Early Years Play Development Practitioner, Community Wing - Perth Grammar School

Job Description

Early Years Play Development Practitioner - PKC11551
£23,540 - £25,292 (30 Hours per week, Whole Year working)
Community Wing, Perth Grammar School

An exciting opportunity has arisen within our Childcare Team to facilitate, deliver and support the development of play experiences, ensuring the highest quality for children, young people and their families within Perth and Kinross.   

This role will facilitate a range of play activities for children and young people and their families during term-time and over holiday periods.

As the successful post-holder, you will deliver practical Play sessions within primarily schools and communities across Perth and Kinross.

These actions include:

- Facilitating a wide range of quality play opportunities in the school playground environments and communities.
- Sharing good practice and liaising with a range of professionals.
- Identifying appropriate play experiences and opportunities for the children, manage, co-ordinate and evaluate the delivery of play provision.
- Devising new and imaginative resources to support flexible methods of delivery of play provision and training for those involved in play services.  
- Promoting the importance and benefits of play and play types (indoors and outdoors) for the health, wellbeing and overall development of children, young people, and families.
- Encouraging families to develop skills, confidence, motivation, and ownership of play.
Supporting the development of play within communities.

This 30 hours per week post will be based at the Community Wing, Perth Grammar School, although you will deliver play sessions in schools and communities across Perth and Kinross. 

It is expected that the hours will be between 9am - 6pm, with some evening work and occasional weekends.

Requirements

You must have a SNNEB, NNEB, SVQ3 in Playworker, Care Learning and Development, Early Education and Childcare, or Social Services (Children and Young People) or HNC in Childcare and Education or Childhood Practice.

You will also be given opportunities to undertake additional training.

A valid, full UK driving licence is essential as the role involves transporting play resources throughout the Perth & Kinross Council area. 

The Individual

We are looking for an individual to support the development of play experiences for children, young people, and their families.  

You must be able to demonstrate your knowledge of quality play experiences and have knowledge of local and national guidance relating to play.

A genuine interest in the development of children and their wellbeing is essential and the important qualities are kindness, sensitivity, respectfulness, creativity, flexibility, good manners, a sense of fun, as well as the ability to always respect confidentiality.

Supervisory skills would be beneficial for managing a team of professionals delivering play activities with excellent communication skills to motivate and engage with staff and children.
In addition, you must be flexible, able to work on your own or as part of a team, using your own initiative.

If you would like to share our ambition, commitment and drive to enhance the lives of children and young people through play within Perth and Kinross, then we would like to hear from you.

For more information about this post, please contact Shona O’Connor at saoconnor@pkc.gov.uk

When completing your application for this post, please ensure that you provide contact details (including e-mail addresses) for two referees.  One should be your current or most recent employer.

Please APPLY ONLINE.  Facilities are available at all public libraries in Perth and Kinross.  If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments, please call 01738 475555 to discuss.

As part of our safer recruitment measures, any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of mandatory checks including eligibility to work in the UK, Disclosure Scotland or PVG, qualifications, references, and fitness to undertake the post.  This may also include an Overseas Criminal Records Check if you have spent time living overseas.

A healthy work life balance is important to Perth & Kinross Council and we provide supportive management and flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a healthy work life balance.  You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Some jobs may have been traditionally carried out predominately by one gender, but we would encourage you to apply if you meet the requirements, irrespective of your gender. 

Perth & Kinross Council welcomes applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists.  Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

At PKC our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer.  In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours.  Find out more about PKC and you could soon be joining our team!

Find out more about working for Perth & Kinross Council and living in one of the most scenic areas of Scotland  Jobs, careers and employment.

What we can do for you

If you are successful in a role with Perth & Kinross Council, you will have access to a range of benefits to help your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.