Role: Learning development manager
Place of work: Stafford Children's Centre
Qualifications: B.Ed (Hons), EYPS
I am the 'leader of learning' at the centre and part of its senior management team. This involves overseeing the quality of the learning environments and experiences that we provide for all children and their families, whether in the nursery or while attending groups and/or drop-in sessions. It also involves identifying, monitoring and addressing the professional development needs of the staff team working with the children and their parents and carers.
7.30am
As duty manager today, I make an early start and am responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the centre from when our doors open at 7.45am. This includes dealing with any staffing and health and safety problems, talking to parents and answering their queries. If I'm lucky, it is also a chance to check my e-mails before the telephone starts ringing!
9.00am
I welcome the group of children and their parents and carers who access the nursery for their funded nursery education session.
Although I don't work hands-on with the children every day, it is important for me to be a familiar face, making sure that parents and carers feel comfortable coming to me with any queries.
9.30am
I meet with two newly appointed members of staff who will be running regular creches. Our challenge is to devise a system of planning for the creche which adheres to the EYFS principles A Unique Child and Enabling Environments, while acknowledging that we are not always going to have prior knowledge of the numbers, ages, stages and interests of the children attending. We also start developing the associated paperwork - a tricky task!
11.30am
An hour at my desk, looking through a child's 'My Learning Journey' profile. I regularly monitor the quality of profiles kept by every member of staff to ensure they are of a high standard and give individual feedback to help each staff member develop their knowledge and understanding of the EYFS.
12.30pm
I grab a quick lunch in the staffroom, giving me time to chat to the wide range of individuals working here.
1.00pm
Another meeting, this time of the senior management team. It is important that we meet regularly to discuss the range of initiatives and projects currently being developed and make strategic decisions.
We work with a wide range of professionals across the fields of childcare, education, social care and health, and it is important that I have a good knowledge of everything that we are offering the families who come in or use our outreach services - it all has an impact on the children's learning!
2.30pm
I show a new family around. They would like a place in the nursery for their three-month-old baby but are also keen to find out about what else we can offer them as a family. The toy library is a big hit and they also take away information about our baby massage and story and rhyme sessions.
3.00pm
Just time to spend half an hour thinking about a staff training session. We have had several children start recently for whom English is an additional language and staff have asked me for ideas for effective strategies and resources for them.
3.30pm
Time to head for home, with my head full of things to put on tomorrow's 'to do' list!
What it takes
To have responsibility for the learning and development of not only the children, but the staff, parents and carers within a setting too, is quite unusual.
Therefore, being able to relate well to people is an essential quality for this type of work. A mature attitude and high levels of professional competence towards learning and its integration into all aspects of care are also vital.
To assess the skills and learning needs of adults is both a broad and complex task. An active knowledge of learning and development at all ages is crucial, along with the ability to solve problems, innovate and implement effective learning opportunities.
Current knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and legislative requirements for recording and tracking children's development through their learning journeys, are very necessary, as well as the ability to engage adults in learning and development activities. Keeping records of progression, and evidencing learners' positive engagement and the setting's fulfilment of its learning targets, require strong management and strategic capability.
As this role influences and leads whole-setting practice, teaching qualifications in both children's and adult learning are recommended, along with Early Years Professional Status, with an emphasis on training in early years care and development.
Additional CPD could be beneficial in project or strategic leadership and management qualifications, as this is a senior management position.
Other considerations beyond this role might be children's centre manager or further training in integrated leadership, for example, the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL), given the need to encourage collaborative working with other professionals in this role and in the wider setting.
