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Deputy Manager

Main duties and responsibilities:

* To be a good role model to staff, ensuring that best practice is promoted at all times. To support and supervise room staff with their daily duties, including the planning of age-appropriate activities that are reflective of the children’s interests and needs, updating children’s learning records, providing support for intimate care, following policies and procedures, and ensuring that Health and Safety procedures are carried out effectively, including the implementation of cleaning schedules.

* To ensure learning experiences of the highest quality through a range of well-planned play which is enjoyable and challenging, and with opportunities for children to engage in activities planned by adults, as well as child-initiated activities. To ensure that legal ratios are maintained in your room at all times, whilst supporting other rooms in the nursery where necessary.

* To use your initiative to take control of a situation with regard to staff or children if the manager is unavailable. To ensure close supervision of children during all meal times and adhering to the allergy and dietary requirements of all children within the nursery.

* To adhere to task deadlines, and to support room staff with meeting deadlines, including (but not limited to) paperwork, mandatory training, and children’s development folders. To attend appropriate and regular training courses, especially with regard to the EYFS if applicable. These courses may be held out of normal working hours and attendance is expected where reasonable. To be responsible for the organisation of your room, ensuring that policies and procedures are carried out effectively at all times, as well as the implementation of the Early Years Foundation stage (EYFS).

* To ensure a stimulating, attractive and welcoming environment for the children that is reflective of all areas of learning and development, and where children’s work is displayed in order to motivate and encourage their efforts. All wall displays must convey the best possible educational image. To be responsible for supporting children’s transitions, including the completion of the necessary paperwork, and the arrangement of settling in sessions. To attend staff meetings and training sessions as required. This is inclusive of other mandatory events such as Parent’s Evenings.

* To develop, promote and facilitate partnership with parents/carers and other family members, including actively advertising and supporting nursery events, and liaising with them via one-to-one meetings or telephone calls when necessary. To share with and receive from parent’s information about children’s achievements and targets. To implement the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, complying with the statutory framework for the EYFS, as well as any relevant legislation including (but not limited to) The Children’s Act 1989 and 2004.

* To remain up to date with any current developments in childcare and education policies and practices, including (but not limited to) Safeguarding. To lead planning for the EYFS curriculum and maintain accurate and effective children’s records on both their room based files and the electronic system (EYlog). To observe and record what children have achieved by way of written reports, photographs, videos or audio, and by the advice of Ofsted and the Local Authority Early Years Advisors.

* To identify when knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes have been achieved by individual children, and to plan next steps in children’s learning. To ensure effective implementation of key-persons, and that all key-persons understand their role in building relationships with a small group of children and their families.

* To provide high standards of quality within the nursery, including the environment, resources, and experiences offered to children. To reflect on practice and routines, tailoring them to meet the individual needs of each child in your room. To support the development of good practice with regard to special needs and inclusion, and to work alongside other professionals and agencies when needed.

* To ensure that you closely monitor the development tracker for each child, and highlight any gaps or significant delays. These must be brought to the attention of the management team. To ensure that children are kept safe and that staff understand, and when necessary follow, safeguarding procedures. To ensure that Food Safety regulations are complied with at all times.

* To undertake a shared responsibility of cleanliness throughout the nursery, including the cleanliness of bedding, nappy changing areas, and food preparation areas. To ensure room toys and resources are checked, cleaned, and/or sterilised on a regular basis following the Health and Safety policy and guidance, and to assist with the care, maintenance and security of all toys and equipment within the nursery.

* To assist in maintaining the nursery buildings, resources and equipment to a high standard, reporting maintenance or cleaning issues appropriately and promptly.

* To effectively perform intimate care routines which are essential throughout the day to meet children’s basic needs. This may include nappy changing, supporting children with toileting, changing clothes, and giving first aid treatment and specialist medical support, where required. To ensure the general cleanliness of the children at all times.

* To be fully aware of all emergency and security procedures, such as fire precautions, security, dropping off/collecting children.

* To support the Manager and staff during inspections by regulatory bodies, and to assist in the implementation of any recommendations. To adhere to all company policies and procedures, including the company’s Code of Conduct. To undertake any other duties as reasonably requested by the Management team