Job Description

Reference:
25-28897
Job title:
Early Years Assistant
Directorate:
Children and Supporting Families
Service:
Early Years Team
Closing date:
31/10/2025 10:00
Job type/Hours:
Temporary | 31/03/2028 | 30 Hour
Salary:
18,430 - 19,643 a year
Pay Scale:
GS4
Term time job:
39 Weeks
Location(s):
See Job Advertisement

Location - Caernarfon

Gwynedd Council offers an attractive employment package, for more information please click on this

Information Pack

Gwynedd Council operates internally through the medium of Welsh, and offers all its services bilingually. The applicant will be required to reach the linguistic level noted as one of the essential skills in the Person Specification.


We encourage everyone who applies for a job with Gwynedd Council to submit job applications in Welsh or bilingually.


(Applications submitted in English only or Welsh only will always be treated equally, but we ask applicants to consider carefully what the linguistic requirements of the job in question is and if it would be more appropriate to submit an application in Welsh.)


For further information about this post please contact Sioned Ann Owen on 01286 678 824 or via e-mail: SionedOwen@gwynedd.llyw.cymru


Application forms and further details available from Support Service, Gwynedd Council, Council Offices, Caernarfon, LL55 1SH


Tel: 01286 679076


E-Mail: Swyddi@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

CLOSING DATE: 31/10/2025

The Council will request a Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service for the successful candidate.

If you are successful to be short listed for an interview you will be contacted by E-MAIL using the address provided on your application form. You need to ensure that you check your email regularly.


Recruitment Pack Children and Supporting Families.pdf

Personal attributes

#

Essential

The ability to relate well with children and adults.


Work constructively as part of a team.


Willing to accept responsibilities and contribute ideas


Enthusiastic and flexible


A calm personality


Committed to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people

#

Desirable

Qualifications and relevant training

#

Essential

Good numeracy/literacy skills.


NVQ2 for Teaching Assistants or equivalent qualification, or willing to undertake the course after appointment.


Driving licence.

#

Desirable

Have followed learning pathway training for teaching assistants - 'Induction Programme'


First Aid Training


Safeguarding Children training


Training in relevant strategies to support special learning, e.g. Elkan /literacy/ numeracy

Relevant experience

#

Essential

Working with pre-school or Foundation Phase children.
#

Desirable

Experience of working with small groups of children


Experience of assisting in a classroom or in a childcare setting


Experience of working with pupils with additional learning needs

Skills and specialist knowledge

#

Essential

Efficient use of ICT


Good interpersonal and communication skills


Able to establish and foster good working relationships with others.

#

Desirable

Experience of the Early Years field

Language requirements

#

Listening and Speaking - Higher

Able to follow a conversation or discussion through the medium of Welsh and English on a professional level and discuss general day to day topics in the field in order to present information and express opinions.Able to give a pre-prepared presentation and respond to any comments and questions on it in Welsh or English.

#

Reading and Understanding - Higher

Able to understand standard written Welsh and English; both formal and informal.Able to gather information from various sources such as letters, reports, articles through the medium of Welsh and English in order to fulfil the post.

#

Writing - Intermediate

Able to write letters for a specific purpose, e-mails and short reports in Welsh and English, using vocabulary and simple phrases that are familiar to the field of work. (They will need to be checked before being sent out).

Purpose of the post

Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are at the heart of everything we do. Support early years settings and the children in those settings Implement the Curriculum for Wales, Flying Start and the ALN Code requirements Establish an operative, effective relationship with the Leaders and the children and act as a professional individual. Work under the management and supervision of the advisory teachers team and collaborate to deliver the team's work programme under the supervision of the Early Years Quality Group.

Responsibility for functions

Mobile phone IT Equipment

Main duties

Support for Leaders

Provide input in the Early Years Settings under the Leadership of the Advisory Teachers in accordance with the requirements of the Early Years Quality Group Assist with developing and implementing development plans for the settings Collaborate with Early Years Advisory Teachers to ensure quality across the County. Collaborate with Assistants within Early Years Settings to model effective intervention packages with the pupils who are at target level. Use ICT effectively to support learning activities and develop pupils' competence and independence through its use. Establish a productive working relationship with the teachers, colleagues and the settings. Share good practice with staff within Early Years Settings and model techniques as required. Collaborate with other staff such as the Language and Play team, ALN team, Flying Start team, to support the settings Support settings to deliver targets, facilitate the content of the One Page Profile and offer ideas in relation to implementing the requirements of experts in the field. Offer ideas/materials and activities for learning as appropriate. Monitor and evaluate pupils' response and progress against action plans through observation and recording. Give objective and accurate feedback to other staff on pupils' achievements, progress and other matters, ensuring that appropriate evidence is available. Contribute to supporting settings to become Communication Friendly settings, Healthy pre-school settings, settings that can form part of forest/coastal settings provision, safe settings that prioritise the well-being and happiness of children, and settings that focus on ensuring quality and standards across the areas of learning. Establish a constructive relationship with leaders and children, exchanging valid and recent information in order to ensure that development is timely and up-to-date.

Support for children

Work with small groups of children, e.g. model provision such as Elkan priorities, reading stories etc. Making the voice of the child and the child's pathway a priority Propose ideas and possible learning so that the standards and the children's knowledge are extended in a timely and consistent manner. Through robust knowledge about child development, the ability to offer relevant steps in accordance with the child's milestones.

Curriculum Support

Plan and Implement learning activities that are in accordance with the requirements of the Foundation Phase and the Curriculum for Wales. Be aware, and appreciate a range of activities, courses, establishments and individuals, to offer support to the settings to extend and enrich their teaching. Collaborate with the Senior Teacher to work on various projects e.g. Early Years Pupil Development Grant schemes and report according to need on the project's performance.

General:

Awareness of the policies and procedures of the Authority, Mudiad Meithrin, CIW, ALN and child Safeguarding. Establish a constructive and communicative relationship with other agencies in order to support the achievement and progress of the setting and the pupils. Attend and participate in meetings on a regular basis. Participate in training and other learning activities, as required. Identify own strengths and specialist fields and use these to advise and support others. Responsibility for self-development. Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council's Health and Safety Policy. Operate within the Council's policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality. Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council's information management guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Commitment to reducing the Council's carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council's Carbon Footprint. Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job. Responsibility to report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.

Special circumstances

School term-time working only * The need to work unsociable hours from time to time