Nursery Practitioners

Main Purpose of the Role: To support staff to deliver a high-quality inclusive curriculum and nurturing environment for all the children attending the nursery. To have a strong commitment and secure knowledge of safeguarding and act promptly and professionally. To be able to liaise with a range of professionals to support children’s needs.

Safeguarding and Health & Safety

• Safeguard and promote the health, safety and welfare of children in line with our child protection policy and procedures and KCSIE.
• Support the Nursery Manager to oversee the health and safety of children and staff is maintained during all activities, both inside and outside the setting.
• Support in maintaining the highest safety and care, by ensuring ratios are compliant when working with children across the nursery.
• Be aware and compliant with risk assessments, policies and procedures.
• Ensure high standards of hygiene and cleanliness are always maintained, this includes nappy changing and toilet training.
• Undertake certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. cleansing of equipment and the cleaning of rooms/spaces used by the children.
• Assist with serving the children’s lunches, to stack the dishwasher, wash-up any extra dishes and to generally clear the sink area as needed.
• Keep up to date with the Health and Safety at Work Act and implement this as their practice.
• Record accidents/incidents on the correct forms and ensure parents are informed using the correct systems.
• Follow the correct NEST Nurseries procedures, always ensure that someone known and agreed by the nursery and parent/carer collects the child.

Teaching, Learning and Assessment

• Support in delivering exceptional care and education to all children as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and Statutory Guidance.
• Promote the vision, aims and ethos of NEST Nurseries at all times.
• Promote and maintain the high standards of the nursery and demonstrate this at all times to parents, staff and visitors both in working and non-working hours.
• Effectively deliver the key person approach using the NEST Nurseries Policy.
• Support the planning and delivery for rich learning opportunities and exceptional care that helps all children to develop and meet their individual needs, regardless of any disabilities, family backgrounds or medical history.
• Ensure children’s next steps are met through an enabling environment that provides stimulating and engaging learning opportunities, where high quality interactions are central to children’s learning.
• Promote, model and follow guidelines implemented for managing behaviour including supporting children to manage their own feelings and behaviours and develop their executive function.
• Support the Nursery Management Team in ensuring that British Values are incorporated and demonstrated through the NEST Nurseries’ curriculum.
• Support the Nursery Management Team in ensuring that the NEST Nurseries curriculum and resources available reflect the ethnicity and diversity of children and the wider community.
• Make accurate and effective assessments, which reflect the needs, interests, stages of development of the child, then planning and implementing effective next steps.
• Ensure that child records, such as online learning journals/next steps and individual folders are kept up to date.
• Effectively communicate with parents/carers about their child’s progress and stages of development, completing reports when needed.
• Support in early identification and intervention for children (particularly children in key worker groups) with possible additional needs.
• Engage in evidence-based practice and training undertaken or delivered by the nursery to impact on children’s outcomes.
• Accompany small groups of children on regular local outings, e.g. to the shops, park etc.
• Adhere to timetables, systems and routines to ensure a consistent approach on a day-to-day basis.
• Continually work in partnership with colleagues, parents and/or carers or other professionals to meet the individual needs of the children ensuring a diverse and inclusive approach is always maintained.
• When provided, keep up to date with changes in the curriculum and developments in best practice as well as legal legislation.
• Attend staff meetings and staff training days.
• Undertake CPD to enhance your role or impact the outcomes of the children in the nursery.
• Ensure internal policies and procedures are adhered to whilst also meeting external legislation and guidelines from the Trust.
• Ensure confidentiality of all information received and shared and follow GDPR policy.
• Assist in the provision of support and guidance to students on a placement within the nursery.
• To engage in performance management and supervision meetings and proactively implement actions as agreed.