Early Years Practitioner - Fox Covert Primary School

Early Years Practitioner - fixed term until 28/05/2027
Fox Covert Primary School

Salary: £30,188 - £34,452 (pro-rata for part-time and sessional)
Hours: 36 per week, 39 weeks sessional

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled and enthusiastic Early Years Practitioner to work in Fox Covert Primary school within the Primary 1 classes. Within our school we have an enthusiastic and committed school staff team, there are nurturing, creative and well-resourced learning environments where all learners are supported and encouraged to discover a love for learning. 

We are seeking to appoint an Early Years Practitioner to cover maternity leave with a passion for working with our 5-year-old learners in a school setting. This post presents an excellent opportunity to be working as part of our innovative and creative learning environment where our learners are empowered to discover and build on their interests, share ideas and be motivated to learn. Working collaboratively with both P1 class teachers to bridge the developmental gap between nursery play and structured primary benchmarks.

At Fox Covert Primary School, we are not only committed to providing the very best educational experiences and opportunities but also to develop our learners as leaders and responsible citizens. We are committed to developing relationships based on mutual trust and support. We strive to be at the heart of our school community and develop skills to enable contributions to our local community and the wider world.

Candidates who are passionate about play-based learning within a classroom environment, wellbeing, inclusive practice, nurture and can demonstrate a commitment to nurturing approaches are invited to apply for this post. Applicants should be able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills and model high standards of play pedagogy to inspire, motivate and support colleagues in the development of their own classroom practice.

Please note - You must ensure that you have one of the following qualifications before you apply:

• SVQ Social Services (Children and Young People) SCQF Level 7
  or
• HNC Childhood Practice

When completing the application form please state the name of your qualification and level as stated above. 

If you do not have either of these qualifications, we will be unable to consider your application.

Please read the attached Early Years Practitioner job pack for further information, including post qualification experience and additional requirements. If you are unsure regarding the qualification or require any other information, please contact the Nursery / Centre directly. You can search for contact details on the Council website https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory/10191/early-learning-and-childcare

Experience:

Experience of working with children (special needs, if applicable). Experience of contributing to the planning of a curricular programme Experience of planning organised outings Experience of inclusion programmes for pupils moving into mainstream schools.

Knowledge, skills and understanding:

Ability to work within and across a multi-disciplinary team Ability to make informed decisions. Ability to work with children across a nursery &/or primary setting. Ability to produce and maintain accurate records relating to a child’s development. Possess an awareness of up to-date professional knowledge and current initiatives. An awareness of general Health & Safety and Child Protection policies Promotion of equality and an understanding of diversity issues relating to children and young people.

Qualifications and training:

HNC in Childcare and Education or SVQ Level 3 or Social Services (Children and Young People) SCQF Level 7. First Aid certificates, PEEP, Learning Together.

Job specific requirements:

Registered with SSSC as a Practitioner in the Day Care of Children, without conditions. Develop effective relationships with children and parents Ability to work in a sensitive and empathetic manner. Accurately assess children’s behaviour and be able to respond accordingly. Ability to create a stimulating environment which assists in the development of language, communication, behaviour and personal care in children. Must demonstrate a commitment to continuous personal development. Ability to work unsupervised Ability to effectively handle issues arising with pupils, staff and parents Experience of planning organised outings. Experience of inclusion programmes for pupils moving into mainstream schools.

This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.  Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and able to be their best. We particularly encourage applications from women for senior roles, as well as people from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities or neurodivergent people, care experienced people, carers and LGBT+ people across all levels of the organisation, all of whom are currently underrepresented. All applicants will be considered fairly based on skills and experience. Disabled and care-experienced applicants who meet the minimum job criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

Find out more about our commitment to equalities https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/work-us/inclusive-edinburgh/4

As part of our goal to improve organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure we're recruiting the best people. We’re interested not only in your skills and experience but also in your approach to work. Therefore, part of our interview process will be an assessment of how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

Happy to talk flexible working.

Follow us on X at @edincounciljobs  

View Early Years Practitioner job pack

View sessional working information

THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL

About Us:

Are you keen to shape the future of Scotland’s capital city? The City of Edinburgh Council is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic individuals to work with us and deliver key services across our capital city. We’re the second largest local authority in Scotland with a workforce of over 19,000 who all play a crucial role in maintaining and supporting vital services to over 500,000 residents. We offer an incredible variety of career opportunities across a broad range of sectors. Join us and you’ll find a role where you can make a difference and grow your career.

Our Culture:

Our Behaviours, respect, integrity, and flexibility guide everything that we do, and we strive to make sure all colleagues feel valued and have a sense of belonging in the workplace. We want to make sure that we bring people into our roles who demonstrate Our Behaviours and are dedicated and committed to our purpose of serving our community. We are focused on delivering excellent customer service to meet citizens needs and make the city a better place.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We recognise the benefits that diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds bring to our organisation, and we’re committed to employing a workforce that represents the population of the city we serve. We particularly encourage applicants from under-represented groups including women, LGBT+ people, racially minoritised groups, people with disabilities and people who are neurodivergent.

As part of our commitment to inclusive recruitment, we're delighted to announce that we have extended our guaranteed interview scheme to include all applicants who are or have been care experienced, and who meet the essential criteria for the post. This extends our current arrangements of being a Disability Confident Employer, that guarantee an interview to applicants who meet the criteria for the post and who declare a disability.

Happy to talk flexible working.

Colleague Support and Wellbeing

As outlined in our People Strategy 2024-27, we aim to nurture a healthy workforce where we can all thrive. We offer regular events, initiatives and learning opportunities covering a range of different health and wellbeing topics.

We’re committed to supporting employees to achieve a healthy work life balance. There are several policies in place to support this ranging from flexible work options to career breaks. Our full suite of employment policies can be found here.

We have a range of support options available including access to counselling, a mental health support service, an occupational health service, speak up supporters and a colleague listening service.

Reasonable Adjustments:

We’re committed to providing an inclusive and accessible experience at work for all our colleagues and we’ll work hard to ensure that we meet the changing needs of colleagues throughout their time with us. We’re also geared up to support all candidates who may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Candidates invited for interview, should let the hiring manager know what they need, and they will do everything they can to accommodate your request.