Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an EYFS Teacher

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a creative, passionate, and dedicated EYFS Teacher to join a forward-thinking primary school. The ideal candidate will be an inspirational educator with a profound understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. You will be responsible for creating a nurturing, stimulating, and safe learning environment that fosters curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning in our youngest pupils. As an EYFS Teacher, you will play a pivotal role in children's development during their most formative years, ensuring they receive the best possible start to their educational journey through engaging, play-based, and child-led activities.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Newly Qualified Teacher / Early Career Teacher (NQT/ECT)
Experienced Teaching Assistant with QTS
Nursery Practitioner with QTS

Advancement To:

EYFS Phase Leader or Coordinator
Assistant Headteacher (with a focus on Early Years)
Head of Early Years

Lateral Moves:

Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)
Forest School Leader
Primary Teacher (Key Stage 1)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Plan, prepare, and deliver a creative, challenging, and engaging curriculum that is aligned with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, ensuring all seven areas of learning are covered.
Foster a safe, secure, and inclusive classroom environment where every child feels valued, respected, and confident to explore and take risks in their learning.
Conduct continuous and systematic observations and assessments of each child's development and learning, using this information to inform future planning and interventions.
Maintain accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive records of children's progress and achievements, utilising digital learning journey platforms like Tapestry, Seesaw, or Evidence Me.
Develop and maintain strong, positive, and collaborative partnerships with parents and carers, providing regular formal and informal feedback on their child's progress, well-being, and development.
Implement effective and positive behaviour management strategies consistent with the school's policy, promoting self-regulation, empathy, and positive social interactions among children.
Design and maintain a vibrant, well-organised, and stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environment that promotes child-led exploration, independence, and purposeful play.
Differentiate teaching and learning activities to effectively meet the diverse needs of all pupils, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), English as an Additional Language (EAL), and more-able children.
Uphold and rigorously enforce all school safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures, demonstrating a vigilant commitment to the welfare of all children and reporting concerns promptly.
Work collaboratively with teaching assistants, support staff, and the wider EYFS team to ensure a cohesive, consistent, and high-quality approach to teaching and learning.
Lead, plan, and deliver high-quality, systematic synthetic phonics sessions using the school's chosen scheme (e.g., Read Write Inc., Letters and Sounds, Jolly Phonics).
Promote children's personal, social, and emotional development (PSED) by modelling positive relationships and providing targeted support and activities.
Plan and lead engaging activities that develop early mathematical and literacy concepts through a balance of direct instruction and exploratory play.
Prepare children for a smooth and successful transition into Key Stage 1, ensuring they have the necessary social, emotional, and academic foundations for future success.
Contribute actively to the wider school community by participating in staff meetings, professional development sessions, school events, and extracurricular clubs.
Manage classroom resources and budget effectively, ensuring learning environments are well-equipped with high-quality, age-appropriate materials.
Stay abreast of current educational research, policy changes, and best practices in Early Years education, incorporating new ideas into your practice.
Organise and lead parent consultation evenings, "stay and play" sessions, and workshops to actively involve families in the educational process.
Liaise effectively with external agencies and professionals, such as speech and language therapists or educational psychologists, to provide integrated support for children with specific needs.
Create purposeful and celebratory displays of children's work that reflect their learning journey and make the environment vibrant and engaging.
Take on leadership for a specific area of the EYFS curriculum (e.g., Communication and Language, Outdoor Learning), mentoring colleagues and driving improvement across the phase.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc requests for pupil progress data and contribute to school-wide data analysis and self-evaluation processes.
Contribute to the development and implementation of the school's improvement plan, particularly within the Early Years phase.
Collaborate with other phase leaders and curriculum coordinators to ensure vertical alignment and smooth transitions between year groups.
Participate actively in professional learning communities (PLCs), year group planning meetings, and whole-school strategic initiatives.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

In-depth knowledge and practical application of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.
Proficiency in delivering a systematic synthetic phonics program (e.g., Read Write Inc., Letters and Sounds).
Experience using digital assessment and observation tools (e.g., Tapestry, Seesaw, Evidence Me) to track and report on pupil progress.
Thorough understanding of current safeguarding, child protection legislation, and best practices (e.g., Keeping Children Safe in Education).
Skilled in curriculum design, planning, and differentiation to meet the needs of all learners, including those with SEND and EAL.
Competency in using formative and summative assessment techniques to inform planning and measure impact.

Soft Skills

Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills for building rapport with young children, parents/carers, and colleagues.
Creativity, imagination, and a genuine passion for delivering a play-based, child-centered curriculum.
High levels of patience, resilience, and a nurturing, empathetic disposition suitable for the Early Years environment.
Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage a demanding and dynamic workload.
A collaborative and team-oriented mindset with a willingness to share best practices and support colleagues.
Adaptability and flexibility to respond effectively to the changing needs and interests of young children.
A commitment to reflective practice and continuous professional development to enhance teaching quality.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor of Education (BEd) or a Bachelor's degree combined with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
Must hold Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) for the UK.

Preferred Education:

Degree with a specialism in Early Years Education.
A Master's degree in Education (MEd) or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Education
Early Childhood Studies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

1-5+ years of successful teaching experience within an EYFS setting (Nursery or Reception class). Early Career Teachers (ECTs) with strong placement experience are encouraged to apply.

Preferred:

A proven track record of delivering 'Good' or 'Outstanding' teaching and learning, evidenced by formal observations and pupil progress data.
Experience in leading a curriculum area or initiative within an Early Years setting.
Familiarity with preparing for and contributing to Ofsted inspections.