Administration Assistant

Reports to

Nursery Manager

Line management

No line management

Role purpose

You are a key member of the nursery and administration team and are responsible for supporting them with delivering high quality care and learning opportunities.

Our mission

To provide exceptional early years care in a safe, nurturing and fulfilling environment whilst inspiring children to unlock their full potential through key skills and values which will establish them as gifted citizens of the world.

Our vision

To be a nursery where teaching is fun, and learning is easy.

Our values

We are caring

We are kind, gentle, calm, and welcoming. We respect the children, each other and our environment. We teach the children and are ready to listen and learn from them. We build trusting, supportive, and non-discriminatory relationships in the best interests of the child. We have sensitive, responsive, and expressive interactions between practitioner and children. We celebrate each child’s unique perspective and take children seriously as active and competent members of society.

We are energetic

We play, learn, and laugh together, spending time outdoors and encouraging children to be active, confident, and joyful participants. We provide experiences which inspire creativity and nurture curiosity, enabling children to be independent, resilient, and successful. We grow, cook, and eat together, building skills for a healthy future.

We are innovative

We uphold traditional theories and pedagogies, but constantly review, research, and reflect. We listen to ideas and are ready to embrace them. We are proud to be leaders in progressive childcare.

Your duties

Daily duties

  • Answer all emails and phone calls coming into nursery - responding ASAP to all enquiries (max 24 hour wait).
  • Deal with all incoming correspondence / post etc. and ensure correct filing.
  • Welcome all parents, children and visitors into the setting.
  • Use the Connect system to manage children on site - i.e. correct children in on the right days - adding on extra sessions accurately to ensure correct invoicing.
  • Support all rooms and assist with cover (i.e. lunch) when needed to ensure correct ratios are maintained.
  • All staff absence is recorded on PowerApps and return to work interviews are completed by relevant manager and filed correctly.
  • Send out communications to all parents via the connect system when appropriate (i.e. nursery events etc.).
  • Check the recording of all accidents within the nursery, ensuring all forms have the correct signatures and are filed correctly. Ensure any repeat accidents or ones that require further attention are bought to the managers attention.
  • Manage new child starters - ensure they have settling in sessions booked and communicate with rooms, so they know who is starting and when.
  • Manage room transitions following procedure as above
  • Keep a maintenance log – ensure issues reported by staff are communicated to the maintenance team on a priority level.

Weekly duties

  • Connect - manage booking patterns and children’s details on the connect system - checking all details are entered accurately to ensure correct invoicing and bookings.
  • Communicate with parents on a regular basis to ensure details are up to date.
  • Ensure nursery milk claims are completed on a weekly / monthly basis.
  • Monitor and record ALL child absence on the correct documents and the connect system- informing nursery manager of any repeat absences (vulnerable groups etc.) and following up.
  • Complete and enter staff hours onto connect and print all relevant registers for staff and children weekly
  • Maintain all staff files to a high standard ensuring all the correct documents are present.
  • Maintain room folders, ensuring they are up to date with the correct forms and readily available when needed (Accident / pre-existing, medication, sleep sheets etc.).
  • Keep an up to date list of occupancy and availability, effectively managing all new child registrations and waiting list parents, to ensure correct ratios are maintained whilst not turning away any new parents.
  • New starters - Keep a rolling year Jan-Dec with all the new child starters to know who is starting and when - ensuring regular contact is kept and booking in settling in sessions etc. for them.
  • Weekly / two weekly supermarket order for the nursery, ensuring the catering manager’s guidelines regarding what we can and can’t order are followed and that there is a supply of required products - Calpol, Nappies, Wipes etc.

Monthly duties

  • Create a monthly newsletter for all parents with any relevant updates - i.e. staffing changes, events, what’s been happening, company news etc.
  • Check all files and folders within the office are up to date with any new information- i.e. policy updates, HR updates.
  • Maintain office noticeboards with the relevant information - updating policies; updating staff photos, menus etc.; any legal requirements such as liability insurance etc.
  • Check and update all parent information packs - i.e. policy pack, risk assessment packs etc.
  • Check through emergency contact details for all children to ensure we have correct paperwork and forms for everyone (in case of an emergency ensure forms are taken outside etc.) Remove any old child details from the folders so they only reflect current attendees.
  • Ensure correct storage of all paperwork within the nursery - i.e. old registers, child details as per legal guidelines.
  • Update children on roll to show a correct reflection of the nursery - i.e. number of children, 2-year funders, EYPP etc.
  • Manage and maintain Employee Matrix - ensuring all details are up to date and correct, removing any old staff, adding any new staff. Use this to monitor Educare courses and first aid training required.
  • Monthly accident review- collate all the paperwork together and ensure it is filed correctly.
  • Monthly review of all first aid supplies within the rooms and nursery to ensure correct items are available- ordering of stock when required.
  • Consortium order (usually every 2 / 3 months). Order office supplies and collect lists from all the rooms and the chef to ensure they have the correct resources available.
  • Send out links for the parent zone portal once the first observations have been loaded onto iconnect.
  • Attend staff meetings and record minutes, then create a document and email out to staff along with any policies relevant to them.
  • Undertake any other duties as may be required from time to time.

Additional Responsibility

  • Data Protection Controller.

What you need

Essential

  • Enhanced DBS
  • Aged 18 or over
  • GCSE 4+ in English and Maths (A – C)
  • Ability to engage positively with stakeholders
  • A willingness to undertake relevant further training as and when required
  • Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
  • Ability to engage and interact positively with children
  • Able to follow instructions and work using own initiative as necessary
  • Reliable, responsible, trustworthy and motivated
  • Commitment to safeguarding children at all times
  • Administrative experience
  • Advanced IT literacy skills
  • Aged 16 / 18 or over
  • Ability to engage with colleagues and parents
  • A willingness to undertake relevant further training as and when required
  • Good communication skills both written and verbal
  • Ability to engage and interact positively with children
  • Able to follow instructions and work using own initiative as necessary
  • Reliable, responsible, trustworthy and motivated
  • Commitment to safeguarding children at all times

Desirable

  • Subscription to the DBS update service
  • Experience of working with children 0 – 5 years
  • Food Hygiene Certificate
  • Paediatric First Aid Training (12 hours)
  • Emergency First Aid at Work (1 day)
  • Foundation Safeguarding Awareness Training
  • ICT User Qualification- ECDL or above
  • Business Skills Qualification
  • Experience of working with children 0 – 5 years
  • GCSE 4+ in English and Maths (A – C)
  • Food Hygiene Certificate
  • Paediatric First Aid Training (12 hours)
  • Emergency First Aid at Work (1 day)
  • Foundation Safeguarding Awareness Training