Our Outstanding East Finchley nursery is looking for a Qualified Forest School Leader to support and educate our VIPs (Very Important Pre-Schoolers).
Our pre-school children are unbelievably amazing. Every day you will be wowed by the range of creativity, imagination, curiosity and kindness that these children display. Their unlimited capacity for fun and play is infectious.
We established our very own Forest School in September 2020. Our focus is on connecting children with the outdoors. We are therefore looking for an imaginative and creative person who shares our enthusiasm for delivering fun,memorable and educational outdoor experiences for children.
As a Qualified Forest School Teacher you will deliver daily Forest school sessions with the support of a Forest School Assistant. Our Forest School is run from our fenced off front garden as a “base” with the main part of the sessions taking place in Cherry Tree woods just next to the nursery.
You will be working alongside our preschool team and their routines to take groups of children from the nursery to participate in the forest school activities. We have a large number of VIPs so different groups of children are taken out each day to enable all children to have an opportunity to participate in this amazing activity.
We are open to considering applications for a term time only position.
If you have a genuine passion for Forest Schools Education, then we would love to hear from you!
As our qualified Forest School Leader you will be expected to:
- Promote a positive attitude amongst other practitioners in having high expectations of all children and their abilities to achieve their full potential.
- Establish and sustain a safe, welcoming, purposeful, stimulating and encouraging environment where children feel confident and secure, and are able to develop and learn.
- Plan and provide safe and appropriate activities and play opportunities in outdoor and in out-of-setting contexts, which enables children to develop and learn.
- Use a range of resources suitable for children’s ages, interests and abilities, taking account of diversity and promoting equality and inclusion.
- Promote children’s rights, equality, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice in all behavioural skills.
- Promote a safe environment and support practices that promote children’s health, safety and physical, mental and emotional well-being.
- Ensure all practitioners understand how to recognize when a child is in danger or at risk of harm and know how to act to protect them.
- Conduct risk assessments, keep appropriate records and complete appropriate documentation in line with nursery and forest school policies and procedures
Why Us?
Our vision is to create a future generation who are kind to each other, their communities and the planet, as well as building children’s confidence and curiosity to explore the world around them. Working as a team, we create strong minded, independent thinkers through a rich variety of learning experiences. We promote high aspirations, encouraging children to take risks and push boundaries. We teach respect, tolerance, social justice, empathy and kindness and we foster a love of nature and respect for the environment. To achieve all this we need caring practitioners with a can do attitude. We value our team and demonstrate this through our benefits and rewards package. Working as part of our team you will benefit from:
- A salary up to £32,000 per year
- Use of our Zen-Den during lunch breaks
- Breakfast bar
- Company pension
- £1000 Refer a Friend scheme (T&CS apply)
- Access to store / online / retail / holiday discounts
- Free on-site parking
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Wellness programme including mental health support
- Additional annual leave e.g. birthday bonus/festive fun day
- Free or heavily discounted childcare
- Uniform provided along with a welcome goodie bag
- Company events including Winter and Summer Socials
- Excellent transport links
- Employee mentoring programme
- Free Counselling helpline
- Flexible working options
- Monthly employee recognition awards £100 bonus
- End of years awards (eg spa days / additional weeks salary)
- 2 Inset training days per year
- Continued opportunities for professional growth and access to our online training platform
- Daily / adhoc rewards such as Treats for Feats
“Working at Monkey Puzzle is such a joy! The management are fantastic and always provide opportunities to grow. They promote from within wherever possible which allowed me to progress from an unqualified assistant nursery teacher to completing my level 5 qualification and becoming a room leader. The wellbeing of staff is at the forefront of the management teams minds. During lunch breaks we have the opportunity to use the “Zen Den” staff room which has a TV, breakfast bar, face masks and lots more to give you a rest from the crazy day! It is always a fun day at Monkey Puzzle East Finchley!”
“Working at Monkey Puzzle is such a joy! The management are fantastic and always provide opportunities to grow. They promote from within wherever possible which allowed me to progress from an unqualified assistant nursery teacher to completing my level 5 qualification and becoming a room leader. The wellbeing of staff is at the forefront of the management teams minds. During lunch breaks we have the opportunity to use the “Zen Den” staff room which has a TV, breakfast bar, face masks and lots more to give you a rest from the crazy day! It is always a fun day at Monkey Puzzle East Finchley!
Essentials
- Only candidates with a full and relevant Forest Leader Qualification will be considered.
Great to Haves
- Food and Hygiene Level 2
- Prevent Duty
- FGM
- Safeguarding
- Paediatric First Aid