• To report any injury or accident, ensuring that health and safety of the individual is maintained
• To understand and operate the policies and procedures for the administration of medication including accurately recording and verifying drug sheets
• To report any suspicious or suspected non-accidental injury to follow and comply with Departmental Child Protection Procedures, in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board Procedures (West Yorkshire Consortium Procedures Manual)
• To support student placements: to help prepare and present accurate, concise reports on these to the Manager and/or college tutors
• To provide interesting and appropriate educational visits for children and families, observing Health and Safety policies and making risk assessments as required
• To support parents and families where necessary in the successful admission and transition of their children
• To take responsibility for a group of children during any building evacuation
• To participate in and provide training and development activities as necessary
• To undertake other duties appropriate to the post as required by the Service
• To comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures
• To actively promote and support Leeds City Council's Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-oppressive manner