Early Childhood Centre – Practitioner Role 37 hours per week

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Early Years Practitioner to join our growing team and help deliver high-quality childcare services to our families.

Salary Scale P2 – P3 (£10.55 to £10.65 per hour) or Professional Scale P4 at level 5 (£10.90 per hour) to work in our Early Childhood Centre.  For the Scale 2/3 grade candidate must be qualified to level 2 or level 3, and for the professional grade candidate must be qualified to level 5 (applicants with a foundation degree in early years or degree in early years can apply and scale will be up to P5). 

Hours will be four full days per week: 37 hours in total

Location: Early Childhood Centre Crumlin 

Preference will be given to those qualified at Level 3 who will be eligible for Senior Practitioner roles within our setting. 

The successful candidate will be passionate about working with young children and will have the desire to create a stimulating and nurturing learning environment following a Reggio Emilia-inspired ethos.

The duties of the Early Years Practitioner include organising and delivering a range of activities and experiences appropriate to the age and development of the children in our care. You will maintain accurate and appropriate records, observe, assess, review progress, and create stimulating and creative learning environments.

The ideal candidate will have relevant experience in an Early Years setting, be able to work four days per week (day off may vary each week), possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, work effectively in a team and be committed to safeguarding.

If you believe you have the right qualifications, skills and experience for this role, please send your CV and a cover letter to bronagh@sleepyhollowgroup.com


A last minute development – a new branch which of course creates new job opportunities!


Directors and Managers explain about our training and CPD in Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Group was established locally over 30 years ago and they are the largest childcare provider in Northern Ireland- with over 1000 children cared for across 18 different locations. Many of these are based on site at a range of Primary Schools across NI, offering their services direct to schools and local families over breakfast clubs, Afterschools and also full daycare over school holidays and staff days.

Their learning style is based on an ethos they like to call ’Sleepy Hollow Inspired’, which takes great inspiration from the ‘Reggio Emilia’ approach to caring for children in their early years. This Italian philosophy see each child as a curious individual with the power and potential to develop and learn from their environment and the relationships they build with others. Children are encouraged to express themselves openly in lots of creative activities such as painting, sculpting, dramatic play, dancing, writing, construction, puppetry and are viewed as having unlimited potential to interact with and contribute to the world. This approach encourages self-expression, communication, team work thinking and problem-solving in the children and they truly thrive in this environment -you can feel it when you walk through the doors of any Sleepy Hollow setting!

Over the years we have worked closely with Sleepy Hollow on People 1st Apprenticeships programme and they have been a fantastic partner for People 1st as they understand the importance of well trained and qualified staff. During this time many of our apprentices who have been employed directly with Sleepy Hollow, are able to work, learn and earn while they study alongside to gain their level 2 or level 3 NVQ qualification. Playwork is for the over 5’s and childcare is for the under 5’s and you can do a NVQ in either area!
Through this programme Sleepy Hollow have been able to bring some eager new apprentices though their doors which they were able to train up in their ‘Sleepy Hollow Inspired’ approach to childcare and as their training partner, we at People 1st have been able to support each apprentice on their journey- we are delighted to hear how much it benefits the person and the business!!
So lets hear more about all of the above from Bronagh, one of the directors of Sleepy Hollow and Karen who is Manager of their Crumlin daycare setting.

Link to Video : https://fb.watch/de2BYobK9b/


Why work for Sleepy Hollow – training opportunities

Please see below a video testimony from one of our staff in relation to training she has undertaken in Sleepy Hollow.

If you would like to join an organisation which puts training and CPD at the heart of its organisation please reach out to us on info@sleepyhollowgroup.com

P


Covid Respone to Sleepy Hollow Helping Establish Approved home Childcare

Sleepy Hollow stepped up as part of the Covid 19 recovery plan.   Diane has worked as part of the Childcare reference grouping with key officials from Department of Health and Department of Education in her role as Chair of the Employers Forum.  This initially was responsible for the establishment of the Approved Home Childcare scheme which allowed members of staff from nurseries to be relocated to work with key worker families during the first lockdown when all childcare closed (with exception of childminders).  Sleepy Hollow then worked to get reopened at the earliest opportunity in June working alongside the reference grouping on the revised standards for reopening.  This grouping worked tirelessly for 20 months reviewing standards, lobbying for much needed financial support and acted as the voice of not only childcare providers but working parents.

 

This video filmed by Employers for Childcare shows the impact the approved home childcare scheme had on working parents during the darkest days of the first lockdown period.


Hustings event and the final Covid 19 childcare reference group meeting

Today I, Diane,  had the opportunity to participate in the Federation of Small Business hustings event where I asked the economy representatives from each of our main political parties for a commitment that childcare strategy will be progressed as a day-one priority for a newly elected assembly and an adequate budget to allow that to happen. All parties agree on the urgent need for this but the political landscape is something we cannot predict – time will tell!
It also marked the last day of meetings of the Covid 19 reference group for childcare which has met countless times over the past two years.
Whilst there are many positives to come out of the past two years we are still in such a period of instability in our economy and in our political landscape. Of course, we all know that staff and children are still contracting Covid and we are still following guidance in regard to that.  We almost feel on one hand that it is unforgivable for our departments to stand down any childcare related committee at this point in time when we feel so vulnerable but yet, on the other hand, we are reassured that the time to move on from the ‘Covid’ element is now. Going forward we can only hope that new committees will be formed in a timely manner – in terms of the strategy and a review of our standards – and that the voice of childcare providers and working parents won’t be forgotten.
Many years ago – actually 25 to be exact, I completed an MBA where my thesis looked at change management.  So I would like to consider myself not someone who is adverse to change and someone who looks to change as a positive.  However this does sit uneasily with me just at the moment, we have come so far to let things slip back.  I almost think a round table accountability group keeps things progressing, where departments can keep abreast of current issues and employers can have an understanding of departmental reasoning behind decisions.  We have to say that those from departments involved in the reference committee have been incredibly dedicated but they too have to act on the direction of Ministers, so we hope they get the support they need to continue on in their roles going forward in a timely manner.
At Sleepy Hollow we will continue to lobby independently of committees for affordable and accessible childcare for all working parents. We will continue to sit on committees and attend meetings where we can to ensure that the voices of clients and our workforce are heard.
In the meantime however we will shift our focus on all things Sleepy Hollow – we have some exciting news to share tomorrow or Thursday about our own plans- and we live in hope that those in power and those in our local departments will follow through with their commitments.
I’d just like to thank my fellow employers who sat on those committees over the past two years for their support, commitment and friendship. I think they will agree at times it was like a second job for us all but here’s to the future and brighter days ahead!

School Age Childcare Management Posts x 2

We are currently recruiting for two School Age Childcare Management Posts

Location : East Belfast

Hours of Work : Breakfast club 8-9am and afternoons 1.45-6pm

Note some of our staff also go on to work in schools in the morning as classroom or supervisory assistants so this may well become a full time post for candidates if they choose to work full time of course

Hours during school holidays vary 2-3 full days per week job sharing with another manager although you may work the occasional full week when your job share manager is on holidays

Experience : Two years minimum working with children and young people with experience in school age Afterschools preferred

Qualifications : Level 5 or equivalent preferred but we will accept an enthusiastic candidate at level 3 who is willing to undertake level 5 training which we will fully fund.

How to apply : Please send CV to info@sleepyhollowgroup.com


Early Childhood Centre Manager

Early Childhood Centre Manager

  • Manage and oversee the day to day running of an All Ireland Centre of Excellence Day Care Nursery in Crumlin.
  • Hours of work will be 8.15 am to 6 pm four days per week and one afternoon from 12.15 to 6 pm  (meaning you will have one morning per week of which we can be flexible on from either Tue/Wed/Thurs)

 

Duties will include

  • Daily responsibility of running the day nursery day to day
  • Ensuring and overseeing the nursery to deliver a high-quality service to children first and foremost, their parents but also the staff who work alongside you in the setting
  • Work in partnership with parents
  • Work in partnership with the Directors, the Finance Manager and the Regional Manager who will all support you in the role
  • Comply with all setting policies and regulatory requirements
  • Deal with outside agencies
  • Undertake the role of Designated Safeguarding Officer
  • Assisting with recruitment of new staff and induction of new staff
  • Supporting staff in the day to day running of the nursery including appraisals and supervision meetings
  • Overseeing the planning and curriculum in the setting with the support of the Assistant Manager
  • To work alongside the senior leadership team in regard to nursery development and self-evaluation to ensure ongoing high-quality service and a long term plan.

Qualifications :

Must hold level 5 or equivalent in Early Years Education or Playwork as a minimum and be willing to undertake ongoing CPD. Must have two years experience in a management or leadership role

Full-time, Permanent

Salary: £25,168.00 per year

Benefits:

  • On-site parking
  • Childcare package
  • Private healthcare package (after qualifying period)
  • Company pension Scheme

Experience:

  • Nursery setting: 2 years (required)
  • Supervisory: 2 years (required)

 

Cook

Cook at our Early Childhood Centre.  Hours of work 9.15 to 1.30 pm

No prior experience is required but must enjoy cooking and trying new recipes

Assist with ordering supplies

Assist with creating new menus

Will provide basic food hygiene training and online training in early childhood nutrition.

Benefits and salary :

  • £9.60 per hour
  • On-site parking
  • Pension scheme
  • Childcare scheme

 

Early Childhood practitioners

Working as part of an All Ireland Centre of Excellence team taking care of the daily needs of the children whilst ensuring a very high standard of physical, emotional and intellectual care of each child.

Promoting a Reggio Inspired ethos.

Working as part of a curiosity approach inspired team

Supporting the daily routine within the setting.

Putting children at the centre

Work in partnership with parents

Support Management Team in day to day running of the setting.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Schedule:

  • Four days per week (9.25 hours per day)
  • No weekends

Experience:

  • Childcare: 1 year (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

  • Minimum Level 3 Childcare Qualification (preferred) but can offer level 3 training
  • Will also offer basic food hygiene, safeguarding, manual handling training, first aid training amongst more.

Awards & Recognition