Staffing

Safety is our number one priority so we invest heavily in training. All SMART team members complete annual Safeguarding Children training and Enhanced DBS Checks. We also require that our team members maintain current Paediatric First Aid and Food Safety certificates. 

We work with external trainers to provide professional development opportunities for our team in areas such as Improving Children’s Learning, Reflective Practice and Positive Behaviour Management. We also provide onsite training for specific medical or allergy conditions, e.g., EpiPen administration.

Being an Early Years professional is rewarding but it’s a tough job. We have worked hard to reflect this in our salary and benefits package. 

We want to attract the best team members and show them that we appreciate their contribution to creating a safe and caring nursery environment.

We aim to meet or exceed Ofsted child to staff ratios with full-time team members in every classroom. Where illness or holiday cover is required, we work with Hello Mums, a local staffing agency we have used for over 5 years. Our close relationship means we are able to request the same agency workers, to make sure the children see familiar faces and ensure continuity.