Nursery Practitioner

We currently have a level 3 qualified Nursery Practitioner role advertised. This position is to work within our pre school room (3 to 4 years old) team with a group of up to 16 children, preparing our children and ensuring they are ready for the transition to school.

All Practitioners are expected to -

1. Maintain a high standard of care for every child.

2. To be aware of all needs of the children who attend the nursery and encourage their development in every area.

3. To be aware of local and government safeguarding legislation and be aware of how to escalate any concerns as necessary.

4. Plan activities using Birth to Five Matters curriculum as guidance to ensure your key children have effective Individual Development Maps that link to planning and provide observations recording their development.

5. To ensure key children's Learning Journeys are kept up to date and regularly reviewed. In conjunction with this work with the parent to ensure they understand the relevance of the Learning Journey and the importance of the input they have in them.

Our fantastic Staff Day Nursery is based in the grounds of Kingston Hospital and provides day care for children, aged 3 months to 4 years, whose parents/carers are employed by Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Please ensure that you have read the job description and person specification and that your supporting statement reflects these, as your application will be assessed and scored against these criteria.

If this raises a smile and you can say yes to most of these questions, you might be just the person we are looking for!

Do you possess the magic and sparkle that makes every child feel special?

Can you pretend to be a cat or a Prince at the drop of a hat, while eating a birthday cake made of mud?

Can you read a story and sing in front of a varied audience big or small?

Can you wipe a nose, give a cuddle and clean a table whilst helping a little person put on their slippers?

Would you be happy to be seen in public wearing playdough, lunch, slime, cornflour, paint, mud or the unknown on your uniform?

Do you enjoy reading The Gruffalo with the assistance of numerous little people who quiz you about every sentence?

Would you enjoy exploring our local environment with the children, which may include getting wet and muddy?

Do you have a heightened sense of smell that can seek out a smelly nappy at 20 paces and a cast iron tummy that can manage the whiff when changing it?

Do you have the ability to count small, fast moving little people?

If this sounds like the perfect job for you, we look forward to receiving your application.

What makes Honey Bees Nursery a great place to work? You'll be joining a fantastic team of experienced Nursery Practitioners who are passionate about delivering a high level of childcare and education to the children we care for. We're based onsite at Kingston Hospital, so we only look after children whose parents work at the hospital. This unique setting allows us to become fully immersed in the hospital community, with both our staff and children actively participating in hospital events and initiatives. Our focus is on providing rich learning experiences for our children. From exploring local parks like Richmond Park and Hampton Court to exciting adventures in London, we believe in creating opportunities for growth and development. We encourage your creativity and welcome your ideas to enhance our children's learning experience.

Our last Ofsted rating in February 2024 was a solid 'Good', with the inspector stating " Children are confident and happy in this extremely nurturing environment. The home-from-home feel and the strong relationships children have with staff help them to thrive at nursery and feel emotionally secure.

If you're looking for truly satisfying work, in an nursery that prioritises the children's needs and supports their team in a friendly and fun environment, with leadership that operates with an "open door policy", encouraging the team to share and develop ideas, please get in touch, we'd love to tell you more about working with us.

Essential: - Minimum level 3 qualification in child care and education. (NNEB, NVQ 3 in C&E, CACHE 3 etc)

Desirable: - First Aid Course; - Food Hygiene

Essential: - Minimum 1 years recent experience of working with children between the ages of 3 months to 5 years.(within the past 9 months). For newly qualified staff this can include placements

Essential: - Good organisational, record keeping and planning skills; - Excellent communication skills, with children, colleagues, advisors and parents/carers; - Empathy with children, colleagues and parents/carers.; - A positive approach to inclusive practice, with children and colleagues.

Essential: - Sound knowledge of child development and current legislation and guidance relating to this; - Comprehensive knowledge of child development.; - Knowledge of safeguarding. Signs to be aware of in relation to safeguarding children, who and how these need to be to escalated or reported to.

Desirable: - Knowledge of the safer sleeping guidance and how this impacts on a setting.

Essential: - Enthusiasm and passion for working with young children; - A commitment to the provision of high quality childcare