Name of Employer: Mottingham Hall for Children
Job Title: Forest School Leader.
Closing Date: 31/12/19
Salary: £26,000
Location: Mottingham South East London – SE9 4RW
Hours: 08:00 – 17:00
How to Apply: Email CV to: Mottinghamhallforchildren@btconnect.com
Requirements: Forest School level 3 qualification and at least 1 years experience
Job Description: Head Of Outdoor Learning & Woodland Events Coordinator
Main Purpose: Assist Nursery Manager in the daily running of the setting to achieve quality performances consistently and continuously with the aim of maintaining high quality standard of care and education in accordance with statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Ensure High standards are maintained and children’s individual needs are met consistently and effectively.
Liaison with Heads of Organisation in relation to any matters concerning the Outdoor practice as a whole including current and future development plans, recruitment, budgets and expenditure, attending regular meetings to discuss matters arising. Attendance at ready for school evenings.
Responsible to: All managers and directors.
Job role and responsibilities: Support to ensure the setting is consistently, continuously and effectively meeting all requirements under the Statutory Framework for the Early Years – Foundation Stage supporting and working with the nursery manager to achieve that aim. Ensure robust understanding/compliance with Forest School handbook, responsible to review and update the forest school handbook regularly.
Safeguarding: Safeguarding, child protection and children’s welfare is at the heart of all we do at nursery. Comply with all safeguarding practices, policies and procedures ensuring your training and update of any changes in this connection are continuously and consistently monitored to ensure your role is effective. You will be the 4th deputy designated person and part of the MHFC safeguarding team. You will attend regular training and support the review of Safeguarding policy.
You will be the lead co-ordinator for special education needs, supporting the teams knowledge and understanding, leading training and providing the organisation with updates. You will liaise with managers, directors and other professionals where any referrals are necessary.
Security: Key holder responsibility to ensure the premises remain secure at all times.
Policy and procedure: Have an exceptionally robust understanding of, adherence to and promote all policies and procedures including Forest School policies and procedures. Monitor and support all others with their understanding. You are required to contribute to and support the annual policy review.
Health and safety: Ensure compliance with all Health & Safety Policy and procedures by anyone entering nursery premises and conducting regular monitoring and review to ensure practices are consistent and effective. Ensure all accidents are recorded and monitored and where necessary fully investigated. You must complete daily woodland site checks and ensure tools are kept safe and stored appropriately. First aid training must be current and you must hold a specific outdoor first aid training certificate. It is your responsibility to ensure those you are working with in the outdoors are aware of their personal responsibilities in relation to keeping themselves and the children safe. It is essential that any concerns regarding any of the trees are reported to the directors and ‘down to earth trees. You will need to be competent to make the decision whether or not to hold forest school sessions or cancel.
Learning and development:
- Lead and monitor the effectiveness of Forest School programme in line with the EYFS and statutory framework.
- Ensure that you are empowering/supporting the understanding of the importance to create a cultural capital.
- Support, promote and role model outstanding practices to the team. Monitor consistency by conducting regular individual and group observations and using other strategies to measure performance and outcomes. Includes reviewing individual and outdoor team practices, introducing new initiatives. Conduct monthly outdoor audits.
- Staff team supervision and performance:
- Ensure equal opportunities and diversity is strongly reflected in all aspects of practice and is reflective of our own Earth values and the fundamental British values.
- Monitor and review inductions with new members of the outdoor team.
- Conduct regular monitoring of all outdoor staff performance using systems previously described dealing with any inconsistencies promptly, effectively and ensuring all paper records are kept and updated.
- Carry out regular 1:1s for members of the outdoor team.
- Lead the Forest School provision through any regulatory inspection including Ofsted. Evaluate results and action any matters arising. Support and lead any outdoor awards and accreditations.
Professional development of self and others:
- Ensure you are always fully up to date in your knowledge of all matters concerning compliance with legislation and any changes in legislation. Ensure any training is organised and attended to support your knowledge and understanding.
- Relationships with parent families and agencies Ensure that there is a professionally consistent, competent and effective liaison at all times with families and support agencies. Attend open days and other events. Initiate new family event ideas. It is your responsibility to conduct tours of woodland for prospective clients.
- It is your responsibility to plan and lead all weekend woodland events and to ensure these are planned for well in advance. You may need to be responsible for handling and storing cash collected at these events and ensure that families understand how to keep themselves safe in the woodland. Any weekend hours worked will be owed back to you in toil.
- Formulate regular Woodlands Newsletter and input to Calendar of Events with Directors and Senior Management team.
- Ensure there are regular and effective communications with local community, Fairmount Nursing Home, schools and colleges including any monitoring of students and work experience programmes.
The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your changing role within the Organisation and the overall business objectives of the Organisation.
