Early Years Practitioner

The King's School, Worcester is looking for an experienced Early Years Practitioner to join the friendly team at King’s Hawford Prep School on a fixed term, part-time basis to cover maternity leave.

Role and responsibilities

Learning

• Prepare the classroom or kindergarten before sessions – set up of continuous provision.
• Assist with planning of teaching activities based on individual children - “In the Moment” planning.
• Take responsibility as a key person for a group of children.
• Assist children with day-to-day activities.
• Assist in the implementation of Early Years Foundation Stage for children and help to monitor their progress through observations and “wow moments”.
• Provide support for individual children inside and outside the classroom to enable them to participate fully in activities.
• Work with other professionals, such as speech therapists and occupational therapists, as necessary.
• Assist the Kindergarten Manager with maintaining children’s records and floor books.
• Support children with emotional or behavioural problems and help develop their social skills, reporting any issues when required.

Administrative Duties

• Prepare and present displays of children’s work.
• Keep the classroom in a tidy and safe order.
• Supervise outdoor play activities where required.
• Complete daily diary for parents at end of session and parental interaction when children are picked up at end of session.
• Assist with photocopying and routine administrative tasks.
• Attend team and staff meetings.
• Attend inset days.

Pastoral Care

• Be proactive in matters relating to safeguarding and health and safety.
• Supervise cloakroom and toilet visits.
• Assist at mid-morning break.
• Assist with changing and dressing for Forest School and other activities.
• Assist with lunch.
• Participate in play area supervision and lunch duty.
• Assist in the general movement of children around the School.
• Clean and tidy away at end of sessions.

Supporting Duties

• One early duty per week to start at 7.30am, and one late duty per week, finishing at 6pm.
• Attend and support school open mornings and speech days if required.
• Assist with parents’ evenings if required.
• Support at school events when required.
• Provide support outside of normal classes, such as covering absences or going on school trips.
• Undertake professional duties that may be reasonably assigned by the Head.

Safeguarding responsibilities of the successful candidate

Staff are advised to maintain an attitude of “it could be happening here and probably is” as far as safeguarding is concerned and should always act in the best interest of the child.

All staff are expected to actively promote and safeguard the welfare of all pupils. As this post involves significant contact with children and the postholder will be responsible for children, they will be considered to be in regulated activity and must report any concerns in a timely manner.

All staff must also attend annual safeguarding training and have proper regard for the School’s safeguarding policy and procedures.

Qualifications required

• A recognised NVQ Level 3 qualification in childcare development or equivalent.
• Paediatric first aid certificate is desirable; however, training can be provided.

Working arrangements

17.5 hours per week (plus supporting duties), between 7.30am and 6pm, Monday to Wednesday, term time only. This is a fixed term contract to cover maternity leave. We anticipate that the successful candidate will begin in post at the end of February 2025, subject to successful completion of pre-employment checks

How to apply

Please read the applicant information booklet below for the detailed job description and person specification. To apply, please complete the TES quick apply form.

When completing the supporting statement of the application form please ensure that you refer to the job description and person specification. Please also provide a detailed employment history.

Enquiries about the role can be sent to the HR team at recruitment@ksw.org.uk

Closing date: 9am, Monday 20th January 2025

The King's Foundation

King’s Worcester is a hugely welcoming and fulfilling place to work. We are incredibly proud of our reputation. Our employees and our enviable King’s community is what sets our school apart. We are committed to recruiting the best candidates, who join us from a diverse range of backgrounds, including other educational settings, industry or the commercial world. We are also committed to developing and helping colleagues to thrive while they are here at King’s.

Here's what we can offer you...

• We promote the values of mutual respect and integrity at every level in the Foundation, and we are an equal opportunities employer.
• A highly successful, well-resourced school with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and a positive outlook.
• A competitive salary, commensurate with the importance of the post and with the experience and qualities of the successful candidate.
• Access to an Aviva Defined Contribution Pension Scheme for teaching and support staff.
• A generous fee remission for up to two children of employees who attend schools in the King’s Foundation (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• A genuinely rewarding role as well as career development and support for professional studies, if appropriate. Whatever the role, we offer excellent training and development. We are also committed to promoting from within whenever we can, giving the chance to build a great future at King’s.
• Access to the School’s outstanding sports facilities including the gym and swimming pool at agreed times.
• Staff are able to purchase private medical insurance through the School in order to benefit from group premium rates.
• Lunch is provided for employees during the school day, plus hot drinks and snacks.
• Employees have full use of School library resources and services.
• Free flu vaccinations.
• Free Yoga classes.
• Free access to our Employee Assistance Programme.

The King’s Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Shortlisted applicants will be required to complete a self-declaration form in relation to any criminal record or information that may make you unsuitable to work with children, and will be subject to an online search.

In order to provide our pupils with a well-rounded and enriched educational experience that is truly representative of the world in which they grow up in, the King’s Foundation strives to place equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything we do, ensuring that we build a community which is truly representative of all backgrounds and experiences. As such we believe that we will do that best if our employees come from different backgrounds and if we create an environment of inclusion and belonging for them.