from providing nursery care in the UK. Grant Rivers tells Gabriella
Jozwiak about his role overseeing provision during the ski season.
Grant Rivers is a childcare manager for skiing holiday company LeSki. In November, he began the 2014 ski season at La Tania resort in the French Alps, where he will stay until April 2015.
'A normal skiing holiday is one week long,' he says. 'Guests arrive on Sunday when the creche is shut. On Monday morning I go to our three chalets to meet the families and make sure they're happy. At 8:30am I have a short meeting with my team of four qualified staff about the week ahead. We set up the purpose-built room, and I go to collect the children, or the parents bring them in before they leave for a day of skiing.
'We keep strict ratios and can accommodate up to 24 children aged six months to 12 years, but adjust the ratios accordingly. The aim is for the children to have a holiday and experience the excitement of being in the snow, rather than doing structured learning.
'We adapt our activities depending on the group and try to bring the outside inside. For example, we collect a tray of snow for the children to play with inside, along with toy diggers and trucks. From February, when it's hotter, we do activities such as drawing outside. We also take the children up the mountains on the ski lifts to do bum-boarding down a short slope, build snowmen and make sandcastles. The resort is car-free so it's safe.
'It takes a long time to get the children dressed for going out in the cold. We start getting their coats, gloves, hats and everything on up to an hour before we go out.
'The children can stay with us all day, although from the age of four they could spend half a day in ski school. They might have lunch with their ski group, or we collect them after their lesson and feed them at the creche. We cook healthy meals in our own kitchen, such as cottage pie and spaghetti bolognese, and cater for allergies.
'Parents collect the children at 5pm, but we keep in touch all day by texting them updates. This is a popular service as the slopes are quite far away, so it puts their minds at rest.
'At the end of the day, we give parents feedback, which builds good relationships. I have a debrief meeting with the team and they leave at 5:30pm. But I'll go round all the chalets twice more in the evening to check the children are happy or haven't left anything at nursery. Often they've forgotten boots or ski bibs for ski school.
'The creche is closed for one day during the week, which is our day off, and this is a chance for families to spend the day together. Saturday is the last day, so we take the children for a treat to a soft-play centre in a neighbouring resort. Then we say goodbye, and on Monday the cycle begins again.
'I decided to work abroad because I felt UK nurseries were becoming too focused on paperwork. It was taking the fun out of working in childcare. Overseas, although there's still some paperwork, you're not delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage or being Ofsted-inspected.
'I also love travel. I've worked winters and summers back-to-back for four years now. I was in Greece this summer, and after the Alps, I'll be going to Cyprus. I'm not fluent in French and Greek, but I know enough to get by.'
CV
Qualifications
BA hons Early Childhood Studies, University of East London
Cache Diploma and Certificate in Childcare and Education, Thurrock and Basildon College
Food Technology
Food Hygiene
First Aid at work
Employment history
2004-2006 Play scheme co-ordinator and nursery nurse, Busy Bees Childcare, Essex
2007 Cashier, Costco, Essex
2009-2010 Senior nursery nurse, Cherubs First Steps Day Nursery, Essex
2010 Senior nursery nurse, Dimples Day Nursery, Kent
2011 Co-worker, Ikea
2010-2011 Home childcare through Sure Start
2011-2012 Overseas nanny, kitchen porter and chalet staff, Esprit Ski, Ski Total and Inghams Holidays, Austria
2012 Overseas nanny, Neilson Holidays, Greece
2012-2013 Overseas childcare manager, LeSki Holidays, France
2014 Overseas kids rep, Tui UK and Ireland
2014-present Overseas childcare manager at LeSki Holidays, France
TRAINING
There is no specific training available for work as a childcare manager in a ski resort or other holiday job. Employers may ask for minimum professional childcare qualifications and experience depending on the age of the children to be cared for. Childcare professionals working in this area will need to be flexible as positions may only last a few months. They need to have relevant visas or documents to work abroad, and some companies will prefer additional language skills.