Team Leader - Sure Whitley

Overview

As an Early Years Team Leader, you will play a key role in shaping the day-to-day practice within your room and ensuring a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment.

Sure Start Whitley Nursery is looking for an inspiring, organised, and child-centred Early Years Team Leader to lead high-quality practice and support our dedicated team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is passionate about early education, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is committed to delivering the very best outcomes for children aged 0-5.

• Lead and supervise a team of Early Years Educators, modelling excellent practice.
• Ensure the EYFS statutory requirements are met and embedded across your room.
• Maintain high standards of safeguarding, acting as a Designated Safeguarding Officer.
• Provide "in the moment" teaching and create enriching learning opportunities.
• Oversee observations, assessments, and progression for all children in the room.
• Coordinate the key person system and act as a key person for your group.
• Monitor and support children with additional needs, working closely with the SENCo.
• Communicate effectively with parents/carers, sharing progress and building strong partnerships.
• Manage daily routines, staffing ratios, room organisation, and transitions.
• Support the Nursery Manager and Deputy, including stepping up in their absence.
• Assist with events, parent meetings, open days, and staff training.
• Complete audits and quality monitoring to drive continuous improvement.

• A Level 3 Childcare/Early Years qualification.
• Strong experience in early years practice and working with families.
• A caring, approachable, and positive attitude.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to lead, motivate, coach, and support staff.
• Understanding of children's developmental needs from 2 months to 5 years.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to work to deadlines.
• Commitment to safeguarding, inclusion, and high-quality provision.
• Reliability, flexibility, and confidence in decision-making.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success.

Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this.

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people.

For more details please go to .

• Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading.
• Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees' skills are developed and used effectively.
• Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential.
• Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity.

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you'll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years' service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave.
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities.
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS).
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted.
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work.
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.