Benchmark Role Profile for Early Years Practitioner
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
RECRUITMENT ROLE PROFILE FORM
Job Title:
Early Years Practitioner
School/Department:
Registrar’s Department, Student Operations & Support Division,
Childcare Services
Salary:
Job Family and Level:
Childcare Services, Level 1
Contract Status:
Hours of Work:
Location:
Reporting to:
The Purpose of the Role:
To provide high quality care and education to children using our services, acting as a
keyworker to a named group of children.
Main Responsibilities
1.
Key-work children, developing relationship with child and carers, undertaking
developmental assessments, gathering evidence through formative and summative
assessment, individual planning for children in accordance with their specific needs,
conducting and recording observations, providing information (written and verbal) for
parents and conducting parent meetings. Where applicable, undertaking the 2 year
old development review in accordance with EYFS requirements.
2.
To prepare, implement, review of activities on 1-1, small/large groups, indoors and
outdoors, working in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage and Childcare
Services principles of care, achieving an appropriate balance (in accordance with the
needs and age group of children being cared for) of adult led and child initiated
activities. To work as a member of the team in the overall planning for the unit for
example, sharing information about the needs of specific children that informs the
development of the environment plan.
3.
To provide for children’s individual care needs including promoting self-help skills,
assisting children in maintaining good personal hygiene standards (e.g., nappy
changing, potty training, care of skin/clothing/hair), administering first aid &
medication where required, ensuring all staff in contact with the child are aware of
any special dietary needs (e.g., allergies, parental preferences, religious
requirements) and completing all associated paperwork (e.g., administration of
medication form, accident forms, risk assessments for special dietary needs).
4.
To ensure children are kept safe at all times including supervision of children at play,
facilitating learning, ensuring environment and equipment are safe, supporting
children in resolving conflict situations and providing assistance to children as and
when required. To participate in and follow risk assessments for the environment,
working as a member of a team and informing the SEYP of any identified hazards and
risks to children.
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Benchmark Role Profile for Early Years Practitioner
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
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To lead on specific projects and/or specific areas of the curriculum, developing
expertise as required in these areas and leading on the delivery of staff development
activities relating to these specific responsibilities.
To carry out administrative and domestic duties associated with the care of children
(e.g., laundry, cleaning of tables/equipment/sleep mats, setting up lunch/tea tables,
completing children’s registers, logging room temperatures, recording accidents, and
replenishing supplies such as filling up paint tubs).
To participate in and contribute to own appraisal/reviews/supervision/team meetings/
staff meetings/on-the-job coaching and internal/external development activities and
peer observations to ensure performance is at required standard, that there is clarity
of role and expectations and working as a member of the team to continuously
improve performance of the team as a whole.
To provide on the job support and guidance to students on placement (including
childcare students, social work students, nursing students, work experience students)
to enable students to achieve outcomes specified for the placement and gain an
understanding of the needs of young children and ways of meeting them.
Any other duties appropriate to the grade and role of the post holder in accordance
with Childcare Services Policy and Procedure Guide and University policies and
procedures.
This job description may be subject to revision following discussion with the person
appointed and forms part of the contract of employment.
Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications & Experience
Essential
Qualifications/
 Graduate in the field of Early
Education
Years (course must have
contained an element of assessed
practice and evidence of this will
need to be produced) OR
 Early Years Professional Status
OR
 QTS Foundation Stage/Key Stage
1 OR
 DfE recognised L3 or equivalent
qualification in early years AND
be studying towards FdA in early
years or early years degree.
Skills/Training
 A sound understanding of the new
Early Years Foundation Stage,
ability to analyse information and
data to inform practice.


A thorough understanding of child
development to degree level, and
the application of this knowledge
in undertaking
observations/planning/evaluation
of learning.
Excellent oral and written
communication skills
(demonstrated by a minimum
GCSE English grade C or
equivalent).
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Desirable
 Early Years Professional status
 QTS (Foundation Stage/Key
Stage 1) or equivalent.

Paediatric first aid.

Food hygiene certificate L2, or
equivalent.

Health and safety certificate
L2, or equivalent.

Attendance at child related
courses for example,
safeguarding children, special
educational needs, CAF
awareness, Early Years
Foundation Stage.
Benchmark Role Profile for Early Years Practitioner
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
Experience
Statutory/Legal

Ability to remain calm under
pressure.

Good active listening skills.

Ability to work well both
independently as well as within a
team environment.
Experience of undertaking
recorded and unrecorded
observations of children, analysing
those observations and using this
information to inform individual
development plans for children
ensuring that their needs are
being met.


Experience in the application of
behaviour management
strategies, managing children on a
1-1 basis, small and large group.

Experience in providing quality
play and learning activities,
supervising children, using higher
order strategies and skills to
extend children’s understanding/
skill, ability to engage children in
sustained shared thinking and
possibility thinking.

Experience of producing and an
understanding of what makes an
effective display.

Experience in working as a
member of a team in delivering
services to children and their
families.

Experience of working in a child
Centred, including an enthusiasm
and energy for working with
young children
Satisfactory Enhanced DBS
disclosure (renewable every 3
years).


Satisfactory Occupational Health
check

Registered with ISA (when
applicable)
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
Experience of providing
childcare and education in
group setting environment
with children under 5 years of
age.

Experience of working with
children for who English is an
additional language.

Experience of working with
children who have
additional/special needs.
Benchmark Role Profile for Early Years Practitioner
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
Because of the nature of the work for which you are applying, this post is exempted from the
provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by virtue of the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Candidates are therefore, not entitled to withhold information about convictions, which for
other purposes are “spent” under the provisions of the Act, and in the event of employment
any failure to disclose such convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the
University. Any information given will be strictly confidential and will be considered only in
relation to an application for positions to which the Order applies.
Decision Making:
i) Taken independently
 Adapting activity to the individual needs of a child.
 Feedback provided to parents in home books or on drop off/collection about their child and
in parent meetings.
 Advice to parents on childcare issues (e.g. potty training, feeding, sleep routines, preparing
for transition to school, preparing for the arrival of a new sibling, behaviour management
techniques).
ii) In collaboration with others
 Changes to routine according to specific needs/numbers of children in attendance and
factors should as weather conditions affecting aspects of routine such as outdoor play.
 Topic plans.
 Display plans.
 Timing of lunch breaks.
 Individual plans for children with additional needs (e.g. speech therapy, physiotherapy) in
collaboration with Senior Practitioners and other professionals.
iii) Referred to your manager.
 Concerns about a child’s development, health or wellbeing.
 Concerns about a staff member or student performance/health.
 Complaints (formal and informal).
 Identification of health, safety, hygiene hazards.
 Requests for annual leave, time off in lieu, time out for administration.
Additional information




Lifting children and moving and lifting light and medium weight items.
Work at different speed and agility.
A commitment to offering equal opportunities for all, proactive in promoting diversity.
A Commitment to on-going professional development is essential as is the drive for continuous
improvement in the workplace.
Early Years Practitioners spend the majority of their time in direct contact with children and
their parents/carers, providing a service that caters for their whole well-being (physical,
emotional, cognitive, language, social, moral, religious and cultural). As such the elements of
the practitioner role described above are incorporated and run alongside each other. Care and
education of children are interdependent. Practitioners have to be able to work as a member of
a team, confidently communicating with their colleagues about events and observations during
the day, ensuring information is shared as staff work shifts to cover an extended day. Need to
show caring skills, a genuine commitment to and love of working with children and
demonstrate fun and excitement when engaging with the children. Need to be flexible and able
to adapt to different situations.
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Benchmark Role Profile for Early Years Practitioner
Version 2.0
Last amended: March 2015
The University of Nottingham strongly endorses Athena SWAN principles,
with commitment from all levels of the organisation in furthering women’s
careers. It is our mission to ensure equal opportunity, best working
practices and fair policies for all.
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