Senior Early Childhood Practitioner, The Community School of Auchterarder - PKC11373

Job Description

Senior Early Childhood Practitioner - PKC11373
£30,727 - £33,843 (Whole Year working)
The Community School of Auchterarder

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Senior Early Childhood Practitioner to join our Nursery leadership team on a permanent basis.  

We are seeking a highly qualified and skilled Senior Early Childhood Practitioner (SECP) with expertise in early childhood learning and development, to join our leadership team at The Community School of Auchterarder nursery.

As a part of the leadership team, the role is to work alongside the Principal ECP to provide effective organisation and leadership of the nursery, to ensure high quality care and education, responding to the individual needs of our children and families.

You will take a lead role for the nursery team including when the nursery is open out with school hours.

There will be quality assurance responsibilities and you will also assist in the delivery of high-quality play and learning and the continued professional development for our staff team.

You will lead on supporting children who face disadvantages and reinforce the ambition to close the attainment gap, whilst promoting inclusion and participation.

This is a full-time role, working 36 hours per week over 5 days, throughout the whole year (full-time, full year contract).

Our setting is an extended years 45 week setting.  You will be required to work a shift pattern with a second SECP.  Early shift - 7.48am – 3.30pm. Late shift – Monday, Friday 9am - 4.42pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10.30am – 6.12pm.  This is rotated weekly and subject to change with the needs of the setting.

You will be required to work Good Friday and Easter Monday if needed. Annual leave will be required to be taken when the setting is closed.

About the School

The Community School of Auchterarder is an all-through school, comprising Nursery, Primary and Secondary departments serving the community of Auchterarder and surrounding district. 
We have a roll of approximately 1,100 children and young people across all three sectors.  The nursery setting is an 80-place setting, working on an extended years 45-week model. 

The school is situated in a rural location, approximately 14 miles south of Perth with good road networks to the rest of Perthshire, Glasgow, Edinburgh and the central belt. Our Associated Primary Schools are Aberuthven, Blackford and Dunning.

Our school motto is ‘Strive to Excel’ and, working together, we encourage all children and young people to aspire to be the best they can be.

Our aim is to build a community of learners who are:
Happy
Engaged
Ambitious
Respectful
Trustworthy.

The Community School of Auchterarder, at the HEART of our community.

The Individual

You must have SNNB/HNC/SVQ 3 in Childcare/Education or equivalent and be able to evidence additional studies e.g. PDA or modules from a relevant degree and have a commitment to work towards a qualification to allow registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a Lead Practitioner i.e BA Childhood Practice, within SSSC timescales.

You must be able to work on your own initiative and as a team member who directly contributes to and supports colleagues in the development of a flexible early learning and childcare service.

You must operate in a manner appropriate to the needs of young children and their families in the setting and its surrounding community, within the context of authority and nursery policies and procedures.

You will have responsibilities for self-evaluation, improvement planning, monitoring and quality assurance across the setting.

We are proud of the very strong relationships we have with community practices and so a role in our setting will require you to collaborate with other professionals on a daily basis.

If you would like any more information regarding this vacancy, please contact Rebecca Mee, Principal ECP at RMee@pkc.gov.uk or on .

When completing your application for this post, please ensure that you provide contact details (including e-mail addresses) for two referees.  One should be your current or most recent employer.

Please APPLY ONLINE.  Facilities are available at all public libraries in Perth and Kinross.  If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments, please call to discuss.

As part of our safer recruitment measures, any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of mandatory checks including eligibility to work in the UK, Disclosure Scotland or PVG, qualifications, references, and fitness to undertake the post.  This may also include an Overseas Criminal Records Check if you have spent time living overseas.

A healthy work life balance is important to Perth & Kinross Council and we provide supportive management and flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a healthy work life balance.  You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Some jobs may have been traditionally carried out predominately by one gender, but we would encourage you to apply if you meet the requirements, irrespective of your gender. 

Perth & Kinross Council welcomes applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists.  Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

At PKC our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer.  In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.  Find out more about PKC and you could soon be joining our team!

Find out more about working for Perth & Kinross Council and living in one of the most scenic areas of Scotland  Jobs, careers and employment.

What we can do for you

If you are successful in a role with Perth & Kinross Council, you will have access to a range of benefits to help your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.