Home-based Early Years Educator
Job Description & Person Specification
Job summary:
Little Forest is a home-based early years setting situated in Clophill, Bedfordshire. We are seeking a very special person to join us from spring 2024.
We are looking for a kind, reliable and trustworthy individual to assist the everyday running of the setting, to safeguard and support the children in our care and enable them to thrive and blossom.
We are a Hygge in the Early Years Accredited setting, we spend a lot of time outside in the woods, going for walks in the countryside and visiting wildlife and animals whatever the weather.
We have a dog, rabbits and horses on site so if you have any allergies to pets this might not be the right environment for you.
A good waterproof coat and a love of jumping in muddy puddles is a must!
A warm and caring, nurturing persona is essential. Knowledge of the EYFS and early years curriculum will assist your working role – full guidance and training will be given to support you with this.
You must be prepared to feel loved and special to many young children and their families… there is simply no other Job like this one.
40 hours per week over 4 days (Monday -Thursday 7.30am -5.30pm) although times maybe subject to change due to ratios, we are open 48 weeks per year, you will receive 5.6 weeks paid annual holidays (pro rata) which includes bank holidays as the setting is closed.
Salary dependant on age, qualifications and experience.
Line manager:
Setting Manager/Tracy Hutton
Responsible for:
Ensuring the children are happy & safe, provide quality play and care within the framework of the settings policies.
Working relationships:
Children attending the setting and their parents/carers
Management and staff, including students and volunteers
Childcare and play organisations, schools, local authorities, Ofsted.
Main duties include:
- Assist with planning, preparing and delivering quality play opportunities within a safe and caring environment.
- Providing comprehensive care for the children including collecting them from preschool and delivering them safely to Little Forest and vis versa.
- Providing refreshments and ensuring that hygiene, health and safety standards are met.
- Administering first aid when necessary.
- Consulting with children and involving them in planning activities.
- Helping with setting administration, where necessary, such as daily diaries, accident forms etc
- Encouraging parental involvement in the setting.
- Facilitating good communication with all members of the organisation, parents, preschools, schools and childcare related agencies.
- Undertaking appropriate and relevant training.
- Keeping the work environment healthy, safe and secure.
- Working within the framework of the settings policies and procedures.
(This Job description was correct at the time of writing and give the main responsibilities and tasks of the role; however, these may change or be added to as appropriate)
Person specification:
Essential qualities
- Experience of working with 0-5 year olds
- Maintaining confidentiality
- Understanding the varied needs of children and their families
- Understanding issues involved in the delivery of quality play care
- Risk assessing to keep children safe
- Understanding the issues of equal opportunities
- Provide and facilitate safe and creative play
- Good communication skills
- Able to work as part of a team
- Sound judgement and common sense
- EYFS knowledge
- Safeguarding knowledge
Willingness to attend induction and ongoing training to support professional development.
Desirable qualities
- Relevant early years work qualification
- Forest school experience
- Experience of administration
- Current DBS on update service
- Competent in using IT to support setting admin such as daily diaries.
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Appropriate child protection training
- Current Paediatric First Aid Certificate
- Food Hygiene Certificate
- Ability to cook simple meals, recipes
Contributing to the settings self-evaluation and action plan.
To apply please email Tracy for an application form
All posts are covered by the Children Act 1989 and are subject to a satisfactory DBS and reference checks and are not open to anyone on the ISA Barred List.