Deputy Nursery Manager - 2 & 3 years old at St Piran's School

St Piran's School; Thatcham; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

St Piran's School is seeking a Deputy Nursery Class Leader to work closely with the Head of Nursery to promote high-quality early years learning. You will plan and deliver EYFS activities, assess progress, support staff, and build strong relationships with parents to support children's wellbeing.

You will lead in the Head's absence, help manage resources and routines, and contribute to improvement planning while upholding safeguarding and health and safety standards across the nursery.

Qualifications

• Proven highly successful teaching in EYFS.
• Excellent subject knowledge including latest research and practices.
• Ability to plan and teach differentiation for individual learning outcomes.
• Willingness to work with outside agencies and childcare professionals.
• Self-reflective practitioner committed to professional development.
• Emotional intelligence and empathy for others.
• Excellent communication and organisation skills.
• Proven track record of professional conduct.
• Ability to talk with and listen to staff, children and parents.
• Able to work under pressure and manage change.
• Willingness to use IT and media to enable interactive teaching.
• Experience in leading and mentoring others.

Responsibilities

• Support Head of Nursery/Classroom Leader in day-to-day nursery organisation and management.
• Lead the nursery in the absence of Head of Nursery/Classroom Leader.
• Plan, deliver, and evaluate engaging EYFS learning experiences.
• Monitor, assess, and record children's progress; inform planning and next steps.
• Foster inclusive, welcoming environment promoting independence and curiosity.
• Mentor EYPs and support staff; share good practice.
• Build relationships with parents and carers; communicate development and wellbeing.
• Ensure safeguarding, health and safety, and child welfare standards.
• Organise learning environment, resources and routines for learning opportunities.
• Contribute to self-evaluation and improvement planning.
• Attend staff meetings, training, performance management, and school activities.
• Undertake duties as directed by Head of Nursery.

Skills

EYFS teaching

Differentiation

Communication

Mentoring

Team leadership

IT skills

Safeguarding

Education

Level 3+ in Early Years

Paediatric first aid certificate

Recent further qualifications/training

Tools

Tapestry

Online learning journals

Job description

About this Role

The Deputy Nursery Class Leader works collaboratively with colleagues, and parents to promote children's learning, development, and wellbeing whilst helping to maintain high standards of teaching and practice across the nursery.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Nursery/Classroom Leader in the day-to-day organisation and management of the nursery class.
• Lead the nursery in the absence of the Head of Nursery/Classroom Leader, ensuring the smooth running of the provision
• Plan, deliver, and evaluate engaging learning experiences in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and the school's curriculum
• Monitor, assess, and record children's progress, using assessment information to inform future planning and identify next steps in learning
• Foster an inclusive, welcoming, and stimulating learning environment that promotes children's independence, curiosity, and confidence
• Support and model high-quality teaching and learning practices for Early Years Practitioners and support staff.
• Contribute to the mentoring, guidance, and professional development of colleagues within the nursery team.
• Build positive relationships with parents and carers, sharing information about children's learning, development, and wellbeing
• Promote high standards of safeguarding, health and safety, and child welfare.
• Support the effective organisation of the learning environment, resources, and routines to maximise children's learning opportunities
• Contribute to self-evaluation, improvement planning, and the ongoing development of the nursery provision.
• Participate fully in staff meetings, training, performance management, and whole-school activities
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role as reasonably directed by the Head of Nursery

Planning, Teaching, Class Management and Curriculum Development

• Evaluate use of continuous provision and whether there is an appropriate balance of child initiated and adult focused activities to support learning in the EYFS
• Manage deployment of staff by creating and sending out half termly rotas; timetables, planning rotas (in liaison with Head of Nursery)
• Ensure the effective and efficient deployment of classroom support when the Heas of Year is on other duties and that ratios are correct
• Create itineraries of stock within the department to ensure purposeful and required purchases and liaise with Head of Year
• Manage and plan for yearly events in collaboration with the Head of Nursery
• Attend and contribute to half termly focus curriculum meetings and, on occasion lead Nursery team meetings
• To lead outdoors provision and liaise with Head of Nursery with new initiatives and ideas

Monitoring, Assessment, Recording, Reporting

• Overview Practitioner's feedback for pupils and set targets and next steps for individual progress, when appropriate do so
• To support EYPs when creating Individual Support Plans for children requiring intervention
• To mentor EYPs in line with EYFS teaching, ILP, assessments and CofEL
• Monitor children's wellbeing and involvement- Leuven Scales
• Performance Reviews and Supervisions of LTPA in the Nursery dept with Head of Nursery/Classroom Leader

Whole school/Other

• Be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection; health and safety; confidentiality; and data protection and report all concerns to appropriate person
• Cooperate with other staff to ensure a sharing and effective usage of resources to benefit of the school, department and students
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure that the school's equalities and diversity policies are followed
• Show a commitment to work outside directed time when required
• Develop personally and professionally through reflection and development of own practice through professional development programmes and own reading, keeping abreast of new initiatives
• Assist the Head of Nursery/Classroom Leader with preparing for and attending parent meetings
• Attend termly performance partnership meetings
• Prepare and record in advance of termly supervision meetings with the Head of Nursery
• Attend all whole school meetings and Inset training days

Person Specification and Job Qualifications

Essential

Desirable

Experience

• Proven highly successful teaching experience in EYFS
• Excellent subject knowledge, which includes latest research, ideas and projects
• An understanding and ability to plan and teach expert differentiation for individual learning and outcomes
• Willingness to work with outside agencies and childcare professionals
• Self-reflective practitioner, who is ambitious for their own professional development
• Emotional intelligence and empathy for those around them
• Excellent communication and organisation skills
• A proven record of excellent professional conduct
• The ability to talk with and listen to others - staff, children and parents
• Works well under pressure
• Flexibility to approach and manage change effectively
• Confident use of IT and media to enable interactive teaching
• Evidence of leading and mentoring other people

Qualifications

• Level 3 or above in Early Years
• Evidence of recent additional educational qualifications/relevant training
• Current Paediatric first aid certificate

Safeguarding

• Up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation to working with, and the protection of children and young people
• Commitment to the protection and safeguarding of children and young people

Knowledge

• A thorough understanding of what constitutes high quality in EYFS educational provision, the characteristics of effective learning and strategies for raising standards and outcomes for EYFS children
• An extensive knowledge and understanding of how to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and good behaviour through effective management and leadership
• Experience of curriculum planning, assessing and recording
• A commitment to continuous professional development for themselves and others in the team
• Ability to use and monitor on-line learning journals, especially Tapestry