Early Years Practitioner

Early Years Practitioner

Kiddiwinkles Dungannon

Level 2, Level 3 or Level 5 | Part-Time & Full-Time Opportunities | Salary Dependent on Experience

Are you passionate about early childhood and believe that children learn best when they are respected, listened to, trusted and given the freedom to explore the world around them?

Kiddiwinkles Dungannon is looking for enthusiastic and dedicated Early Years Practitioners to join our team.

We are looking for practitioners who don't simply want to "work in a nursery", but who want to be part of an environment where children are at the heart of everything we do.

Our Approach

At Kiddiwinkles, we take a genuinely child-centred approach. We see children as capable, curious individuals with their own ideas, interests, personalities and ways of learning.

Our practice is influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach, where children are viewed as capable and curious learners, with their interests and ideas helping to shape their experiences. We believe the environment is an important part of children's learning and provide natural, stimulating spaces with open-ended resources that encourage children to investigate, create, problem-solve and express themselves.

We are also influenced by the Pikler approach, particularly in our work with babies and younger children. This means building respectful relationships, allowing children to develop at their own pace, encouraging freedom of movement and involving children in their own care. Our primary caregiving approach places strong emphasis on secure attachments and meaningful relationships between practitioners, children and families.

Outdoor Learning at Kiddiwinkles Dungannon

Our Dungannon centre has lots of outdoor space, giving children plenty of opportunities to explore, investigate and learn outside every day.

We believe outdoor play is an essential part of childhood, not simply an activity for when the weather is nice. Our outdoor environment gives children the freedom to move, climb, dig, build, create, experiment and connect with nature.

We want our practitioners to embrace outdoor learning and be just as comfortable exploring outside with the children as they are supporting them indoors.

Whether it's discovering something in the garden, getting stuck into messy play, exploring the natural world, building dens or simply following children's interests outdoors, we see the outdoor environment as another important part of our learning experience.

The Practitioner We Are Looking For

We want practitioners who are warm, curious, reflective and passionate about what children can do.

You will be someone who:

• Builds genuine, respectful relationships with children
• Sees children as capable individuals and gives them time and space to develop at their own pace
• Follows children's interests rather than simply directing their play
• Enjoys getting involved in messy, creative, sensory and outdoor experiences
• Understands the importance of secure attachments and responsive caregiving
• Encourages children's independence and gives them opportunities to make choices
• Uses open-ended resources to encourage imagination, creativity and problem-solving
• Is comfortable allowing children to lead their own learning
• Observes children carefully and uses what you see to support their development
• Values children's voices and opinions
• Builds strong, respectful relationships with parents and families
• Works collaboratively with colleagues and contributes positively to the wider team
• Is willing to reflect on their practice and continue learning

What You Could Be Doing

Every day at Kiddiwinkles is different.

You could find yourself supporting a baby as they explore movement for the first time, helping a group of children investigate something they've discovered outdoors, setting up an open-ended creative experience, supporting children through everyday care routines, exploring the outdoor space, reading a story, singing, getting messy with sensory play or simply sitting alongside a child and following their lead.

We believe that the everyday moments matter.

Mealtimes, nappy changes, rest times, outdoor play and conversations are all opportunities to build relationships, encourage independence and support learning.

What We Value

At Kiddiwinkles, we want children to feel that they belong.

We encourage children to have a voice, make decisions, investigate, explore, problem-solve and take ownership of their experiences. We focus on the whole child — their emotional, social, physical and cognitive development — while recognising that every child is unique.

We want our practitioners to feel the same sense of belonging.

We are looking for people who will bring their personality, creativity, ideas and passion to the role and who want to develop alongside the children they work with.

Qualifications

We are welcoming applications from qualified Early Years Practitioners with:

Level 2, Level 3 or Level 5 qualifications.

Both part-time and full-time positions are available.

Salary will be dependent on experience and qualification level.

If you believe children deserve to be respected, listened to and trusted, and you want to work somewhere that genuinely values childhood, we would love to hear from you.

Come and be part of the Kiddiwinkles Dungannon team.

Work Location: In person