Playgroup Leader - Coastlands CP School

Salary: Grade 5 - £26,403 - £27,694 pro rata

Playgroup Leader - Little Puffins Playgroup, Coastlands CP School

Grade 5 - £26.403 for 24 hours per week only for 45.8 weeks per year which equates to £15,043.79 pro rata.

Are you an experienced Playgroup Leader looking for an exciting new challenge? If so, we'd love to hear from you!

About Us
Little Puffins Playgroup, based at Coastlands CP School, is entering an exciting phase of development. We currently provide:

• Wraparound care for three-year-olds (1:00pm - 3:30pm)
• After School Club for children aged 3-11 (3:30pm - 5:45pm)

We are also proud to have recently been selected as a new setting to provision for Flying Start places where space allows. We hope that interest in our setting will allow us to expand to a school holiday club for which the playgroup lead will have responsibility for.

The Role
We are seeking a passionate and motivated playgroup leader to lead on this exciting development. You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the playgroup, ensuring a safe, caring, and stimulating environment that nurtures each child's development.

Working closely with playgroup assistants, you will plan and deliver play-based activities that promote children's social, physical, intellectual, creative, and emotional growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, prepare, and deliver age-appropriate play-based activities for children aged 2-4.
• Assess, monitor, and record individual children's development.
• Manage, support, and develop other playgroup staff as required.
• Contribute to the ongoing growth and reputation of Little Puffins Playgroup and Coastlands CP School.
• Support future expansion, including potential holiday club provision during half terms, Easter, and summer holidays.

Essential Criteria

• Qualifications: Level 3 diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Level 3 qualification in Playwork
• Level 4 and 5 qualification in Childcare or a willingness to complete it within 2 years
• Proven experience working for a minimum of 2 years with children in a group-based setting.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Ability to record and communicate information accurately, especially regarding safeguarding and child protection.
• Excellent planning, organisation, and ICT skills.
• Knowledge of the Early Years Curriculum for Wales and experience with planning, observing, and evaluation.
• Ability to identify and resolve issues effectively and appropriately.
• Friendly, caring, flexible, patient, and approachable.
• Willingness to attend occasional afternoon/evening meetings and training sessions.
• Understanding of the importance of parental engagement.
• Commitment to quality and equality of opportunity.
• Work both term time and within the school holidays.

Provisional Schedule

• Monday to Thursday, 12:30pm - 3:30pm: Working in the Playgroup
• Friday 12:30pm - 3:00pm: Working in the Playgroup
• Monday to Thursday, 3:30pm - 5:45pm: Supervising and working in the After School Club

As demand grows and looking towards July, we anticipate expanding provision to include holiday clubs initially during the summer holidays, with potential for additional weeks during half terms and Easter.

This is a fixed-term position, subject to budget availability, and is expected to run until 31 December 2026.

Please refer to the job description above for more details on this vacancy and the person specification.

Employment Checks

This post is subject to a DBS disclosure check.

Where it is appropriate for your role and responsibility, the personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by visiting https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn.

Applicants should ensure they have the right to work in the UK before applying for a vacancy.

Please note that at this point, Pembrokeshire County Council is not accepting applicants who require a Skilled Worker visa as a prerequisite to a right to work in the UK. Applicants should ensure they have the right to work in the UK before applying for a vacancy.

Guidance Note: Use of AI and Accuracy of Information:

• We understand that applicants may choose to use tools such as generative AI to support the preparation of their application. While the use of such tools is permitted, it remains the applicant's full responsibility to ensure that all information submitted is factually accurate, truthful, and representative of their own skills, experiences and qualifications.
• Providing information that is false, misleading, or exaggerated, regardless of whether it was generated by AI or not, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process or dismissal if discovered after appointment.
• By submitting this application, you confirm that all content provided is accurate and submitted in good faith.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding and protecting children and adults at risk is a high priority for Pembrokeshire County Council. We aim to support vulnerable children and adults at risk to ensure they are as safe as they can possibly be. We are committed to ensuring their safety and will take action to safeguard their well-being. The Council's Corporate Safeguarding Policy provides a framework for every member of staff and Service within the Council, setting out responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and protecting children and adults at risk as well as the methods by which the Council will be assured that it is fulfilling its duties.

This policy applies to all Council employees and workforce, councillors, volunteers and also service providers that are commissioned by the Council. Safeguarding is everyone's business whether they work for, or on behalf of, the Council.

Support & Additional Info

• Please contact the HR Systems Team as early as possible if you're unable to apply online by emailing hrsystemsteam@pembrokeshire.gov.uk .
• Please contact the Recruitment Team if you have any queries relating to this vacancy by emailing Recruit@pembrokeshire.gov.uk .
• Local Government Employees on National Joint Council (NJC) terms are subject to national pay bargaining; all salaries currently stated in our adverts are as 01/04/2025.
• Please note, we have a legal obligation to consider employees for suitable alternative employment if their posts are at risk; therefore prior consideration will be given to existing employees who meet the person specification and are registered on our redeployment pool.

Welsh language skills are desirable. Applications may be submitted in Welsh and will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English.