Full time / 40 hours| Permanent
Ready to lead, inspire and make a real difference to children who need it most?
At Ark Les Enfants, every child gets the best possible start, whatever their needs. Our nursery is in a stunning Victorian building with excellent facilities. Our team is warm, energetic and full of ideas. We’re part of The Ark Experience, a growing group of six nurseries across the North West and West Yorkshire. That means you get the friendliness of a small setting, with the support and career opportunities of a wider group.
We’re looking for a passionate Deputy Manager and SENCO to join us. You’ll help lead the nursery day to day and make inclusion part of everything we do. If you’re a natural champion for children, get a buzz from helping staff grow, and want to make your mark, we’d love to hear from you.
What we offer
- A health care plan for you, to help with everyday health costs
- Funded support for higher-level qualifications, plus a clear leadership development route across the group
- Fully funded Safeguarding, Paediatric First Aid and Food Hygiene training
- Whole-team training days
- Famly for observations and parent communication, so less paperwork and more time with children
- Uniform provided
- Real career progression across six settings
- A welcoming, caring team who are passionate about early years and will have your back from day one
Your SENCO role: championing every child
This is a real SENCO role, with the time and support to do it properly. You will:
- Spot needs early, working alongside key persons, parents and the progress check at age two
- Lead the graduated approach (assess, plan, do, review) and keep our SEN register up to date
- Write and review SEN support plans with clear, achievable targets, and track progress on Famly
- Coach and model inclusive strategies in the rooms so every practitioner feels confident supporting children with SEND, such as visual supports, communication-friendly spaces and sensory approaches
- Build strong, trusting relationships with families, so they feel listened to and part of the plan
- Work closely with outside professionals, including the Area SENCO, speech and language therapists, health visitors, educational psychologists and early help teams
- Lead on inclusion funding, Disability Access Fund claims and EHC needs assessment requests
- Plan carefully for transitions between rooms and on to school, so every child moves on confident and well supported
- Keep up to date with the SEND Code of Practice and share what you learn with the team
- Protected time to focus on the SENDco role
Your Deputy role: leading alongside the Manager
- Support the Nursery Manager and senior team in the smooth running of the setting
- Act as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (full training provided)
- Induct, mentor and coach staff, including observing practice and giving feedback that helps people grow?
- Manage rotas and cover to keep ratios safe at all times
- Plan and organise staff training
- Welcome prospective families and show them what makes us special
- Make sure we meet every statutory requirement and are always inspection-ready
What you’ll bring
- A full and relevant Level 3 qualification in Early Years (or higher)
- Excellent, up-to-date knowledge of the EYFS
- Experience supporting children with SEND (SENCO training desirable, but we’ll support you to get it if not)
- Experience of coaching and mentoring staff
- Clear, confident written and verbal communication
- Energy, fresh ideas, a good sense of humour and great people skills
The Ark Experience is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check with barred list check, satisfactory references and the other safer recruitment checks.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
