Assistant Nursery Manager

Our rapidly expanding and outstanding Little Lambs Nursery is where many
children begin their journey with SVPS. Little Lambs provides a happy,
warm, stimulating and secure learning environment for our children. From
the moment children come in the door, every child receives a warm
individual welcome from our friendly team, which we believe creates an
enthusiasm for learning and for each day ahead.

The Nursery operates with an ethos of learning through play which
encourages children to combine both structured learning experiences and
their natural inclination to play, explore and question, to develop into
young boys and girls, ready for the challenges that growing up will bring.

Our staff aim to meet the individual needs of our children, giving them the
social skills and confidence they need in these formative years and
providing them with a sound platform for transition into school life, be that
in Pre-Prep or elsewhere.

Little Lambs Nursery operates all year round, with some children only
attending during School term time. We offer both full-day and half-day
sessions for children from two to four years of age. The Nursery does close
briefly between Christmas and New Year to allow families to be together.

Topics and activities change according to the time of year, but a daily
routine of learning from the Early Years framework consisting of seven
areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical
Development; Communication and Language; Literacy; Mathematics;
Understanding the World; and Expressive Arts and Design.

We are lucky enough to have our very own Forest School on-site where
children immerse themselves in our natural surroundings and exercise their
imaginations. Our extensive gardens and grounds provide endless
opportunities for activities outside in the fresh air and we have ample
outdoor toys for the Nursery children to enjoy, including sandpits,
water-play equipment and a mud kitchen amongst many other spaces to
explore.

Reporting to the Nursery Manager, the Assistant Manager will assist in overseeing
the day-to-day running of the Nursery, including developing the pastoral
provision, assessing individual progress, professional development of staff, and
developing and implementing policies.

The Assistant Nursery Manager works a 40 hour week Monday to Friday
throughout the year. The Nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.00pm. The Assistant
Manager will work flexibly with the Manager to ensure all hours are covered.

The annual holiday entitlement is five weeks, in addition to Public Holidays. The
salary is circa £27,000 per annum. Holidays are to be taken during School term
times.

This post would suit someone who has been a senior practitioner or room leader.
There will be lots of opportunities for CPD in all areas of managing a Nursery.

• Hold minimum Level 3 Childcare qualification or above;

• Have a minimum of 3 years’ experience within a childcare setting;

• Have a great passion for child development and learning and ability to

• Experience of working in a supervisory or team leading role and as a Room

• Good knowledge of the EYFS statutory framework and compliance matters,

• Good knowledge of child protection and safeguarding;

• Knowledge and proven practical experience of implementing good quality

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;

• Excellent planning, organising and time management skills, with experience

• To provide input to Nursery planning and to carry out and evaluate

• Work as a Room Leader and a Keyworker within the Nursery;
• Monitor, assess, record and report on children’s development and

progress to the Manager and or parents and plan and direct observations
to be made by staff using Famly;

• In conjunction with the Manager, plan and mentor staff training and

• Support with the provision of food and beverages to a high standard;
• Together with the Nursery Manager, share the role of DSL and undertake

training to be able to perform this role effectively and advise other DSL’s
as appropriate of any safeguarding concerns over children and liaise with
external agencies when necessary;

• Ensure the safety and security of children in the Nursery and staff on duty

• Have a knowledge of health and safety procedures and ensure up to date

• Carry out ongoing cleaning of the Nursery equipment and ensure the

• Assist with staffing arrangements for all sessions to comply with statutory

• Supervise and support other staff members in their duties including

• Hold a current paediatric first aid certificate and food hygiene certificate,

To work with the Head of Pre-Prep and Nursery Manager in the smooth running
of the Nursery, delivering a flexible, high quality education and care to meet the
needs of the children and their families; take responsibility for managing the
team in the absence of the Manager.

• Provide an environment that showcases the Vision and Ethos of the

• Attend to the needs of the children at the Nursery whilst they are in our

• Promote the work and image of the School by always maintaining high

• Complete registration and sessional booking in conjunction with the

• Meet regularly with the Nursery Manager to discuss admissions, staff

• Promote positive images for all children in the Nursery’s care by

• Be familiar with the aims and standards for learning in use at the Nursery

• Comply with all School’s policies and procedures, including child

To apply, complete the application and monitoring form and email it with a
covering letter to hradmin@svs.org.uk or post it for the attention of the Assistant
Bursar, Sutton Valence School, North Street, Sutton Valence, Kent ME17 3HL.

Candidates will only be considered, in the absence of good reason, if a fully
completed application form has been submitted; CVs will not be accepted in
substitution. Accompanying letters of application should state what particular
skills and attributes you can bring to Sutton Valence School, brief details of how
you fit the position, including specific details of skills, experience and
achievements, and details of any interests and hobbies.

Applicants will be required to undergo child protection screening appropriate to
the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring
Service (DBS), and a declaration of medical fitness. It is an offence to apply for this
role if the applicant is barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to
children.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
A copy of the School’s Child Protection policy may be found on the School’s
website, which all applicants are expected to read prior to interview.

Do not meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and
people of colour are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single
qualification. At SVS we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive
workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience does not
align perfectly with every qualification or experience in the information provided,
we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this
or other roles.

Please note: we reserve the right to appoint prior to the closing date.

Sutton Valence School is an equal opportunities employer.

Benefits to Working at SVS
Pension
The School operates a contributory pension scheme which is open to all members of
staff. Support Staff are offered the opportunity to join a defined contribution (DC)
scheme, and currently offer two levels of contribution. With Option One, the
employee contributes five per cent of their salary, and the School contributes three
per cent. With Option Two, the employee contributes seven per cent and the
School contributes fourteen per cent.

Fee Remission
All staff with a contract for at least one full term and have children who attend either
the Senior or Preparatory School will be eligible to receive a discount in respect of
School fees (excluding the Nursery). The current rate of discount is 65 per cent for
full-time staff, and for part-time staff the relevant percentage will be calculated on a
pro rata basis.

School Meals
All staff are provided with excellent lunches with no charge.

Free Parking
Both the Senior and Preparatory School sites have free, ample parking available for
staff. Both sites have accessible parking bays.

Electric Vehicle Scheme
All staff are offered the opportunity to purchase an Electric Vehicle (EV) as part of
an HMRC approved Salary Sacrifice scheme; Octopus Electric Vehicle. Basically this
is much like a cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles. You give up some of your
gross monthly pay for a new EV, and can save up to 40% on the monthly cost

Benenden Healthcare Membership
All staff are welcome to join the Benenden Healthcare Scheme. The cost of
joining Benenden is currently £11.90 per month; the School pays up to 80 per
cent of contributions, based upon length of service. Further Information is
available from the Bursary.

Fitness Facilities
All staff may use the Senior School’s fitness facilities at designated times.
These facilities include an indoor, heated, six-lane swimming pool, a fully
equipped air-conditioned Strength and Conditioning Suite, and a
Cardiovascular Suite, as well as a large sports hall available for a multitude of
sports.

Community and Environment
We are very proud of the positive and supportive community we have and staff
often comment on this being one of the best aspects of working at SVS. This,
coupled with a beautiful physical environment both at School and in the
immediate vicinity, make it a highly desirable place to work.

Free Parking
Both the Senior and Preparatory School sites have free, ample parking available
for staff. Both sites have allocated accessible bays.

Press Reader
The School has a subscription to Press Reader which allows anyone on the SVS
networks access to over 7,000 news publications from across the world in
different languages.

Sutton Valence School consists of Little Lambs Nursery, Sutton Valence
Preparatory School (SVPS) and Sutton Valence School (SVS). Little Lambs Nursery is
located on the same site as Sutton Valence Preparatory School, in the village of
Chart Sutton.

SVPS currently has 292 pupils between the ages of 2 and 11. The School is a
member of the Independent Association of Prep School (IAPS). Typically, there are
two classes per year group from Reception onwards. The majority of pupils
proceed to SVS or local grammar schools.

SVPS provide opportunities for children to develop and flourish in each of the four
areas that SVPS holds dear: Academic, Enrichment, Community and Leadership,
and Service. At the same time, the School is acutely aware that childhood is
something to be treasured and children are encouraged to enjoy the many magic
moments that are a part of daily life at SVPS.

SVS is an independent, HMC co-educational day and boarding school, and is
located in the neighbouring village of Sutton Valence. The roll at SVS is currently
584 pupils between the ages of 11 and 18 of which 120 are boarders. Class sizes
are small and the overall pupil-staff ratio of 9:1 enables SVS pupils benefit from
the close guidance and individual attention of teachers. The academic staff are all
highly qualified subject specialists. Contained within the 100-acre site there are
excellent games pitches, a superb all-weather playing surface and a sports centre
that contains a state of the art fitness suite. The School has a fine musical tradition
and a flourishing drama department.

Individuality, confidence without arrogance and the strength of character to meet
the complexities of modern living with equanimity are the hallmarks of a Sutton
Valence pupil.

Much factual information about the School can be gleaned from its literature and
website, from directories and league tables, but none of these quite conveys the
sense of purpose, optimism and inclusion, which exists among the staff and pupils.
There is no substitute for a visit!

Sutton Valence Preparatory School

Church Road

Chart Sutton

ME17 3RF

www.svs.org.uk

A member of The United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation.
Registered Charity No 1181012