Applicant Information Pack
Nursery Room Leader
A foreword from our Principal and Chief People Officer
Richard Backhouse - Principal
Berkhamsted is among the schools leading the way in pursuing a ‘foundation structure’. As a group of six schools, it combines scale of resource with individual attention and development of pupils –and staff. We start with our values: we aim for excellence – aiming high with integrity – in all that we do. We are adventurous, and support development, research, and experimentation in teaching and learning We serve others – at both pupil and staff level: ours is a non-hierarchical school in which the opinions of all matter, and in which we all share in the support and contribution to our local community
Above all, we are committed to developing remarkable people, both among our pupils and our staff We are looking for highly committed, ambitious and adventurous people to join a thriving staff body, whom we can support to flourish here, and whom we can help to grow. Our staff are so important that we have a Chief People Officer as one of our most senior members of staff.
Tracey Evans - Chief People Officer
Our staff are our most important asset at Berkhamsted; investing in their professional development with their wellbeing a key priority. We foster a working environment that supports staff both professionally and personally We offer a wide range of staff wellbeing initiatives Colleagues can easily access financial, physical, emotional and social well-being support from school.
We seek to enable all members of the school community to achieve their full potential in an environment characterised by equality, equity, respect and opportunity. We work hard at Berkhamsted, but we also know how to come together as a community and enjoy downtime, building relationships which last a lifetime and enrich our professional and personal experience
History of Berkhamsted Schools Group
Berkhamsted Day Nursery is for children aged 5 months plus Ensuring each child is nurtured, whilst providing opportunities for each child to thrive and to flourish, underpins our philosophy and approach at Berkhamsted Day Nursery.
The fully qualified team are dedicated to creating a welcoming and secure environment for each child, ensuring that they feel loved and cared for, enabling them to grow into confident and independent toddlers. The team are committed to ensuring the children are not only cared for but have access to activities and learning that will prepare them for the transition from baby to toddler, and then on to school
We believe in ensuring every child has a strong sense of belonging and a feeling of being part of our family. Our children settle very quickly as our practitioners connect with each child during their settling sessions and then continue to grow and develop those relationships throughout their time with us
The nursery is based at our Haresfoot campus alongside our Pre-Prep School, providing an exceptional setting which many parents have described as a magical place The green spaces, our woods and the variety of facilities makes each day different for the children, providing a wonderful start to their educational journey
Job Description
Reporting to: Day Nursery Manager
Qualifications: NVQ Level 3
Hours of work: 8 30am-5pm Monday to Friday, all year round
Previous experience in childcare
In this role, you will be required to:
1. Achieve high standards of care and child development and learning
2 Comply with all regulatory requirements (EYFS)
3. Develop and maintain positive relationships with children, staff, parents and carers
Duties and Responsibilities:
Child Development and Learning
Provide a stimulating and engaging environment for the children on a daily basis
Planning and implementation of activities to suit the children’s needs and stages of development, supporting and promoting each child’s learning.
Be a key person to a small number of children, providing a secure attachment figure to help children settle, meeting their care needs such as feeding, sleeping and nappy changes, planning for your key children’s needs and interests and monitoring, and supporting their development.
Developing effective working practice within the room including safeguarding and following all policies and procedures.
Make observations on children and ensure learning journals are kept up to date
Build and maintain positive and effective relationships with parents/carers.
Ensure records of the children’s day are completed and the details communicated to parents.
Job Description
Health and Safety
Ensure effective supervision of children at mealtimes and that all dietary requirements are adhered to for children within your room.
Ensure that dietary records are kept up to date and displayed in the kitchen and your room
Hours of work: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday, all year round
Maintain a clean and safe environment at all times both inside and outside.
Report any health and safety concerns to management team.
Ensure that all Health and Safety requirements are met
Pastoral and wellbeing
Promote positive behaviour of children.
Promote positive professional behaviour within the staff team.
Operational
Ensure that the recommended staff/child ratios are maintained at all times and assist with organising workload across the team
Act as a key holder to open and close the nursery when required.
Oversee the implementation of learning journals and planning in your room by all practitioners
Ensure these are maintained to a high standard and used effectively to support each child’s development.
Maintain the day to day smooth running of the room, by working effectively with your team and ensuring that general paperwork is up to date.
Build and maintain positive and effective relationships with parents/carers.
Attendance at the after hours staff meeting to participate in discussions about the practice of the Day Nursery.
Organise and lead room meetings on a regular basis
Ensure confidentiality is maintained in the nursery.
Take on additional responsibilities as needed.
Job Description
Staff and management
Provide leadership, supervision and support for staff.
Organising and leading room meetings on a regular basis.
Hours of work: 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday, all year round
Support newer and less qualified members of staff within your team
Attend and participate in CPD (Continuing Professional Development) as required.
Attend after hours staff meetings to participate in discussions about the practice of the Day Nursery
General
Work as part of the whole nursery team and take on any additional responsibilities as required.
Ensure confidentiality is maintained in the nursery.
Be available to work in any areas of the Day Nursery, undertaking the care and supervision of the children and ensuring its smooth running.
Additional Personal Qualities
Reliable
Trustworthy and confidential
Presentable appearance and manner
Caring for others
Good team worker and able to lead in a positive way
Enthusiastic
Adaptable
Willingness to develop
Good knowledge and experience on the needs of young children
Application and Next Steps
Make sure to use Gills Sans Font
The closing date for applications is 30 September 2025
It is an offence to apply for this role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children; applicants must be willing to undertake a number of safeguarding checks including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring (DBS) This post is also subject to receipt of written references which must be satisfactory to Berkhamsted Schools Group along with documentary evidence of qualifications
Successful applicants will need to provide confirmation of permission to work in the UK. Please note that under the Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, the school has an obligation to ensure applicants have the right to work in the UK prior to commencement of employment. (If it is found that those documents do not meet the legal requirement, an offer of employment will be withdrawn)
Where the successful candidate has worked or been a resident overseas in the previous five years, such checks and confirmations as the school may require in accordance with statutory guidance.
We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race
Candidates with a disability who are invited to interview should inform the School of any necessary reasonable adjustments or arrangements to assist them in attending the interview.
If you have any questions relating to this role please contact the HR department at recruitment@berkhamsted com
Early applications are encouraged, and interviews may take place on a rolling basis. We reserve the right to extend or close the deadline
