Nursery Apprentice

Must hold GCSE C/4 or above in English and Mathematics

Working week Monday to Friday between the hours of 7.30am to 6.00pm. Hours of work will be discussed at interview.

Total hours per week: 43.75 (40 if under 18 years old)

Expected duration 18 months

Apprenticeship level – Level 3

Childcare and Education

• Provide a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care
• Ensure the standards of environment, resources and experiences offered to children are of the highest standard.
• Help with planning for the EYFS and ensure rich and diverse outdoor play experiences are offered.
• Ensure your own daily planning is followed and kept up to date.
• Maintain accurate and effective children’s records.
• Promote and facilitate partnership with parents/carers and other family members.
• Ensure that the induction process for new children is effective and adapted to suit the child and the parents.
• Support the development of good practice with regard to special needs and inclusion.
• Ensure that children are kept safe and that you understand child protection rules.
• Ensure the nutritional needs of the children are met and Food Safety Regulations are complied with.
• Ensure the effective implementation of key person procedures are followed by yourself and that you are carrying out all related responsibilities in building relationships with children and their families.
• Ensure the smooth transition of the children to the next room and involve parents/carers in the timing.
• Ensure children spend as much time as possible outside in the fresh air.
• Remain abreast of current developments in childcare and education policy and practice.
• Implement activities which enables you to close gaps in children’s learning, utilising their tracking.

Health and Safety

• Undertake a shared responsibility for health, safety and cleanliness throughout the nursery.
• Ensure the general cleanliness of the children at all times.
• Adhere to Health and Safety policies, to manage risk and ensure any remedial action is taken immediately.
• Be fully aware of all emergency and security procedures e.g. fire precautions, security, dropping off and collection of children.
• Operate the highest standard of hygiene and cleanliness, particularly in the bedding and nappy changing area and food surface areas.
• Assist in maintaining the nursery buildings, resources and equipment to a high standard, reporting maintenance or cleaning issues appropriately and promptly.

Operational

• Promote the nursery to current parents and potential customers.
• Support the room leader, manager and staff during regulatory inspections and to assist in the implementation of any recommendations.
• Be reflective about your own role to ensure that the process of self-improvement is continuous and enhances performance.

Staff

• Support assistants, students with their day to day duties.
• Ensure that new staff have a meaningful induction.
• Act as a role model to other staff, demonstrating good practice and motivating and inspiring the staff team.
• Support the recruitment, team building and training of staff.
• Ensure time is used effectively, demonstrate good time management prioritising for self and others.
• Support and motivate all staff to ensure they feel included, responsible, optimising their performance to engage in a good staff team.

General

• Undertake other duties as reasonably requested by line management.
• Be confident when dealing with parent concerns, get help from your room leader/management if needed and make them aware of any concerns.
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures.
• Be prepared to undertake additional training and qualifications.
• Attend and be involved with, out of working hours activities, e.g. training, parents’ meetings, open days, children’s Christmas party and regular planning/staff meetings.
• Undertake certain domestic jobs within the Nursery, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleansing of equipment and other such duties and responsibilities of an equivalent nature as may be determined from time to time by the room leader/senior staff.
• Take part and maintain an active role in supervisions and appraisals.
• Work towards and achieve your targets set within supervisions and appraisals.
• Work in a team.
• Support the nursery as a whole and develop your own skill set.

Requirements and prospects

• Computer literate.
• Good communication skills.
• Ability to work on your own initiative.

Personal qualities

• Positive attitude to working.
• Hardworking and determined.
• Organised.
• Punctuality.
• Patience and kind natured.

Essential qualifications

• GCSE Grade C/4 or above in English and Maths or the equivalent.