Look at the picture. Is this you? Is your childcare job a wrong-shaped peg you’re trying to hammer into your life?
If so, maybe it’s time you got a new peg. And at the London Early Years Foundation we’ve got those pegs.
From this September we’re giving our existing staff and everyone who comes to work in our nurseries a real choice about the hours they work.
“At the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) we value our people – it’s our guiding principle,” says operations director Mike Abbott. “That’s why we’re giving our nursery practitioners a portfolio of working options designed to suit them and their lives.”
Maybe it’s a full-time role in one of our 37 nurseries that suits you. Or the freedom of our staff bank where you only work when you choose. If not then there’s our new part-time roles, which give you a guaranteed 25-hour week and the choice of doing 8am-1pm or 1pm-6pm shifts.
Flexibility and development
Our part-time workers are also entitled to all of LEYF’s benefits including our unrivalled development offer.
“We’ve got a large and highly qualified internal training team – which is part of the reason 60 per cent of our nurseries are rated outstanding,” says Mike.
“That training isn’t just for full-time staff. Working part time shouldn’t stop you from being able to develop as a childcare practitioner. So thanks to our internal training team our part-time workers will also get to work towards their level 3 qualifications.”
For Melissa the part-time option is the perfect fit. “I am usually up from 5:30am due to my son waking up early, so the 8-1 shift suits me really well,” she says. “The 8-1 shift really helps me work around my son’s routine. And although I only do half days, I still feel like a valued member of staff. I can see that my shift really supports the team and that they value me too.”
LEYF also recognises that life changes. The working arrangement that fits you today might not suit you forever. So if your circumstances change LEYF’s portfolio of working options mean you won’t need to change employers to find a working arrangement that fits you. It’s one of the many reasons why people who come to work for us stay with us.
So stop hammering that wrong-shaped peg of a job into your life.
Choose a nursery group where your job flexes around you. Choose life. Choose LEYF.
Find out more about the benefits of joining LEYF and see the latest opportunities here
