Kindergarten Teacher

Job Description

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE POSTNorwich Steiner School requires a full-time kindergarten teacher to lead and run its Orchard Kindergarten. This is a permanent post, subject to a two-year probationary period associated with it.Norwich Steiner Kindergarten currently works completely independently of the Early Years nursery funding scheme but is required to follow all statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage goals and implement these where there are no exemptions in place. Start date: January 2021 MAIN DUTIES OF THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERThe first and foremost responsibility of the Kindergarten teacher is to be concerned with the overall welfare of the children in the kindergarten, and to care for and respond to their individual needs, as well as promoting and supporting the educational principles of Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Education and Care. The group of children are between the ages of 3 ¼ and 6. The kindergarten teacher is the Key Worker for all the children.1. Primary responsibilityThe kindergarten teacher has primary responsibility for the overall welfare of the children in their care, this includes supporting the creative play, artistic and domestic activities; the celebration of festivals within kindergarten, creative discipline and work with parents. The teacher is responsible for the organisation and running of the kindergarten and will work as part of a team with the assistant and the kindergarten manager. Close communication with the school management team, other teaching and administrative staff, and the DSLs, is also a necessary part of this role. 2.Steiner Waldorf curriculum and educationTo fully implement the Kindergarten curriculum indicated for Steiner Waldorf early childhood whilst continuing to ensure that the overall quality and standards of the early years provision is in line with the principles and requirements of the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS). The kindergarten teacher also has responsibility for providing a differentiated curriculum for the 5 and 6 year olds with planned, structured activities designed to continue to support their development and to extend their learning and skills, taking into account their individual needs and interests (including those with an EHCP or who are identified as having SEND). 3.Policies and Procedures, Regulations and RulesIt is important that the kindergarten teacher is fully familiar with all the key policies and procedures as well as statutory obligations, particularly those relating to Health and Safety, risk assessments and Safeguarding (child protection).4. Preparation, Planning & Record-KeepingThe kindergarten teacher is responsible for all preparation and planning in consultation with the kindergarten manager. This includes daily, weekly, termly and year planning, daily and weekly reviews of planning and activities, including keeping parents informed. All paperwork should be kept up to date, filed and made available for periodic review and inspection. These documents should include individual learning plans plus summative and formative assessments for each child within the kindergarten.5. Child assessments and end of year reports The kindergarten teacher is expected to keep daily, weekly and termly individual child observations/assessments, and undertake (with colleagues) individual child studies both routinely and when required for particular children. The kindergarten teacher will also write reports for the end of each term for all the children within the kindergarten, including any statutory requirements regarding EYFS reports. 6. Classroom careThe kindergarten teacher is responsible for overseeing the care and beauty of the classroom according to the Steiner Early Years curriculum, working with the seasons, sensory protection of the young child and full understanding of the Health & Safety regulations of the School. 7. Home visitsThe kindergarten teacher is expected to conduct home visits to each family in their kindergarten as and when required. 8. Parents evenings The kindergarten teacher is expected to host parents evenings at least once a term. This gives the teacher the opportunity to relay what the children have been busy doing within the kindergarten, and enables the parents to experience some of the pedagogy for themselves through talks, crafts or activities provided. It also provides an opportunity to keep families informed regarding child protection issues and other matters, including internet safety. The kindergarten teacher can also use these meetings for building the bridge between home and school, sharing with the parents the philosophy behind the kindergarten pedagogy, which may enable the parents to take it into their own homes. This helps to give the child continuity and find a harmony between home and the kindergarten.9. Individual Parent MeetingsThese should be held as needed, but must include at least one a year with the parents of each child. Meetings provide the opportunity for the kindergarten teacher to share and discuss individual childrens progress and development as required. Meetings also ensure that there are no surprises in the childs report.10. Kindergarten open afternoons The kindergarten teacher is responsible for organising periodic kindergarten open afternoons for interested families in order to provide an introduction to the Steiner Waldorf early child curriculum, explain the admissions procedure, and follow through on supporting children and families through the enrolment process, including trials, interviews and all associated administrative paperwork required.11. Attendance meetings, inset days and training days relevant to kindergartenThe kindergarten teacher is expected to organise a weekly meeting of kindergarten staff, in order to do sharedplanning, assessment, kindergarten pedagogy, child studies and administrative work. The kindergarten teacher is also expected to attend the weekly whole school faculty meeting on Thursday evenings, and to attend all relevant inset days. Termly Supervision meetings should also be attended.12. Working with an assistantDepending on the size of the group, the kindergarten teacher will work together with an assistant (Child staff ratio 1:8). On days when numbers are very low, for instance Fridays when only children five and over currently attend, it is possible that a kindergarten assistant may be assigned other priority duties in support of the work of the wider organisation, but be close on hand to support the kindergarten tea