St Andrew’s Prep is looking for a Nursery Manager to be responsible for the leadership and management of the Nursery providing a safe, caring and stimulating environment for children 9 months – 4 years of age.
The successful candidate will ideally have an appropriate Early Years qualification with previous experience of managing a Nursery setting and a proven track record of leading and managing a team of staff. We expect to appoint a person of great energy, enthusiasm, ambition and vision who possesses strong leadership, integrity, communication and interpersonal skills.
1. Job Title: Nursery Manager
2. Responsible to: Headmaster
3. Job Summary:
- To be responsible for the leadership and management of the Nursery providing a safe, caring and stimulating environment for children 9 months – 4 years of age.
- To work in partnership with parents, carers and professionals to promote the well-being of the children.
- To develop, implement and review the policies, procedures and practices within the Nursery.
4. Duties and Responsibilities:
A) Leadership and Management
- In co-operation with the Head: promote and ‘sell’ the school through internal and external marketing activity (e.g. Attending Open Days, provide information for the weekly Bulletin, write pieces for school publications and marketing materials with relevant Nursery topics).
- Be ‘front of house’ and ‘face of the Nursery’ both during term time and in school holidays.
- Promote and further the links of the Nursery with the wider school, notably the Pre-Prep.
- Line Management of the Room Leaders and Assistants in the Nursery.
- Structure and put into operation a Key Person or Persons System, ensuring each child has a Key Person who is responsible for implementing their key children’s planning, observation and assessment cycle.
- To ensure that the Nursery meets all EYFS regulations and guidelines and that the school adopts best practice of the EYFS.
- To ensure a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children placed in the nursery.
- Oversee and develop the curriculum, operating policies and procedures for the nursery.
- Implements the operational framework and standards to ensure the smooth running of the nursery.
- Compile and manage an approved budget for the Nursery.
- Alongside the Head of Pre-Prep ensure the School Development Plan and School Evaluation Form is correct, relevant and up to date.
B) Curriculum Development
- Ensure a high-quality, inclusive curriculum that aligns with EYFS standards, fostering the social, emotional, and intellectual development of each child.
- Track and monitor each child’s progress, maintaining records in learning journals through Tapestry and engaging with SENCo and other specialists as needed.
- Develop initiatives to support children’s individual requirements and well-being.
- Liaise with the Head of Pre-Prep and the Director of Studies to share the Nursery curriculum.
C) Administration
- Administration of changes to the normal routine of Nursery life as and when they occur.
- Maintain Kindersoft to help manage all pupil session bookings and staffing.
- Liaise regularly with Finance Manager to confirm accuracy of pupil sessions, EYFS funding and staffing levels.
- Take responsibility for ensuring that extra charges to individual accounts are added to the relevant database for Nursery children.
- Liaise with the Head’s EA and School Administrator to ensure the Nursery is effectively resourced.
- Regularly monitor and evaluate the set-up of the whole Nursery environment.
- Write, update and implement policies relating to the Nursery.
D) Communication
- Arranging and chairing regular meetings regarding Nursery matters with the Nursery team.
- Attending regular meetings with the Head and other key staff.
- Acting as a general vehicle for concerns from parents and staff and taking appropriate action.
- Overseeing the various Parent/Teacher consultations for Nursery parents.
- Liaise regularly with the Registrar and assist in the preparation of termly EYEE funding forms.
- Welcome prospective parents to the Nursery during ‘Drop in’ mornings.
- Liaise with the school catering department to ensure all catering requirements are met.
- Working with all Nursery and Reception staff to ensure a smooth transition process.
E) Children
- Building relationships with all Nursery children.
- Ensuring good discipline amongst the children.
- Tracking the academic progress and potential of all children.
- Review and monitor Learning Journeys and Tapestry.
- Being aware of the needs of those on our Learning support lists.
F) Staff
- Overall day to day management of the Nursery staff.
- Ensuring staff to child ratios are met at all times.
- Prepare staffing rotas.
- Management of staff holiday requests to ensure ratios are met.
- On-going monitoring of Nursery staff performance.
- The appraisal and performance management of the Nursery staff.
- Provide Supervision meetings twice termly to all staff members.
- Liaison with ancillary staff as necessary.
- Encourage staff members to keep abreast with current and relevant changes and updates to childcare.
- The Nursery Manager will be available to cover staff sickness or appointments should the need arise.
G) Catering
- Inform Catering of any dietary requirements.
- Expect regular visits from Environmental Health.
- Ensure food guidelines and checks are followed.
- Liaise with the Head of Facilities Management for cleaning of the kitchen and dining area.
H) Provision
- Liaise with Pre-School Room Leaders regarding out of school trips.
- Arrange access to other areas of the school.
I) Health and Safety
- Ensure Risk Assessments are updated.
- Follow the School’s Policies such as Health and Safety Policy.
- Report any damaged equipment.
J) Safeguarding Duties
- All staff at St Andrew’s Prep and Nursery are required to take responsibility for providing a safe environment for children.
- Staff have a responsibility to be familiar with the procedure of passing on concerns to the DSL or appropriate agency.
- All staff must therefore:
- Be familiar with St Andrew’s Prep’s systems which support safeguarding.
- Have knowledge of the early help process and referrals to social services.
- Identify children who may benefit from early help.
- Keep up to date with child protection training.
- Always act in the best interests of the child.
- Maintain good links and dialogue with the children’s families.
- Through strict adherence to the staff code of conduct, staff will protect the children and their own reputation.
K) Holiday Club
- Prepare the booking letter and issue to parents one month prior to the forthcoming school holiday.
- Collect back in the booking forms from parents.
- Construct a register of attendees with session times.
- Organise appropriate staffing levels for each age group.
- Record the children that attend the Holiday Club on a daily basis.
- Ensure the register of attendees is complete and accurate after each Holiday Club.
5. Person Specification
The successful candidate will possess:
- Experience of managing a Nursery setting and will be qualified to degree level in Childcare and Education.
- Appropriate Early Years Qualification or equivalent.
- GCSE English & Mathematics or equivalent at grade A-C.
- A proven track record of leading and managing a team of staff.
- Experience working with young children and/or in a nursery provision.
- Strong leadership, integrity, communication and interpersonal skills.
- Experience of using Kindersoft and Tapestry.
- A high regard for the need of confidentiality at all times.
- Original and innovative thought.
- The ability to lead by example.
- The ability to enthuse children of Nursery school age.
- Good listening skills with children and adults.
- Flexibility whilst adhering to important principles.
- The necessary determination and stamina to see things through.
- The skills to consolidate and further improve the school’s commitment to academic and extracurricular excellence.
- Understanding and commitment to Child Protection practice.
- Understanding the particular needs and concerns of this age group.
- Promotion of fairness and equality of opportunity amongst the children.
- Sympathy to, and enhancement of, the existing values of the school.
- A firm commitment to independent co-education.
- The ability to build rapport with all sections of the school community.
- A good sense of humour.
- A high level of numeracy and literacy.
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of the EYFS Framework.
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to work to targets and deadlines.
- A proactive and innovative approach to challenges.
- Knowledge and experience of inspections by Ofsted would be beneficial.
- Good attention to detail and a commitment to excellence.
6. Terms and Conditions
Salary: Competitive dependent on experience.
Hours of Work: Those hours necessary to fulfil the requirements of the job but unlikely to be less than 40 hours a week, all year round.
Pension: After three months’ service you may be automatically enrolled into the Eastbourne College WorkSave Pension Scheme.
Holiday: Six weeks paid annual leave plus Bank Holidays.
Other Benefits:
- Life Assurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- Free meal during normal working hours (term time only)
- Annual pay review
7. Application Process
To apply, please visit this link and click the Apply Now button to complete the mandatory application form.
An up-to-date CV and covering letter may be uploaded with this online application form.
Closing Date: Monday 11 November 2024
Early applications are encouraged. Applications will be considered upon receipt, and we reserve the right to withdraw this vacancy.
For further information please contact Human Resources Department on hr@eastbourne-college.co.uk.
8. Safeguarding Statement
St Andrew’s Prep is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The appointment is subject to enhanced DBS check, pre-employment medical questionnaire and positive references.
St Andrew’s Prep is committed to the provision of equal opportunities in employment.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Schedule:
Work Location: In person
Application deadline: 11/11/2024
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