Baby Room Leader | Vacancies | Ipswich School

Baby Room Leader (The Lodge Day Nursery)

Full-time, permanent, required as soon as possible. 

The Lodge Day Nursery at Ipswich School
https://www.lodgedaynursery.co.uk/

The Lodge Day Nursery 

We offer exceptional childcare provision for children aged 3 months to 5 years, in the centre of Ipswich. You will join a team of professional, qualified staff in a caring, supportive setting – we were rated as ‘outstanding’ in our most recent Ofsted inspection (September 2022).

We work in partnership with families to ensure each child feels safe, secure and has plenty of opportunities to discover new adventures, learn, grow, and thrive.

The Lodge is easily accessible in the heart of Ipswich. Our attractive buildings offer bright, spacious rooms, a large garden and outdoor environment and we are situated close to Christchurch Park.

We have four age ranges: Discoverers, Explorers, Adventurers and Pre School and children move onto the next stage at the appropriate time, but when they are ready. Our specially designed rooms provide the perfect environment for each age range and children always have regular access to our spacious garden and outdoor areas. Our Pre-School room has a full-time qualified teacher during term-time.

Our delicious food is locally sourced and cooked on the premises by our own chef. We provide food, selected nappies and milk.
 

The Nursery opens all year round (apart from Christmas week and a week in August) from 7.30am until 6.00pm.
 

We are looking for an ambitious nursery professional, eager to grow their own career, whilst helping us to provide the very best care for our growing numbers of children. We are seeking someone with the relevant experience, skills, qualifications and passion to be our next Baby Room Leader.

Ipswich School

Ipswich School has been listed as one of the top 130 schools in the country and is certainly one of the foremost independent schools in East Anglia. It was established prior to 1399, although it moved to its present site in 1852. We have over 1,080 pupils aged between 5 and 19 and we are fully co-educational.

We are delighted to be named in the Sunday Times Parent Power report as the top independent school in Suffolk. Find at more about us here: www.ipswich.school

The Role of Baby Room Leader 

As an important member of our nursery team, you will help us to deliver the EYFS curriculum, which ensures a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children attending the nursery. You will work closely with other staff to provide a stimulating, safe and caring learning environment appropriate to the needs of the children in our care. Here is a more detailed look at the role of a Room Leader in The Lodge Day Nursery:

The Room Leader is a member of The Lodge Day Nursery Team (LDN) and is primarily responsible for the delivery of the EYFS curriculum to a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children placed in the Nursery; within their room.

Responsibilities:

● To work closely with the Manager and other staff to provide a stimulating, safe and caring learning environment appropriate to the needs of the children in the EYFS.
● To lead the room team as part of the LDN team to promote the physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of the children in The Lodge.
● To work as a member of the LDN team under the direction of the Manager.
● To supervise staff and students in training and maintain a proactive and professional team in the room.
● To maintain staffing levels in the room and advise the Manager when there could be a problem.
● To plan, prepare and set out in an appropriate way, in cooperation with the room team, programmes of work and activities related to the room themes.
● To initiate, facilitate and evaluate age and stage-appropriate programmes of work and activities for groups and/or individuals, for example, story sessions, listening and reading, art and craftwork, computer activities, cooking, music, dance, special needs activities in consultation with the room team.

● To ensure that the materials, equipment and resources are available for groups and/or individuals to undertake planned activities, to tidy up at the end of the session and to encourage children to help whenever possible (age appropriate).
● To plan, share and at times to take sole responsibility for groups of children working in areas (both inside and outside) where a variety of activities are made available, facilitating and enabling them by providing appropriate levels of support and interaction.
● To keep careful records of the child’s development and progress and share them with parents, the child and other professionals as necessary.
● To encourage the children in self-care, independence, caring for their peers and their environment, and good behavioural standards, setting excellent examples at all times.
● To advise the senior staff of any concerns with regards to children, parents, equipment or with regard to health and safety.
● To maintain and ensure adequate resources are available for activities planned within the room and order new stock when necessary.
● To maintain confidentiality with regards to any information about the children, their families or LDN or School business, including staff matters.
● To take responsibility as required for any activity under the authority and direction of the Manager, for example, visits, group work, maintaining registers.
● To act as a Key Person.
● To pass relevant information to key persons for them to talk to parents as required.
● To attend meetings as and when required.
● To deal appropriately with minor accidents and injuries both indoors and outdoors.
● To be vigilant in matters of safety.
● To liaise with the Prep staff (age appropriate) to provide a smooth transition for children into the Prep.
● To keep abreast of current issues and attend training as necessary.
● To work in the Prep as part of the EYFS Late Stay facility as required by the Manager.
● To be flexible within working practices of the LDN. Be prepared to help where needed, including to undertake certain domestic jobs within the LDN, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleansing of equipment etc.
● Look upon the LDN as a "whole" assessing where your help can be most utilised, be constantly aware of the needs of children.
● To ensure the setting is a high quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from different cultures and religious backgrounds, and stages of development.
● Work alongside parents/carers of special needs children to provide full integration in the LDN.
● To ensure each child is collected by someone known to the LDN.The Post 

Specific Child Care Tasks:

● The preparation and completion of activities to suit the child's stage of development;
● To ensure that mealtimes are a time of pleasant social sharing;
● Washing and changing children as required;
● Providing comfort and warmth to an ill child.
● To attend ALL out of working hours activities, e.g. training, staff meetings, parents/carers evenings, Christmas party, etc
 

This list is not exhaustive and duties may be changed or added to as determined from time to time.

Knowledge, Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

● Hold a current and relevant childcare qualification NVQ Level 3 or above.
● Previous experience of working with young children.
● Previous experience of leading a room.
● Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Services Check.
●Paediatric First Aid Certificate.

Desirable:

Further qualifications.

● Evidence of continuous self-development and updated knowledge, particularly in the areas of responsibility for this post.
● Knowledge of pupil welfare issues including child protection, raising achievement, SEND provision etc.Principal Responsibilities 

Skills and Abilities 

● Have an excellent understanding of safe working practices in relation to child care.
● Have an excellent understanding of child development.
● Some previous experience of using a computer and preferably online Learning Journey software.
● Have the ability to work methodically and prioritise own workload.
● Have the ability to lead the room team.
● Have the ability to work as part of a team and also on own initiative.
● Have the ability to maintain up-to-date, accurate and detailed documentation.
●Conversant with current Early Years Foundation Stage.

Personal Qualities

Essential:

● Be honest, reliable and flexible.
● Be able to build excellent working relationships with children, parents/carers and colleagues within the LDN.
● Have the ability to attend for work punctually and be well presented.
● Have excellent attention to detail.
● Have a high level of patience.
● Enjoy working with children.
● Have the commitment to provide the highest standards of child care.
● Have the ability to multi-task.
● Have the willingness to learn, and undergo further appropriate training.
● Be flexible, positive, friendly and have a supportive approach to work.
● Have a pleasant disposition with a capability to respond positively under pressure.
● Have a sense of fun, and understanding with other adults.

Hours of work, salary and benefits

You will join a friendly and supportive team, we offer plenty of opportunities for further professional
development, working in a high achieving school in a fantastic area, with excellent facilities for both
children and staff.

What you need to know:

You will work for 37.5 hours each week on Mondays – Fridays throughout the year on a rota to make sure we maintain our staffing ratios during the nursery opening hours. Your starting salary is likely to be between £25,642 and £26,812 per annum (depending on your skills and experience as a Room Leader) and we review salaries every April. All our appointments are subject to the satisfactory completion of 6-month probationary period.

You will have 28 days’ paid holiday each year (including bank holidays) and a further 5 days as paid time off when the nursery is closed in August (one day) and at Christmas (4 days). Giving a total of 33 days’ paid time off each year. We should let you know that holiday (usually 4 days) must be taken during the week each year when the nursery is closed in August, and we will let you know the dates well in advance each year.
 

You will be entitled to join our defined contribution pension scheme for support staff (the employer contribution rate is an attractive 10% of your gross pay), and you will receive three times your salary as death in service life cover. You will also join Smart Health, a wellbeing scheme for staff offering 24/7 online GP and mental health support.
 

You will be able to use the School’s swimming pool and fitness gym free of charge and you will have a free freshly prepared lunch each day in School (when the school is in session). We also have (limited) free parking available for staff. After 3 years’ service you will be entitled to generous remission (from school fees).
 

We have a review and development scheme for staff, to assist in your professional development, and we have a fantastic track record of supporting our nursery staff in training and development activities and gaining further qualifications.

Closing Date And Interview Arrangements

Email

Completed application forms should be returned as soon as possible to: Director of HR, Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 3SG or via email.

Candidates may be contacted or invited to interview prior to the closing date, and we may close this vacancy early if suitable candidates apply. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If we have not been in touch with you by 30th April 2026, then we regret that your application will have been unsuccessful, but we would like to thank you for your interest.

Please advise us of any special requirements you may have if you are called for interview. If your special requirements mean that you need to submit this application in a different format, please contact us.

We will acknowledge safe receipt of all applications, but if we have not been in touch with you further, then we regret that your application will have been unsuccessful, but we would like to thank you for your interest in this vacancy and Ipswich School.

Please Note

Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the job, including checks with past employers and an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.