Early Years Improvement Officer

Derbyshire Dales Source: WhatJobs

£40,000–£43,000

Early Years Improvement Officer

Are you a highly motivated early years professional with strong EYFS knowledge, experience of quality practice and a commitment to improving outcomes for children? This is a rewarding opportunity to support a wide range of early years providers, deliver training and contribute to meaningful improvement across the sector.

If you’ve also worked in the following roles, we’d also like to hear from you: Early Years Adviser, EYFS Improvement Officer, Early Years Consultant, Early Years Quality Improvement Officer, EYFS Adviser, Early Years Teacher, Nursery Teacher, Reception Teacher, Early Years Training Officer, Early Years Practitioner Trainer

SALARY: £39,865 - £43,270 per annum FTE (£19,932 - £21,635 per annum Actual) + Benefits

LOCATION: Matlock, Derbyshire, East Midlands

JOB TYPE: Part Time, Fixed Term Contract until end of March 2029

WORKING HOURS: 18 hours and 30 minutes per week

JOB OVERVIEW

This is a rewarding opportunity for an experienced Early Years professional to use their teaching, coaching and quality improvement skills to support children’s learning and development across a wide range of settings.

As the Early Years Improvement Officer you will provide advice, support and challenge to schools, pre-schools, day nurseries, childminders, wraparound providers and Best Start in Life Family Hubs.

Working as the Early Years Improvement Officer you will help providers improve EYFS practice, curriculum planning, assessment, Ofsted readiness and outcomes for children.

The Early Years Improvement Officer will also develop and deliver training, support early years projects and work collaboratively with colleagues and external partners.

DUTIES

Your duties as the Early Years Improvement Officer include:

Support and Challenge: Provide advice, guidance and constructive challenge to leaders, managers, EYFS teams and practitioners across maintained and non-maintained early years settings
Training Delivery: Develop and deliver high-quality training and professional development for EYFS practitioners, based on current research and excellent practice
Quality Improvement: Support providers to improve early years provision, strengthen practice and improve outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage
Curriculum and Assessment: Offer guidance on curriculum planning and assessment to help providers meet the requirements of the EYFS statutory framework
Ofsted Preparation: Provide advice and support to early years providers relating to Ofsted inspections, frameworks and regulations
Project Coordination: Coordinate the development and delivery of early years projects in line with local and national priorities, including the Best Start in Life Plan
Partnership Working: Build and maintain strong working relationships with EYFS practitioners, leaders, managers, schools, agencies and colleagues across children’s services
Reporting and Planning: Analyse need, support improvement activity and produce evaluative reports and concise action plans

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL

Significant experience of teaching in an early years’ education setting
Qualified Teacher Status
Early Years Teacher Status or Early Years Professional Status
Experience of supporting early years practitioners to improve practice and outcomes
Strong knowledge of the EYFS statutory framework, early years pedagogy, child development, Ofsted frameworks and relevant national policy
Ability to analyse need, support improvement activity and manage change
Good coaching, adult teaching and training delivery skills
Ability to write evaluative reports, action plans and other clear professional documentation
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including fluent English
Confident IT user with the ability to work flexibly across a range of locations
Self-motivated, resilient and able to work well as part of a team
Reflective, diplomatic and committed to ongoing professional development
Ability to travel within the County according to service need

DESIRABLE

Recent teaching experience in a school nursery or Reception setting
Experience of leading EYFS across the age phase
Experience of working in more than one setting or school
Experience of writing or delivering training
Experience of working with wider agencies to improve outcomes for children
Good knowledge of early language and communication development, including practical interventions to improve outcomes
Good knowledge and understanding of attachment-led practice
Experience of delivering and evaluating national research or evidence-based early years projects in a school or setting
Experience using online platforms to coach and deliver remote training or learning