Induction Process

Once you have formally been offered a position, to ensure your suitability to work with children you will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check, should you not already be on the update service. You will also be required to send all other relevant documentation that has not yet been provided, including two references (one from your most recent employer), photo ID, and qualifications.

Here at School of Play, we focus a lot of our efforts into creating a family atmosphere within our community, so it is important that any new team member feels welcome straight away. Following a successful interview and trial process, you will be invited to lunch with one of our founders, Ryan or Sophie. They will discuss the organisation’s mission, vision, and values and ensure you understand what is expected of you and what you can expect from us an employer. They will also get to know you personally and answer any questions you may have about your new role (don’t be afraid to ask them anything).

Message from our Founders

“We believe our team are the most important asset we have. Together we have built a strong culture full of individuals who are always eager to learn new skills and develop professionally and personally. This consistent ‘high-performance’ approach has enabled us to deliver exceptional care to our children day in day out. We ask all new team members to buy into our ethos of over-delivering to everyone within the community, whether it’s parents and children, or our colleagues and schools. We look forward to welcoming you to our School of Play family, and we are excited to watch you grow with us in the coming years.”

Once all your documentation has been provided, and suitability checks have been complete, your employment contract will be prepared and signed ahead of your first day.

Although some of you may be camera shy, a vital part of our induction process is getting a professional photograph taken for our website and marketing material. Our parents need to know as much information as possible about the team responsible for looking after their children, so providing a high-quality image of each team member is crucial. You will be booked in with our photographer at Timeline Photography MCR within the first couple of days of accepting a job with us.

For our parents, colleagues, and schools to understand as much information about each member of our team, you will be required to write a short biography, your aim for School of Play and an interesting fact about yourself. You can see information about our current team here.

Once your contract has been signed, you will be required to complete the following courses:

• Paediatric First Aid (we require our team to update every 2 years)
• Safeguarding Children and Young People
• Food Hygiene Course
• Manual Handling
• FGM Awareness
• Prevent Radicalisation

Should you already have up-to-date certification in any of the above, you will not be required to retake the course until your current certificate is out of date.

You will be asked to complete a short staff questionnaire before your first day with us. This will enable your setting manager and our founders to get to know you personally and ensure you settle into your new role as quickly as possible.

You will spend your first day shadowing your setting Manager. This will include being part of the childcare team for our breakfast and after school club and spending time between these two sessions to go over the company standards, club procedures, policies, and more. Your setting Manager will also dedicate time during the day to get to know you on a personal level and answer questions you may have.

On your first day, you will receive a welcome pack with some key information about our company and what you can expect from us. It will also include a couple of gifts to make you feel at home from the off.

After your first two weeks in the role, you will have a 1-2-1 review meeting with your setting manager to assess your performance and offer feedback. It would be best if you also used this time to ask any unanswered questions that have come up in your first couple of weeks of employment. Communication at all levels of our organisation is crucial, so we always encourage employees to ask, ask, and ask again if they aren’t sure about something.

After your first month in employment with us, your setting Manager will provide a 4-week evaluation of your performance and ask questions on some important topics. Don’t be scared by the word assessment; this will be questions that have all been answered throughout your first month of employment.

Initial probationary periods may vary but tend to be between 3-6 months for all employees. During this time your suitability for the role will be assessed by your setting Manager and a decision will be made at the end of your probation as to whether we feel you are suitable to continue in the role.