Play Leader

About the job

Key information

• Location: Wooden Spoon House, Crowcombe Road, Taunton TA2 7NF
• Pay: £12.21 per hour (depending on experience, to be reviewed annually)
• Hours of Work: 20 hours per week
• Contract Type: Permanent

Taunton Opportunity Group (TOG) is a pre-school provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities living in Taunton Deane and its surrounding areas. It is TOG’s mission to help its children realise their potential by working closely with parents/carers and by providing a tailored curriculum of appropriate and inclusive play and activities.

There is an opportunity to be flexible regarding hours of work, and this can be discussed at an interview. In July 2025 we will be reviewing extending TOG’s opening hours and the number hours of work per week available to our staff will be increased to reflect this.

What will I be doing?

You will be employed to work as a Play Leader, and you will work as part of a wider team under the direction of the Manager. You will provide a safe, inclusive and high-quality pre-school education journey for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities; delivered through morning sessions, lunch club, stay and play sessions and multi-sensory unit hire use. You will act as Key Person for up to 4 children, working closely with parents/carers throughout their child’s time at TOG, ensuring each child’s individual educational and care needs are met. You will be employed to work during term-time (39 weeks per year), and you will receive pay for 5.6 weeks’ annual leave per year.

Main Duties

• To assist with the planning and delivery of a tailored curriculum programme, which is developed in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• To teach children, offering an appropriate level of development support and play experiences.
• To work as a team with Play Leaders and to take the lead, when required, during morning sessions.
• To act as Key Person for approximately four children. You will work closely with parents/carers through informal discussions, by attending meetings and reviews, as well as by assisting with the writing of SEN Access and Support Plans, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and School Entry Plans (SEP).
• To ensure that developmental journals, individual progress tracker forms and termly observation records are completed and kept up to date for key children.
• To plan, prepare and lead three monthly assessments and do review meetings for each key child with parents/carers.
• To help set up the daily programme and to help tidy away at the end of each session.
• To support the delivery of snack-time and lunch club.
• To participate in and contribute to weekly team planning meetings.
• To ensure children are kept safe and knowledge of when to follow child protection procedures.
• To attend training courses as required and to take responsibility for personal development including preparation for and participation in annual appraisal reviews.
• To comply with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and to keep confidential any information which is acquired as part of the job.
• To be aware of and adhere to all the setting’s policies and procedures, including those related to confidentiality, safeguarding, health and safety and fire safety.
• To support TOG to achieve and maintain its outstanding Ofsted rating at the next inspection.

The postholder will be required to undertake any other reasonable duties as discussed and directed by the Manager.

What kind of experience or qualifications do I need?

Essential

• Level 3 early years education and childcare qualification or equivalent.
• Previous experience working with young children.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and child protection.
• Knowledge of child development from birth to five years.
• Knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• Knowledge of play-based approaches to children’s learning and development.
• Good written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Willingness to learn and undertake further professional development training.

Desirable

• Previous experience working with children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• First Aid trained.

DBS check

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and does require an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check. Applicants must disclose any convictions and/or orders which have been made against them.

Supporting documents and information

Please send a covering letter and CV to The Manager, Taunton Opportunity Group at admin@tauntonopportunitygroup.co.uk

Apply on the Taunton Opportunity Group website