Nursery Practitioner

• Location: Auchlone Nature Kindergarten, Auchlone Lodge, Abercairney Estate, By Crieff, PH7 3QZ
• Hours: 40
• Salary: minimum £8.00 per hour depending upon experience

About Auchlone

Auchlone Nature Kindergarten is an award winning early years centre for 2 to 5 year olds based near Crieff, Perthshire. As a nature kindergarten we follow the underlying philosophy as defined by our owner Claire Warden in her book Nature Kindergartens and Forest Schools. At Auchlone we spend over 80% of our time outdoors, but being a nature kindergarten is so much more than that: whether we are inside, outside or beyond we consider how the natural world can be used to support learning.

We are currently recruiting for a nursery practitioner to join our hardworking team. The ideal candidate will:

• Be dedicated to providing the best learning and childcare possible for 2 to 5 year olds;
• Have a love of nature and everything outdoors, and will love being outdoors in all types of weather with children throughout the four seasons;
• Be proactive and take initiative throughout their work;
• Work well in a small and close-knit team.

What we can offer you:

• Competitive salary;
• The opportunity to work at an award winning centre which is internationally recognised for its outstanding work with children in nature;
• A supportive team-centric environment;
• Opportunities to work with the international and charitable arms of Mindstretchers and Living Classrooms;
• Continuous professional development with the parent organisation Mindstretchers as and when you require or desire it;
• Opportunities to get involved with the training side of the organisation through developing training courses;
• You will get the opportunity to work with the creators of the Talking and Thinking Floorbooks Approach® and will be able to help develop the approach by providing ideas, feedback and case studies.

Job Purpose:

To provide the highest standard of day care for children aged 2 years to 5 years old, including evaluating their development, supporting children’s play-based learning in an outdoor environment, ensuring the children’s personal needs are met at all times and to ensure that the facility meets required standards as laid down by Scottish Care Inspectorate (SCSWIS)

Principal Accountabilities:

• Provide the highest standard of day care and support the daily running and administration of the day (for example: daily planner, individual learning files of children within your key worker group);
• Ensure the health, safety and security of the children at all times. Ensure children are collected by someone known to the nursery and that good standards of hygiene and safety are maintained;
• Develop the children’s abilities to form positive relationships with other children and adults, enabling them to learn and play cooperatively while increasing their confidence and realising their potential;
• To establish and maintain positive relationships with children and their families in a way that values parental involvement;
• To provide a service that respects children’s life experiences and celebrates diversity in terms of language, culture, ability, race and religion;
• To work effectively as part of a team;
• To work within the agreed framework of policies and procedures within the Centre, as well as the local authority for Auchlone – Perth and Kinross Council;
• Be flexible within working practices of the nursery. Be prepared to help where needed including undertaking domestic jobs such as the preparation of snack meals, lighting the wood stove, washing dishes, cleaning equipment, putting out rubbish, etc;
• To help and support students/volunteers on placement;
• Ensure that Child Protection policies and procedures are adhered to at all times;
• Undertake First Aid training and Food Hygiene training as required;
• To be responsible for nursery resources and report loss/damage or low stock levels to the manager;
• To attend and participate in staff and wider company meetings, planning and development days;
• To act as an ambassador for the organisation and maintain a positive image of its aims and objectives;
• To support wider company activities, such as study tours and marketing campaigns;
• Such other duties temporarily or on a continuing basis, as may reasonably be required.

Experience:

• nursery: 1 year (Required)

Licence:

• First Aid (Preferred)
• Driver's Licence (Required)