Preschool Leader
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated Preschool Leader to lead our established team. Breakspeare Community Preschool has served Abbots Langley for over 25 years and is a thriving early years setting with a strong reputation for supporting the community. The right candidate will be passionate about supporting children to fulfil their potential, have experience in leading and inspiring staff and a drive to maintain the preschool’s valued position in the community. The role is supported by an Office Manager and a Financial Administrator in addition to the Management Committee.
This is a term time only position.
37.5 hours per week.
Minimum salary: £19,000 – Maximum salary: £21,500
Must have – Full* and relevant Level 3 qualification, 2 years’ experience in a setting and *GCSE Maths and English at grade C or above (or equivalent).
Applications due by: 17th May 2020
Position starts: 2nd September 2020
Job title: Preschool Leader
Responsible to: Chair of management committee/owner
Responsible for: Preschool staff
Purpose of the job: To provide safe, high quality education and care for preschool children. To fulfil legal and statutory requirements. To lead and manage staff on a day-to-day basis. To contribute to and to implement preschool policies. To ensure that all statutory, legal and setting obligations are followed and met.
Main duties
1. To protect the welfare of and ensure the safety of children at the setting. Ensure that a culture of safety is promoted within the setting. To be the Designated Senior Person responsible for Safeguarding children. To be the designated person for Prevent Duty. To ensure that any child protection concerns are always appropriately acted upon immediately.
2. To oversee the drawing up of long term, medium term and sessional curriculum plans which take in to account the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum for guidance, and to monitor the effectiveness of the setting’s curriculum. This may include working with other external professionals.
3. To promote a culture of self-evaluation to constantly adapt and improve the setting’s offering
4. To work with Ofsted requirements and ensure that the staff are aware of OFSTED inspection schedules and timetables.
5. To be responsible for providing a high quality of education and learning, ensuring that staff are properly deployed and offer appropriate stimulation and support to the children attending the setting.
6. To draw up and to supervise the daily programme of preschool activities and events.
7. To be responsible for implementing systems of observation and record keeping so that children’s progress and achievements are effectively and regularly assessed; to monitor the effectiveness of assessment procedures; to ensure that progress data is regularly gathered, analysed and acted upon including being entered into the FEE portal as per HCC requirements.
8. To draw up and to supervise the daily programme of preschool activities and events.
9. To manage the recruitment process as necessary ensuring that Safer Recruitment practices are followed.
10. To ensure that all EYFS statutory requirements are followed.
11. To organise staffing with both adherence to ratios and regard to staffing budgets.
12. To organise the key person system and to effectively supervise staff on a daily basis; to be responsible for monitoring the quality of teaching; to participate in staff appraisals and to identify in-service training needs.
13. To take responsibility for ensuring that performance management systems are in place and followed e.g. induction, probation, supervision, team meetings, appraisals, objective setting etc.
14. To ensure records are properly maintained and updated, e.g. daily attendance register, accident and incident book etc.
15. To liaise closely with parents/carers, informing them about the preschool and its curriculum, exchanging information about children’s progress and encouraging parents’ involvement.
16. To ensure that the preschool is a safe environment for children, staff and others, that equipment is safe, standards of hygiene are high, safety procedures are implemented at all times and fire drills are regularly practiced.
17. To liaise with the management committee or owner, Ofsted services and other professionals as necessary and ensure that all legal and statutory requirements are implemented, and to provide reports as required.
18. To implement any recommendations made following regulatory inspections.
19. To be responsible for and to implement all preschool policies and procedures, e.g. register and signing out procedures, child protection, health and safety, confidentiality, food safety, setting hygiene etc. Ensuring that they are reviewed regularly and updated with all relevant legislation changes.
20. To ensure that children attending the setting receive a balanced and healthy diet.
21. To attend any conferences, training events or meetings, as identified by the committee/owner and to keep up to date with current good practice.
22. To ensure that accurate and up-to-date record keeping systems are in place e.g. children’s records of progress and any behavioural and development reports, any safeguarding issues, health and safety issues, notes taken at staff supervision meetings, details of targets set and of any performance concerns discussed.
23. To undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the Chair of the management committee/owner, in accordance with the setting’s business plan/objectives.
24. To manage allocated budgets.
Key person responsibilities and duties:
1. Meet child and carer at Settling in session, give Initial Child profile, T-shirt, bag and New Starters Information booklet. Discuss any concerns, questions, allergies, issues that may arise. Spend a little time talking and playing with child.
2. Check birth certificate for funding purposes.
3. Use any information from the child profile that may be used to help the child settle and as a starting point to help the child progress while at Preschool.
4. Be available for the child/parent as they go through the separation process each session.
5. Begin the child’s profile completing an observation/Learning journey within the first 6 weeks. Type of observation depending on the child’s needs.
6. Use observation sheet for at least one quality observation per child per week.
7. Meet the parent/carer after 6 weeks to explain the profile, discuss any issues, ask about parent contribution to preschool, state that we have a thorough Safeguarding children policy. Parent/partnership to help the child progress. Mention Lunch club. Settling in pro-forma completed.
8. Complete Progress Check at 2 if necessary and meet with parent/carer to discuss.
9. Maintain the profile, updating the Early Years learning Goals sheet from the observations that have been made, completing at least one learning journey each half term.
10. Use this profile and the child’s interests to plan the next steps for the child, completing a PLOD sheet each half term, recorded in the child’s profile. Updated profile and PLOD sheet to be completed by the date of each half term review meeting.
11. Maintain open lines of communication with the parent/carer
12. Ensure particular needs/interests of the child are recorded on continuous provision sheet to inform short term planning.
13. Ensure the completed profile is handed to the manager, with a summary report at the end of the term the child leaves.
14. Raise any concerns over a child/carer with the relevant member of staff concerning: Safeguarding, Behaviour, Additional Needs and Health and Safety
15. Work with professionals from other agencies to support the child.
NB: This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them.
Person specification
Essential criteria
1. Minimum of a Full and Relevant Level 3 early years education and childcare qualification or equivalent, including English and Maths GCSE at grade C or above (or equivalent qualification) and a commitment to obtaining further qualification.
2. Minimum 2 years’ experience working in a preschool/school setting.
3. Proven experience of effectively leading and managing a team of adults, including conducting performance management processes e.g. induction, supervision meetings, appraisals and setting objectives.
4. Sound understanding of child development and of children’s needs.
5. Ability to plan and implement a preschool curriculum, taking into account the SEN Code of Practice, child protection procedures and equal opportunities considerations.
6. Demonstrable and detailed knowledge of current legislation relevant to the early years.
7. Ability to work with parents and families to encourage their involvement.
8. Ability to effectively market the preschool to maximise occupancy levels and fee income.
9. Commitment to equal opportunities and an understanding of equality and diversity issues.
10. Ability to write clear reports and correspondence.
Desirable criteria
1. EYP status
2. Experience of a parent-managed or parent-engaging preschool.