Key duties and responsibilities

PRIMARY ROLE

The Early Childhood Teacher/Kindergarten Teacher will provide comprehensive and effective educational and care services in accordance with the cultural, educational and developmental needs of our children. This role will include addressing the needs, concerns and sustainability of families and the wider community.

• The role will be responsible for the development and implementation of an innovative curriculum and the delivery of an approved kindergarten program. It must also meet the requirements under the Education and Care Services National Law 2010, the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 and the National Quality Standards;
  • Develop an early childhood education (ECE) program in line with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), Queensland Learning Kindergarten Guideline (QLKG) and the National Quality Standards (NQS).
  • Ensure delivery of the program is compliant with the Queensland Kindergarten Funding Scheme: Funding Category Guidelines 2022;
• Implement and maintain an innovative ECE program:
  • based on planning, reflective practices and intentional teaching;
  • in conjunction with local businesses, schools and other organisations to broaden the children’s connectedness to their community; and
  • include appropriate indoor and outdoor experiences, physical activity, music and movement.
• Evaluate the ECE program according to the objectives and outcomes of program and teaching strategies;
• Involve educators and other staff in planning, documenting and evaluation of programs to promote staff development;
• Comply with the National Quality Framework, all relevant legislation both state and federal and the National Quality Standards.
• Welcome each child and their family to the service each day and ensure communication is meaningful.
• Communicate positively and respectfully with children, families, management, and other educators.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Role Specific:

• Responsible for the developmental programs and communication of these with families.
• Critically reflect on practises and set goals for quality improvement.
• Demonstrate the Principles and Practices of the Early Years Learning Framework.
• Demonstrate the Principles and Practices through commitment to the following:
  • High Expectations
  • Respect for diversity
  • Play Based learning environments
  • Inclusion
  • Community
  • Continuity of learning
  • Assessment for Learning
• Ensuring smooth operation of the room including conducting group times, routines, transitions, toileting and nappy change, sleep, rest and mealtimes.
• Include children’s current knowledge, ideas, culture, abilities, and interests are the foundation of the program.
• Support children’s agency and assist them to make choices and decisions as appropriate.
• Respond to children’s play ideas and play and use intentional teaching to extend their learning.
• Communicate children’s play ideas and interest with other educators and include in programs and extensions.
• Be proactive in researching ways to extend children’s learning.
• Develop collaboratively and implement action plans for children that have diverse or specific needs, including medical, behavioural or developmental.
• Use a range of techniques to observe, document and learn about children, including summative assessment.
• Prepare transition statements of each child's learning and development during the kindergarten year. These should be created by teachers in collaboration with the children, their parents/carers, and support personnel.

Health, Safety and Hygiene:

• Ensure children are always supervised including during routine times such as nappy change, toileting, sleeping/resting, mealtimes and both indoor and outdoor play.
• Be actively involved in regular head counts and confirming children in attendance with visual checks of faces and recording on rolls and other documentation throughout the day.
• You must be actively involved in children’s learning and play. Supervision at a distance without interaction is not effective or accepted.
• Ensure all relevant checklists and forms are completed honestly and promptly by yourself and other educators in your room and communicate with the Nominated Supervisor.
• Ensure all children are protected from harm and hazard, set up learning environments safely, including relevant fall zones and surfacing for climbing equipment.
• Ensure that incident, medication and other relevant forms are completed honestly and promptly.
• You are a mandatory reporter and must notify of any child protection issues, you should in the first instance discuss with your Nominated Supervisor and ensure that you follow through until you are happy with the outcome and steps taken including, but not limited to reporting to the relevant authorities.
• Comply with Policies and protect your own health and safety while at work and take reasonable care that your acts or omissions do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons.
• It is imperative that you understand that manual handling is an integral part of this role. You will be expected to be fit to work with children and perform manual tasks.
• You are required to ensure that environments are maintained in a clean and hygienic way and that trip/slip hazards are attended to immediately and reported as necessary.
• Have due regard for the health and safety of children, families, educators, visitors, and yourself.
• Take due and adequate care of equipment and materials and follow the guide for the care, storage, and maintenance of equipment.
• Participate in evacuation and lock down drills seriously and communicate any identified improvements.
• Meet each child’s individual need for rest, sleep, toileting, and meals, even when these are outside of routine times.
• Promote and role model healthy eating with children.
• Ensure children are provided with access to clean, hygienic drinking water throughout the day.
• Always follow safe sleeping practices.
• Conduct risk assessments, in collaboration with others, communicate these to those involved and follow control measures identified in these documents.
• Respond to, and administer first aid or medication as prescribed and record and notify management and parents when an incident occurs

Physical Environments and Sustainability:

• Set up environments so that they are safe, interesting, and appealing to children.
• Maintain equipment, buildings, and all surfaces in a clean and hygienic manner at all times.
• Report damaged equipment, building or facilities immediately to the nominated supervisor and record on the damaged equipment log.
• Foster an interest in caring for the environment with children and support them in, exploring, watering, weeding, and planting.
• Maintain gardens, plants, and other living element at the service.
• Ensure environments are inviting, uncluttered and show a high level of pride at all times.
• Support and encourage children to contribute to the service’s sustainable practices including, but not limited to water and energy conservation, recycling programs, use of reused, reclaimed items and limiting unnecessary wastage.
• Ensure environments are inclusive and suitable for the ages and stages of children in care.
• Promote physical activity and participate in games and activities which develop gross motor development and fitness in young children.

Interactions with Children:

• Ensure that the dignity and rights of every child is always respected.
• Encourage and build self-esteem in each child and in no way shame or embarrass any child at any time.
• Ensure interactions with each child are warm and responsive and build trusting relationships.
• You must always ensure that positive behavior guidance is used. Educators are not to use isolation, “time-out” or any other methods which are humiliating or disrespectful. Harsh communication or any form of physical contact when responding to behaviour will not be tolerated.
• Take time to understand the emotions behind children’s behaviours and support their self-regulation.
• Support children to regulate each other’s behaviour in a respectful manner.
• Ensure the dignity and rights of every child is always maintained. Report any instances where you believe this is not occurring.

Other Ongoing Requirements:

• Ensure you are aware of the National Quality Standards and how they interact with this role
• Attendance at out of hours training or meetings as requested.
• You are not permitted to have in your possession or to use personal devices capable of taking digital images or video recordings when working with children (except in an emergency). Only service-supplied devices may be used for taking and storing images and videos. Exceptions for health or family reasons must be approved in writing using the appropriate form.
• Ensure all images and videos are appropriate and taken for meaningful purposes directly related to the provision of education and care.
• Comply with the requirements as per the National Model Code for the taking of images, access to and storage of images as per the Information Technology and Social Media Policy.

N.B This position description contains the most important duties and tasks regarding the job to be done. It is not an exclusive/exhaustive list. Please refer to the link below for a list of required skills, knowledge, experience and licences/certificates.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this position - please 'apply now' through the RGS Website following all directions on compulsory documentation: Current Career Opportunities | The Rockhampton Grammar School (rgs.qld.edu.au)

Applications must be submitted no later than 4:00pm Friday 1st November 2024.

Enquiries should be directed to Adeina Shackleton (Director of Early Learning Centre) on 07 4936 0880.

*Note: only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

*The Rockhampton Grammar School reserves the right to amend this Position Description at its discretion in accordance with any Safeguarding of Children, legislative and/or operational requirements.