Early Years Educator Apprentice

 Reporting to:                      Nursery Manager

 Contract:                             Apprenticeship – 19 months

Ark Start is about so much more than childcare 

Our dedicated team work together to ensure that every child has a joyful, engaging and secure nursery experience and leaves us ready to start school happily and confidently. We are driven by our values in everything we do: Aim High, Be Brave, Be Kind and Keep Learning.

Ark Start is at an exciting time in its evolution. We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for young children and with the skill, creativity, commitment and energy to deliver excellent provision at Ark Start.

Learning and wellbeing

We are committed to providing the best development for all our staff. We work hard to ensure there are clear career progression routes.

Staff wellbeing is important to us. We know that working in a nursery can be challenging and work hard to ensure staff have the support, opportunities and infrastructure they need.

We offer

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays. 
• 11% pension contribution
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career as part of the wider Ark family, including a variety of training sessions and experiences designed to meet your needs. We also include five paid training days per year.
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans of up to £5,000 available for season tickets or a bicycle and gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym 

Early Educator Job Description

Purpose of post:

• To ensure a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for all children in their care
• To ensure all children are safeguarded and their welfare and safety is promoted
• To provide an enabling environment in which all children can play, learn and develop
• To have the skill, creativity, commitment, energy and enthusiasm required for leading room practice

• To promote the aims and objectives of the nursery
• To promote the high standards of the nursery at all times to parents, staff and visitors
• To follow the nursery safeguarding procedure to ensure all children are kept safe, well and secure
• To ensure the provision of high standards of physical and emotional care
• To work with families and parents / carers
• Undertake required domestic jobs within the nursery as required
• Participate fully in team meetings and training
• Read, understand and adhere to all policies and procedures within the nursery
• Ensure good standards of safety, hygiene and cleanliness are maintained
• Washing and changing children when required
• Ensure mealtimes are pleasant social experience and feed back to parents on any issues
• Ensure poorly children are tended to and parents informed immediately
• To provide cover when required
• To undertake any other duties as determined by the management

Early applications are encouraged; we reserve the right to close this vacancy if we find the right candidate. 

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people; all successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

• Annual leave: We are proud of our staff and want everyone to feel valued for playing their part. That’s why staff receive 25 days holiday each year, excluding bank holidays
• Wellbeing: Staff wellbeing is incredibly important to us. We know that while incredibly rewarding, working in a nursery can be challenging. We therefore work hard to ensure all staff have the support and infrastructure they need to take care of their wellbeing
• Part of a Network: Ark Start is part of Ark, a charity that aims to transform children’s lives through education. Ark operates a network of 39 schools across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth, and Hastings as well as a number of charitable ventures. Being part of a network means our staff get access to the opportunities, infrastructure, and support of a large organisation.

Our dedicated team work together to ensure that every child has a joyful, engaging, and secure nursery experience and leaves us ready to start school happily and confidently. We are driven by our values in everything we do: Aim High, Be Brave, Be Kind and Keep Learning.

Ark Start is at an exciting time in its evolution. We opened two nurseries in South London last year and aim to expand our reach over the coming years. As we expand, we are looking for Early Childhood Educator to join our founding team. We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for young children and with the skill, creativity, commitment, and energy to deliver excellent provision at Ark Start.