Senior Practitioner
We are looking for inspirational Level 3 and above qualified Senior Early Years Practitioners to join one of our nurseries within Milton Keynes. Location will be discussed during the application process.
The role needs to cover 40 hours per week Monday to Friday working between 07.30 and 18.15.
Role:
- To work in partnership with the nursery manager and deputy to ensure effective running of the nursery.
- To lead/manage the staff in your designated room/area
To oversee a holistic approach to the curriculum
- To lead/manage the nursery on occasions when the manager or deputy are absent
- To be held accountable for your designated room/area
- To have a good understanding of compliance and ensure it is maintained at all times
To ensure basic care needs of individual children are met
- To ensure a high level of well-being among children
- To have a good understanding of Acorn’s ethos, values, policies and procedures and that they are reflected in daily practice
- A good working knowledge and practice of the EYFS and safeguarding procedures
- To ensure in the smooth day to day running of your group or setting in the absence of your Deputy or Manager
- To carry out tasks requested
Responsibility
- To ensure the staff team`s interactions with children are high quality and based on individual need/stage of development
- To demonstrate a positive approach to children’s behaviour working in-line with our policy and procedure
- To ensure we are adhering to compliance documentation
- To ensure complaints, concerns, queries and compliments are managed effectively
- To ensure there are professional, positive relationships demonstrated with parents across the entire staff teams
- To support the staff team to understand and implement planning in the moment
- To ensure the environment offers rich, first hand learning opportunities for all children which accommodates a holistic approach to the curriculum
- To ensure resources and equipment are readily available, accessible and replenished both inside and outside
- To ensure children’s interests are being met and appropriate teaching methods are being used to extend children’s thinking and learning.
- To ensure all children are making progress to their full potential
- To understand and implement planning in the moment
- To carry out observations regularly that are of high quality and in-line with Acorn’s recommendations for planning in the moment
- To ensure all children are given the opportunity to be independent
- To ensure all children have the opportunity to be physically challenged
- To ensure the correct paperwork in relation to the child, for example care plans, all about me forms, medicine forms, transition forms and two-year progress check (where appropriate) etc
- To ensure there is a robust and effective key person approach adopted
- To use strategies such as mentoring and coaching practices to support your staff understanding, knowledge and practice
- To undertake regular peer on peer observations
- To undertake staff supervisions
- To provide information to the manager for annual appraisals
- To be approachable and supportive to staff using constructive advice when developing practice
- To cascade any information or updates to the management and your staff team
- To keep abreast and adhere with changes in accordance to Acorn’s policies and procedures
- Ensure that you oversee that all children are having regular observations on Famly and these are reviewed and submitted by senior staff on a regular basis (Should part of this be included within the senior as to make them aware of their role)
- Work in partnership with the manager to understand the overall analysis of the assessment and understand how you are going to support progress moving forward
- To support the nursery manager with supervisions of some staff members
- To carry out observations regularly and are of high quality and in-line with Acorn’s recommendations for planning in the moment
- To provide information to the manager for annual appraisals
- To safeguard all children in our care
Expectations
- To have a good understanding of Acorn’s core values, ethos and policies and ensure these are reflected in practice
- A high-quality provision to support children’s learning across the curriculum
- To value parents as partners
- For all children to be happy, confident, self-assured and independent
- Effective communication with management, staff, children and parents
- To role model outstanding practice and positive behaviour management
- To be confident to talk to external agencies, including Ofsted
- To have a full knowledge and understanding of each staff member and how to individually support them
- To have a good understanding of staff development and how to help them achieve their targets and full potential
- To be held accountable for your designated room/area.
- To manage the whole Nursery when required.
- To work in partnership with the nursery manager to ensure a smooth and effective running of the nursery
- To contribute effectively to the leadership and management of the nursery
Joining Acorn means joining a team dedicated to putting children first through ethical practices set up to develop and enrich the lives of every child who becomes part of the Acorn family.
Our people are our values as they deliver the Personal, Professional, Nurturing, Outdoor Learning and Ethical approaches to early years we live by.
There will be times when you may be required to transform into a dinosaur, become a racing car driver, take part in a fashion walk, open a restaurant, build skyscrapers, construct waterfalls, put on a show and most importantly snuggle when needed all whilst being you!
So, if you want to be part of something extraordinary, be part of Acorn!
If working part of a team whose priorities are delivering the highest level of care and education to every child wasn’t enough, when you join Acorn you will benefit from:
Over the past few months the Investors in People auditors have been interviewing and surveying a cross section of the Acorn team ranging from nurseries to Central Support Office staff to give their feedback on what it is like to work at Acorn.
We have been continuously accredited since 2000 and it is a requirement of Investors in People that we undergo a rigorous re-accreditation assessment every 3 years.
We are very pleased to announce that we have successfully achieved IIP Accreditation once again.
Based on 25 years of leading practice, the Investors in People Standard is underpinned by a rigorous assessment methodology and framework. This reflects the very latest workplace trends, essential skills and effective structures required to outperform in any industry.
Investors in People is an internationally recognised accreditation, held by 10,000 organisations across the world. Being accredited is a sign of our commitment to being a great place to work.
Our accreditation is a huge team effort and it’s great to know all of staff are so proud of our organisation!
Here are a few comments from our team members:
“Everybody is like a family.”
“I love the openness here.”
“I like the idea that’s it’s a charity, it’s more personal and accessible for all children. An example is the £50 admin charge used to be kept but now it comes off their first months’ bill. There is no boundary for who can afford it.”
“There is a lot of money for resources and I feel if it wasn’t for profit we wouldn’t have as good quality resources.”
“We celebrated Divali and did glitter fireworks.”