Job Description

BLUEBELL FOREST SCHOOL LIMITED
ROLE AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job Title: Pre School Apprentice
Salary: NMW
Location: Matching Village Hall, The Green,
Matching Tye, Harlow, Essex, CM170QS
Hours: (Flexible hours - Max 28 hours a week)

Job Title:Pre School Apprentice

Responsible to:Pre-school Manager/Deputy Manager Date: September 2026

JOB PURPOSE

To provide safe, high-quality education and care for our pre-school children - helping to make every day happy, engaging and full of opportunities to learn.

To support children's learning and development through our Montessori and Forest School approach. One minute you may be sharing a favourite story, the next making mud pies, hunting for minibeasts or helping to build something wonderful from sticks.

To embrace the Bluebell ethos: kind, nurturing, curious, practical and child-centred. We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys being with children, joining in their play and seeing the world through their eyes.

To follow all legal, statutory and setting requirements. Fun is important, but safeguarding, supervision, health and safety and professional practice always come first.

To contribute to and follow Bluebell Forest School policies and procedures, asking for guidance whenever you are unsure.

To be a positive role model for children and colleagues through kindness, patience, good humour, respectful language and a willingness to get involved - even when the activity involves paint, puddles or an impressive amount of mud.

To support daily risk assessments for the classroom, outdoor areas and Forest School environment, helping to make sure children can explore, take appropriate risks and have adventures safely.

Key Areas of Responsibility
What the role looks like in real life

To help prepare inviting EYFS, Montessori and Forest School environments and resources that encourage children to explore, investigate, create, imagine and learn.

To take an active part in planning and delivering fun, purposeful activities - from storytelling, singing and creative play to bug hunts, nature activities, campfire experiences, den building and, of course, the occasional magnificent mud pie.

To help care for our indoor and outdoor environments and encourage children to take age-appropriate responsibility for looking after their resources and surroundings. Being willing to sweep up glitter, return 47 wooden animals to their basket and locate the missing welly is useful.

To support accurate record keeping, including attendance, accidents and incidents, risk assessments, observations and other required records.

To follow all pre-school policies and procedures, including safeguarding and child protection, signing in and out, health and safety, confidentiality, equality and safe working practices.

To contribute to accurate and up-to-date records relating to children's learning, development, wellbeing and care, under the guidance of senior staff.

To help maintain a safe, clean and welcoming environment for children, staff and visitors, indoors and outdoors. This includes following hygiene, safety and fire procedures - whatever the weather decides to do.

To understand that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and to report any concern about a child's welfare immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy DSL, in line with setting procedures.

To supervise children carefully at all times, remaining alert, engaged and present. Our children deserve adults who play alongside them rather than watching the fun from the sidelines.

To support the SENCO and wider team in meeting the individual needs of children with SEND and ensuring every child is included and able to participate.

To support observations, learning records and transition information for key children as appropriate to the apprentice role and under the guidance of qualified practitioners.

To attend training, meetings and professional development opportunities as required and to be willing to learn, reflect and develop throughout the apprenticeship.

To work professionally with the Manager, Deputy Manager and other professionals as required, following guidance and maintaining appropriate confidentiality.

To support the setting in maintaining high standards and implementing any actions or recommendations arising from inspections, quality improvement work or professional guidance.

To build warm, professional relationships with parents and carers, sharing appropriate information about their child's day, learning and development and listening respectfully to their views.

To help parents and carers feel confident that their child is safe, valued, understood and genuinely cared for at Bluebell.

To be a reliable and supportive member of the team: arrive on time, communicate well, help colleagues, share ideas and contribute to the smooth running of each session. At Bluebell, nobody is too important to help zip a coat, wipe a table or find a lost mitten.

To speak promptly with the Manager or Deputy Manager if difficulties or concerns arise involving children, parents, colleagues or practice, rather than allowing problems to grow.

To work collaboratively with the whole Bluebell team. We support one another, share the workload and celebrate each other's strengths - especially on cold, wet days when teamwork and a good sense of humour are essential.

To follow the Manager/Deputy Manager's instructions in an emergency and support the setting's emergency procedures calmly and responsibly.

To support children with transitions, including preparation for moving on to school, and help collate relevant information as directed.

To undertake other reasonable duties requested by the Manager/Deputy Manager that are appropriate to the role and apprenticeship.

To protect children's, families' and colleagues' privacy and confidentiality and contribute positively to the working atmosphere of the setting.

This job description is not an exhaustive list. Early years has a habit of producing unexpected moments, so flexibility, initiative, teamwork and a sense of humour are very welcome. Any additional duties will be reasonable, appropriate to the apprentice role and discussed with the Manager/Deputy Manager.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

A genuine interest in children's development and a desire to learn about how young children learn, play and grow.
Enthusiasm for helping to plan and deliver engaging activities that meet children's individual needs, including children with SEND.
A willingness to learn and follow current early years legislation, safeguarding requirements, policies and good practice.
Ability to build positive, professional relationships with parents and families and recognise the importance of working in partnership with them.
A willingness to represent Bluebell Forest School positively and contribute to a welcoming environment for current and prospective families.
Commitment to equality, inclusion and treating every child and family with dignity and respect.
Basic computer literacy and willingness to learn the systems used within the setting.

Suitability Criteria-Task Oriented
Professionalism - including understanding that safeguarding and confidentiality are never optional.
Problem solving - because sticks will get stuck, wellies will go missing and plans sometimes change.
Decision making - knowing when you can solve something yourself and when to ask a senior colleague for help.

Suitability Criteria - People Oriented
Team working - being willing to muck in, support colleagues and contribute to a positive team culture.
Trust and reliability - children, families and colleagues need to know they can depend on you.
Communication - warm and friendly with children and families, clear and professional with colleagues.
Flexibility - including a genuine willingness to work outdoors in all weathers. Sunshine is lovely; drizzle, mud, wind and chilly mornings are also part of Forest School life.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and does require a criminal records check. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders which have been made against them.

Information about the School

We are twice outstanding pre school offering Montessori and Forest school. We have exclusive access to an ancient woodland and go out everyday. We provide high quality childcare with exceptionally high standards.,Our ethos is to treat both people and nature with kindness and to teach young children to gain independence, confidence and build self esteem so they can build secure foundations for the rest of their lives.