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home Education and early years
Early years lead practitioner

Early years lead practitioner

Education and early years

Level 5 - Higher Technical Occupation

Working directly with children, skilfully leading day to day practice.

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Reference: OCC0551

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

Average (median) salary: £18,429 per year

SOC 2020 code: 3232 Early education and childcare practitioners

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:

  • 3232/00 Early education and childcare practitioners
  • 2315/00 Nursery education teaching professionals

Technical Education Products

ST0551:

Early years lead practitioner

(Level 5)

Approved for delivery

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Little Explorers Playgroup, Our Monkey Club, Pen Green Children's Centre, Places for Children Ltd, Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery(s), Kids Planet Day Nurseries , Market Harborough Montessori Nursery, Wolds Childcare Ltd, Best Start Nurseries, School's Out, Rothley C of E Primary School, Charnwood Nursery and Pre-School

Summary

This occupation is found in a range of settings which can include day nurseries, playgroups, nursery schools, pre-schools, kindergartens, primary schools, hospitals, social care settings, out of school environments and local authority provision. The broad purpose of the occupation is to be a proactive and influential practitioner, working directly with children, skilfully leading day to day practice at an operational level. As active practitioners they are effective role models of play based learning, supporting others to develop their own practice. They are highly skilled professionals who take an operational lead for the care, learning and development of all young children within their care, adapting to individual needs providing inclusive and holistic provision. They engage with sector developments both locally and nationally, with a commitment to developing their own professional and educational competencies.. In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with children aged birth to eight years, families, practitioners, other professionals and appropriate agencies. An employee in this occupation will be responsible for supporting the quality of learning and development in their setting. They lead on the operational aspects of this provision and are typically responsible for leading other practitioners, an aspect or environment such as; Communication and Language, Planning and Assessment, Forest School, Physical Activity and Nutrition. They usually report directly to the head of the setting (The Manager, The Leader, The Director).

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Little Explorers Playgroup, Our Monkey Club, Pen Green Children's Centre, Places for Children Ltd, Lilliput Montessori Day Nursery(s), Kids Planet Day Nurseries , Market Harborough Montessori Nursery, Wolds Childcare Ltd, Best Start Nurseries, School's Out, Rothley C of E Primary School, Charnwood Nursery and Pre-School

Green themes

Supportive of Green Economy

Typical job titles include:

Assistant manager
Baby room leader
Deputy manager
Early years coordinator
Early years foundation Stage lead or coordinator
Early years officer
Early years practitioner
Early years support worker
Education welfare officer
Health play specialist
Higher level teaching and learning assistant
Hospital play worker
Key worker
Lead baby room practitioner
Lead practitioner
Nursery officer
Pastoral assistant
Pastoral care manager
Play leader
Pre-school leader
Room leader
Senior key worker
Senior practitioner
Specialist practitioner in child development (health), Community nursery nurse

Keywords:

Child
Development
Early Years
Education
Practitioner
Wellbeing

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: Ethical and rights-based approaches to support the child, listening to the child’s authentic voice within their social and cultural context enabling advocacy for the child and their individual journey, developing high quality childcare environments that are continuously evaluated.
K2: How individual children learn and develop from conception to 8 years in relation to typical and atypical neurological, cognitive, social, emotional, behavioural, communication and physical development within the social, cultural context and the impact of this on their future.
K3: Factors that have an impact upon health, well-being and early learning that can affect children from conception to 8 years.
K4: Current and contemporary schools of thought to enable respectful and nurturing personal care.
K5: Local and national child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures in practice, identifying when a child is at risk, and how to challenge in order to protect them. This includes understanding the role of the designated lead for safeguarding and assimilating findings of serious case reviews.
K6: Theories of self-regulation, resilience and well-being and the impact of adverse early childhood experiences.
K7: Current and emerging theories of attachment and how these relate to promoting relationships effectively such as the key person approach.
K8: The importance of the social cultural context on the learning and development of the child and the influence parents, families and carers have within the home learning environment and the complexities of the family situation.
K9: The importance of play and the theoretical perspectives of play and its impact on a child’s learning and development.
K10: How to stimulate children’s creativity and curiosity and why and how this enables enquiry based active learning.
K11: A wide range of underpinning theories from physiological, neurological, developmental and education and how these can be incorporated to develop own pedagogy.
K12: Current and contemporary approaches in the development of emergent literacy and numeracy skills such as synthetic phonics.
K13: How planning cycles inform and improve practice and the principles of individual needs-based assessment for effective early intervention for all children responsive to typical and atypical needs and development.
K14: Potential effects of transitions and schools of thought on how to successfully support children and their families.
K15: The importance of enabling environments and the impact of opportunities, resources and relationships on learning and development.
K16: How to promote inclusion, equality and diversity in the sector and why it is essential.
K17: Current and contemporary theoretical perspectives and approaches to leadership and how to support others through leaderful practice.
K18: Principles of reflection in influencing early years practice with a commitment to life-long learning including continual professional development and action research.
K19: How to maintain accurate and coherent records and reports for the purpose of sharing information and communicate effectively in both oral and written English.
K20: The current and relevant policy, statutory guidance and legal requirements as appropriate to the sector within; local, national, historical and global contexts.
K21: Strategies to effect collaborative approaches to working with parents, professional bodies and multi agencies.

S1: Analyse and articulate how all children’s individual learning can be affected by their current developmental capabilities, characteristics and individual circumstances taking into account all factors contributing to typical and atypical development.
S2: Promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice.
S3: Observe, assess, plan, facilitate and participate in play opportunities which include current curriculum requirements.
S4: Ensure plans fully reflect the individual development needs and circumstances of children and actively participate in the provision of consistent care, responding quickly to the needs of the individual child.
S5: Provide a dynamic, evolving and enabling environment that reflects the current interests, motivations, and play of individual and groups of children.
S6: Encourage all children’s participation, ensuring a sensitive, respectful and effective balance within the adult and child dynamic to facilitate play opportunities.
S7: Engage in effective strategies to develop and extend children's learning and thinking, including sustained shared thinking.
S8: Support and promote children’s speech, language and communication development and determining and adapting appropriate responses and interventions.
S9: Support children to engage in a range of learning contexts such as individual, small groups and larger groups as appropriate for their play and support confidence within social experiences.
S10: Ensure staff are deployed effectively to suit and enhance the learning environment, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of all children.
S11: Advocate for the child, cultivating professional partnerships with parents/carers and other professionals, presenting their understanding of the child’s journey within multidisciplinary teams to holistically support the child’s individual needs.
S12: Demonstrate the importance of the home learning environment, developing an effective and collaborative partnership to enhance opportunities for the child.
S13: Make use of formative and summative assessment, tracking children’s progress to plan for future learning possibilities including early interventions based on individual developmental needs.
S14: Take responsibility for supporting the key person in articulating children's progress and planning future learning possibilities.
S15: Use current and contemporary knowledge, research, theories and approaches to develop, enhance and articulate their own pedagogical approach and practice.
S16: Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally to enhance their practice.
S17: Plan, carry out and guide appropriate physical care routines for individual children.
S18: Promote, model and support children and families to develop a healthy approach to making choices relating to personal care including eating, sleeping and physical activity.
S19: Develop, model and implement strategies to support the emotional, psychological, physical and cultural needs of all children within the setting.
S20: Identify and act upon own responsibilities in relation to health and safety, prevention and control of infection, carrying out risk assessments and risk management processes in line with policies and procedures.
S21: Ensure the security and confidentiality of data, records and information in line with current legislation.
S22: Be a leaderful practitioner to support, mentor, coach, train and guide colleagues in a range of settings, providing inspiration and motivation to engage others to develop their practice.
S23: Be confident to identify, action and competently challenge issues and undertake difficult conversations where appropriate.
S24: Advocate for children through their child centred approach, listening to the voice of the child; ensuring children’s rights, views and wishes are heard, respected and acted upon at all times. Offer appropriate support and influence decisions in the best interests of the child.
S25: Competently action and carry out safeguarding procedures, using their professional curiosity, knowledge, insight and understanding.
S26: Explore and understand, challenge and question; knowing when to act to safeguard and protect children.

B1: Ethical, fair, consistent and impartial, valuing equality and diversity at all times within professional boundaries.
B2: Leaderful and motivating through consistent modelling of innovative and aspirational practice to other colleagues.
B3: Person centred, friendly and approachable, demonstrating caring, empathetic and respectful qualities.
B4: Authentic and fun, demonstrating playful practice through animated and expressive play and quality interactions with children.
B5: Positive and proactive member of the team, being assertive and exercising diplomacy.
B6: Reflective practitioner.
B7: Creative and imaginative, demonstrating curiosity and inquisitiveness in order to be resourceful in all areas, including play and problem solving.
B8: Flexible and adaptable; responding to children’s spontaneous activities.
B9: Receptive and open to challenge and constructive criticism.

Duties

Duty D1

Promote the health and well-being of all children, self-regulation and resilience through learning rich environments, opportunities for challenging play and a healthy attitude towards risk taking.

Duty D2

Provide playful, sensitive interaction opportunities that reflect children's needs, interests and motivations in order to facilitate and extend deep level learning.

Duty D3

Participate in and lead daily routines and practice, including childrens’ personal care, play and maintaining the physical environment.

Duty D4

To be an effective key person and advocate for the child, supporting the child’s developmental, emotional and daily needs within a secure and caring relationship. To ensure the effectiveness of the key person approach across the aspect or environment for which they are responsible.

Duty D5

To take the lead and provide support in disseminating best practice in the use of observation, assessments and planning to meet children's needs and extend their holistic development within the aspect or environment for which they are responsible.

Duty D6

Promote, demonstrate and facilitate a clear understanding of diversity and equality to support all children, including those with additional needs, those of high ability, those with English as an additional language and those with disabilities. To be able to use and evaluate distinctive approaches which engage and support inclusivity of all children within their social and cultural context.

Duty D7

Ensure full compliance with all safeguarding legislation, policies and strategies at a national, local and setting based level are promoted, implemented and embedded respectfully within practice, providing appropriate support to colleagues as, or supporting, the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Duty D8

Demonstrate leaderful practice through the effective deployment of resources and practitioners keeping the child’s voice and needs central to practice.

Duty D9

Reflect and build on practice through ongoing professional enquiry and action research to contribute to the pedagogical approach of their setting. To be accountable for day to day practice, longer term planning, management and training within the specific aspect or environment for which they are responsible.

Duty D10

Establish engaging, inclusive and collaborative relationships and participate in multiagency meetings. Enable and facilitate practitioners to develop professional relationships with parents, carers and multi-agencies to meet the individual needs of the children.

Duty D11

Commit to becoming a reflective practitioner, enhancing skills and knowledge to improve pedagogical practice. Guide and support the development of the reflective practice of others.

Duty D12

Initiate continuing professional development opportunities in response to identification of strengths and weaknesses both personally and within your team. Provide constructive feedback on points of practice on an informal day to day basis and contribute to formal performance management as necessary.

Duty D13

Ensure compliance with all Health and Safety legislation, policies and strategies at a national, local and setting based level.

Duty D14

Maintain effective administrative systems including development records, assessment, report writing and record keeping, such as risk assessments and safeguarding concerns.

Duty D15

Work in collaborative partnership with parents and carers in the planning, implementation and review of strategies in place to support children's experience, holistic development, learning and progress.

Duty D16

To lead and manage across the area, aspect or environment for which they are responsible for.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

Technical Occupations

Levels 2-3

Higher Technical Occupations

Levels 4-5

Professional Occupations

Levels 6-7

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Level 2

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Level 3

This is the focused occupation.
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Level 5

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Level 5

Progression link from focused occupation.
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Level 5

Education and early years

Health and science