Job Title: Preschool Manager
Contract Type and Employment Period: Permanent
Salary: £15,757.35 p.a. inclusive & competitive benefits
Hours of Work per week: 35 hours per week Monday to Friday. Term Time only.
Location: YMCATG – Swanscombe Nursery

Our client is a charity that have been serving the local community for over 130 years. Whilst their focus is on young people, they work with all members of the community, in the belief that everyone should be able to reach their full potential, regardless of their background. We call this a youth minded community approach. Our client works across a number of boroughs including Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Dartford, Greenwich and Ashford. We work from the following locations; Romford, Dartford, Greenwich and Ashford.
Every night they provide supported accommodation for homeless people locally, providing young people with opportunities to develop the necessary life skills to find work and live independently. They also provide a wide range of services in the local community; these include children’s, youth and family work and health & wellbeing facilities.
Our client wants all of their staff to thrive. They are committed to work life balance, having fun, and inspiring each other to great things. They believe our leaders should make as real and significant difference to our organisation. They focus on people strengths as a basis for leadership development.
Role Summary
The Pre School Manager will develop and manage the delivery of a quality childcare provision for YMCA Thames Gateway on a day to day basis, ensuring the needs of local children and their families are met. To ensure the safeguarding and welfare requirements are delivered in line with Ofsted requirements.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
To provide line management, supervision and leadership to all preschool staff and volunteers.
To create and manage a play environment where children can make choices, access a range of resources and be supported by a responsive and adaptable approach to their learning and development.
To be responsible for the management of the day to day delivery and coordination of the Preschool for YMCA Thames Gateway.
To assess and manage risk in the setting through a robust and considered approach to risk assessments.
To be the primary point of contact regarding safeguarding for Preschool.
To ensure that the Preschool is managed effectively through the implementation of policies and procedures in accordance with best practice, health and safety and safeguarding.
To manage the overall administration, paperwork and recording of the Preschool to ensure the welfare of all children and effective management of work. This includes managing the relevant ‘First steps’ childcare management database.
To provide overall leadership in managing and promoting positive behaviour of children.
To deliver a curriculum agreed by the Educational Specialist that is creative, stimulating and fun which facilitates the intellectual, emotional, physical, social and where appropriate spiritual development of each child in line with the Early Years Foundation Framework Stage (EYFS).
To follow and work within the SEN code of practice..
To work in partnership and ensure effective communication with all the other YMCATG departments and external schools and agencies.
To communicate with staff and parents effectively to ensure the welfare of all children attending the setting.
To participate in the recruiting, inducting and training of childcare staff in line with YMCATG recruitment policy, induction programme and national standards set by Ofsted.
To ensure that all necessary administration is carried out to enable the Preschool to run effectively and efficiently, meeting all requirements laid down by legislation, the YMCA Board of Management and partner agencies.
To ensure all Educational Grant registration documentation is completed each term and submitted to the relevant Local Authority.
To participate in or deliver relevant training as and when required.
To promote and deliver a high public profile and customer care service on behalf of YMCATG.
To prepare registers and monitor daily attendance registers using childcare management system.
To complete and submit monthly performance monitoring reports to the Children Services Manager, and other reports as required.
To implement preschool fees procedures, ensuring payments are made promptly and in advance.
To ensure each child’s developmental records are updated regularly
To supervise and collate accurate staff time sheets for your staff and students
To assist in the setting and monitoring of budgets for the provision.
To ensure all financial procedures are implemented.
When meeting external contacts, potential clients and members of the community, positively promote the preschool and the general work of the YMCATG and its partners
To attend relevant external meetings a required e.g. Social Services core group and case conferences, internal and external YMCATG staff meetings, partnership meetings and parent meetings to ensure the efficient running of the preschool and the wider work of the YMCA and its partners.
To work alongside fellow childcare professionals e.g. health visitors, speech therapists, education specialists, EYAT, SENCO etc.
It is in the nature of work with young people that tasks and responsibilities are in many circumstances unpredictable and varied. All staff is expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arise.
To support the department and the wider work of YMCATG in any duties deemed appropriate.
General
There may be occasions when the post holder may be required to work at any other of the YMCA TG sites/offices in line with service needs.
The post holder must at all times carry out his/her responsibilities with due regard to YMCA TG policies and procedures in particular Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, Confidentiality, Safeguarding and Data protection Act.
All staff has a responsibility to participate in the YMCA TG Individual Performance Review Scheme and to contribute to their own development, and the development of any staff they appraise or are responsible for.
The above Job Description is not intended to be exhaustive, the duties and responsibilities may therefore vary over time according to the changing needs of the service.