Pre School Early Years Practitioner

St Michael's Pre-School; Dartford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A community pre-school in Dartford seeks a passionate Pre-School Early Years Practitioner to join their dedicated team. The role involves supporting young children's development through creative learning approaches. Ideal candidates will have a Level 3 qualification in Early Years and a commitment to providing high-quality care and education. This is a part-time, permanent position with a pay rate of £12.21 per hour, working 20 hours per week during term time.

Qualifications

• Ability to manage multiple tasks while ensuring children are respected.
• Ability to relate well to children and adults including other professionals.
• Commitment to safeguarding and promoting children's welfare.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the planning of the curriculum to provide educational opportunities.
• Act as a keyworker for a group of children and monitor their progress.
• Encourage parental involvement and ensure activities are properly executed.

Skills

Child-centered approach

Planning effective learning programs

Fluent English

Communication with parents

Team collaboration

Education

Level 3 qualification in Early Years

Job description

St Michael's Pre‑School, Church Hall, 2 High Road, Wilmington. DA2 7EG Registered Charity No. 1035144

07765-024181

Job description: Pre‑School Early Years Practitioner

St Michael's Pre‑School is an Ofsted registered, charitable, pack‑away pre‑school in Wilmington that provides term‑time, sessional, early years education for children aged two to five years. We take pride in providing a safe, stimulating, and nurturing learning environment for our children to develop and grow. Our child‑led ethos allows each of our children to develop at their own pace, develop their own interests and safely explore the world around them.

Job Summary St Michael's Pre‑School is looking for a passionate and knowledgeable Pre‑School Early Years Practitioner, with a child‑centred approach, to join our experienced and devoted team, working together to provide safe, high quality education and care for young children promoting a love of learning.

Job title: Pre‑School Early Years Practitioner

Contract basis: Permanent

Pay: 12.21 per hour

Expected start date: ASAP

Applications by: 2nd Jan 2026

Interview Date: TBA

Responsible to: The Pre‑School Committee and Management Team

Purpose of the job: To work as part of the pre‑school team to provide safe, high quality education and care for young children. To work under the direction of the Preschool Management team and to give support to other personnel within the Setting. To act as a Keyworker to a group of children and support the development and progression of their individual needs. To fulfil legal and statutory requirements.

Please contact St Michael's Pre‑School by email or phone [phone]) to find out more information or request an application form.

Safeguarding requirement:

St Michael's Pre‑School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. It is a requirement of all staff that they share this commitment and follow the prescribed policy and procedures to continuously promote a culture of safeguarding across the whole organisation.

Main duties:

• To assist with the planning of the curriculum by providing safe, creative and appropriate educational opportunities for all children within an inclusive environment, preparing activities, organising programmes and arranging equipment. This includes ensuring key children's next steps are carried out and progression is monitored.
• To act as a keyworker to a group of children, liaising closely with parents/carers to ensure individual needs are met, and to be responsible for observations and record keeping relating to the progress and development of key children (assessment, 2 year check, SEN plans and interventions etc).
• To encourage parental involvement and support through the development of effective working relationships.
• To ensure that activities are carried out in a safe and responsible manner in accordance with statutory, responsibilities, risk assessments are carried out as needed, and to advise the pre‑school manager of any concerns over children, equipment etc.
• To follow all preschool policies, including those regarding safeguarding and confidentiality and ensure you keep up to date with these and have input to how they are written.
• To complete statutory training (EG: safeguarding) and ensure this is kept up to date as well as continuous professional development.
• To ensure that the preschool offers the highest standards of physical and emotional care, health and safety, and personal and food hygiene, at all times.
• To work creatively with children within the EY framework, supported by the preschool management team.
• Daily interaction with children to provide range of stimulating activities to promote all areas of learning.
• Ensure all children have equal access to opportunities to learn and develop.
• Work with range of people including school staff, visiting professionals and agencies, parents, children and families, and visitors and student placements.
• Work requires bending, kneeling and crouching for periods of time and may also involve lifting or holding children during planned activities, and changing nappies/toileting duties.
• Significant elements of inside and outside work, including leading outdoor learning.
• Understanding and being able to implement inclusive practices into the setting, to ensure all children have the opportunity to learn, interact and fulfil their potential.
• Working with the pre‑school manager to establish an appropriate safe and secure learning environment.
• Promoting positive values, attitudes and good child behaviour, dealing promptly with conflict and incidents in line with established policy and encouraging children to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
• Having a positive approach to continuous professional development, be willing to adapt to changes within the EYFS and setting as necessary.
• To actively promote and support the safeguarding of children and young people in the workplace, ensuring Setting policies and procedures are observed at all times.
• To be proactive and flexible, ensuring professionalism and the welfare and learning of the children is paramount.
• To provide an engaging and stimulating approach to children's learning.
• To ensure children's records are kept relevant and up to date, providing evidence of progression and development.
• To ensure time is managed well and have a proactive approach to work.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties, and the post holder will be required to undertake any other reasonable duties discussed and directed by the line manager. The post holder is also expected to be flexible and adaptable in their approach to fulfilling their duties.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Ability to plan effective learning and care programmes either under appropriate supervision and guidance or in collaboration.
• Ability to work independently using own initiative.
• Ability to self‑evaluate learning needs and actively seek learning opportunities.
• Ability to relate well to children and adults including other professionals/carers/parents.
• Ability to demonstrate and promote good practice in line with the ethos of the preschool both indoors and out doors.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, whilst ensuring children, colleagues, parents and carers are respected and listened to.
• Fluent English speaker.
• Effectively communicate with adults and children.
• Good written, verbal and non verbal communication.
• Remain professional and be a good representative of the preschool.
• Be proactive in planning for children to ensure progression (EG: 1:1 time, SALT, age appropriate).
• Proactive and positive team player, able to work constructively as part of a team to understand pre‑school roles and responsibilities and own position within these.
• To have a 'can do' attitude and be willing to be flexible.
• To be trustworthy and ensure positive working relationships are maintained.
• Enthusiasm for learning and working with children.
• Caring, friendly, approachable, open, inclusive, welcoming, and personable.
• Able to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Willingness to participate in other development and training opportunities.
• Kept up to date with training including safeguarding.
• Relevant Level 3 qualification eg. Level 3 Certificate for the Children & Young People's Workforce, NVQ Level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development (CCLD) or equivalent qualifications.

Desirable criteria:

• Proven experience of working with children in an early learning environment, either on placement or in paid employment.
• Experience of working in Early Years in a school environment.
• Experience of working as part of a team.
• Ability to reflect on learning and care needs and use this knowledge to impact on children's outcomes e.g. in planning, procurement of resources, Individual Education Plans (IEPs), communication with parents.
• Experience of working with other agencies and professionals.Knowledge and understanding of the type of external support that is available to support children's development and how to access these services.
• Ability to interact with children and support their involvement in physical activities and outdoor play.
• Consistent approach with children and parents.
• Experience of having kept written records of children's achievements including observations.
• Ability to promote and market the service to the wider community.
• Reflective approach and commitment to personal development.Able to provide consistently high levels of quality care and education opportunities to all children, in pressured and sometimes challenging environments.
• Completion of Safeguarding Awareness course (Group 2).
• Training in the relevant strategies e.g. parenting and/or in particular learning areas, e.g. quality improvement, observation and record keeping, Communication, Language and Literacy, ICT, maths, etc.
• Full working knowledge of relevant policies/codes of practice and awareness of relevant legislation.
• Requirement to participate in training/development as and when identified by line manager as essential for performance of the post.
• Understanding of principles of child development and learning processes and in particular barriers to learning.
• Health & Safety certificate.
• First Aid certificate.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and does require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them.

Additional Details:

• Hours and place of work: In Pre‑school (term time only)
• Monday to Friday 8:30am - 12:30pm (4 hours per day)
• In own time (term time only)
• Total number of hours: 20 hours with the possibility of more hours to cover afternoon sessions.
• Job Types: Part‑time, Permanent
• Pay: 12.21 per hour
• Ability to commute/relocate: Dartford DA2 7EG: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
• Experience: Nursery: 1 year (preferred)Work Location: In person