Nursery Practitioner (Maternity Cover)

Nursery Practitioner (Maternity Cover)

Grade 4: £19,202 – £21,414

Fixed term - Full time

The Department and the role purpose

At Durham University Day Nursery, we aim to provide high quality childcare in a safe secure and stimulating environment for children from 0 to 5. We aim to operate in partnership with parents, helping children to be happy, independent, and well-adjusted emotionally and socially.

Our Nursery aims to promote self-confidence and a positive attitude to learning in all children whatever their gender, ethnicity, home language, special educational needs, disability, or ability. We aim to offer a broad, balanced, and diverse curriculum where learning will be fun and will provide basic skills for the future. We recognise that every child is unique and aim to assist all children to attain their maximum development potential by paying attention to their individual needs.

We aim to support students and staff of Durham University with parental responsibilities, in order that they can achieve their goals at study or at work. Please note that we also welcome non-Durham University staff/students.

The Nursery Practitioner has key responsibilities for ensuring the quality of early years provision is embedded under the EYFS and ensuring safeguarding is paramount.

Core responsibilities:

•  Provide a responsive and proactive support service for parents.

•  Focus on checking parents’ requirements to ensure the delivery of excellence with the frontline stakeholder experience.

•  Respond to service users answering and recording standard queries and bookings for activities and/or events.

•  Contribute to the planning of team activities, work, and deadlines to ensure the smooth running and timeliness of service.

•  Solve day-to-day routine problems and source background information within the role.

•  As required, record data and information on children’s development accurately and provide reports as required to team members and more experienced staff.

•  Operate an enquiry service and process requests finding solutions or escalating queries where necessary.

•  Flexible in approach to accommodate the needs of team members and/or service users.

•  Assist team members to organise, plan and prepare for events, meetings, and activities.

•  Liaise with parents and outside agencies to pass on information.

•  Apply professional and regulatory procedures and processes and use of systems.

•  Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and escalate more specialist and complex queries or issues to more experienced team members.

Role responsibilities:

•  Work with team members to ensure the timeliness and relevance of the service we deliver in partnership with parents, colleagues, and outside agencies.

•  Apply recognised professional, commercial and/or organisational service level standards to enhance the stakeholder experience.

•  Provide guidance to parents around the EYFS with the use of and access to resources and equipment.

•  Work with team members and others across the organisation to prepare for the delivery of exhibitions, activities, and events.

•  As required, record, collate, store and report data and information related to children’s development, level and uptake of services, and quality of experience.

•  Provide service and support for parents and meetings, to draft and distribute documents and communications in standard professional formats. 

•  Follow EYFS Statutory Framework at all times ensuring a high quality curriculum is delivered with a balance of both child initiated and adult led activities.

•  Contribute to OFSTED inspections and have an understanding of the OFSTED requirements.

•  Safeguard children ensuring policies and procedures are followed and adhered to at all times.

•  Be aware of the University's Equal Opportunities Policy and committed to implementing this across the childcare service and respect confidentiality at all times following the nursery policy and procedure.

•  Follow Health and Safety Policy and Procedures:

          1. Maintain a safe and secure working environment in line with University Health and Safety           procedures.

          2. Report any maintenance defects, accidents and near misses to the Line Manager.

          3. Maintain personal hygiene and appearance to an exceptional standard and in line with standard           operating procedures.

•  Ensure all relevant paperwork required is completed and daily risk assessments are completed.

•  Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements:

• This post requires shift work: Monday to Friday, between 7:45am and 6:15pm.

•  This post requires an Enhanced DBS Check.

• There will be a requirement to attend team meetings and training sessions on evenings and occasional weekends.

• With regard to car insurance, drivers will need cover for business use in order to attend meeting/training off site.

What you are required to submit:

1. A CV

2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

For further information, please contact Kim Roberts at kim.roberts@durham.ac.uk

Closing date: 26 January 2022.