Module 10 – Finding Work as an EYFS Teacher
Finding Work as an EYFS Teacher
Summary/What you will learn
-
Information on how to start your search
-
Where to look for jobs in the UK, including online job lists and recruitment agencies
-
How to put together a CV
-
Additional skills early years providers find appealing in applicants
-
Interview tips and tricks
10.1 Module Introduction
Earlier modules covered topics such as the EYFS framework, the seven areas of learning, working with children having special educational needs and how to promote child welfare in the early years. We also talked about educational philosophies and their relation to the EYFS. As we reach the end of the course, you should have a firm grasp of the roles and responsibilities of EYFS teachers.
The next step is to find work as an EYFS teacher. There are numerous settings and environments available to those who graduate with EYFS certification. Familiarising yourself with them can help you find the perfect place of employment. Learning how to put together a CV and developing other appealing skills can help you to land an interview.
This module reviews the various educational environments that typically employ EYFS teachers. We also discuss the best way to put together a CV, including a few key sections all CVs should possess. Knowing how and where to search for reputable employment is another skill reviewed in this module. Finally, we provide you with a few interview tips to keep in mind.
10.2 Starting Your Search
This is where learning more about the numerous early years settings can be beneficial. You should also take the time to think about your own teaching style and educational philosophies, focusing your search on schools that are in line with your way of thinking.
Think about early years environments – there are numerous early years environments that hire EYFS teachers. Familiarising yourself with each one can help you avoid applying for jobs that you may not enjoy. In general, EFYS teachers find employment in one of the following areas.
Childminding
Childminders are Ofsted-registered childcare providers responsible for looking after children in their own homes. They typically have up to six children at any one time. Families with rotating schedules, who work late hours, or who work shifts often enjoy the flexible hours offered by childminders.
Most EYFS teachers do not begin as childminders. Instead, they often reserve this path for later on in their careers, or when they want to be home with children of their own.
Day Nurseries
These facilities care for children from birth to age five and run all year long. They are registered with Ofsted but can be run by any number of organisations, including private individuals, community groups and commercial businesses.
Private Nursery Schools or Private Independent Schools
Private nursery schools or private independent schools are owned privately and offer care to children from the ages of two to five.
Some schools offer students a specialised education, such as Montessori or Steiner Waldorf.
Schools like these are either registered with Ofsted or with the Independent Schools Directorate.
Maintained Nursery Schools
These schools offer full-time and part-time early years education during school hours. Typically attached to primary schools, children attend for a full or half a day. They may also offer before and after-school care for children of working parents.
Independent Schools
Independent schools are privately run and are available for children aged three to 16. They are registered with Ofsted or the Independent Schools Directorate. Ofsted inspects schools that do not seek exemptions from the EYFS.
10.3 Thinking About Your Teaching Style
Ask yourself if either of these approaches to early years education is more akin to your own educational philosophy. If so, you should focus your search on those types of schools.
Teachers who follow Montessori and Steiner Waldorf methods often grow frustrated with the drastically different approach taken by other early years facilities. Whilst play-based learning is always the focus, both Montessori and Steiner Waldorf practitioners prefer to avoid adult-led and highly structured activities.
10.4 Thinking About Class Size
Individual facilities have their own policies on minimum and maximum class size, in keeping with the EYFS guidelines.
Some teachers prefer to focus on small class sizes of single-age children, whilst others enjoy larger, mixed-aged groups. Take some time to think about your preferences, before you begin searching for jobs.
Fact
The average infant class size was 26.7 in 2022-23.
Source: Department for Education
10.5 Where to Look for Work
There are a few different ways you can go about sourcing and applying for work. One of the best things to do is make sure that your friends and family know you are available for employment. Many people find out about jobs through word of mouth, so be sure you take advantage of your network.
Online
Almost every organisation posts their available positions online, including schools and other institutions searching for EYFS teachers. Start by searching through your local newspaper’s job postings. You may also want to join a local early years organisation, which may occasionally post positions. Take advantage of professional memberships and mailing lists, as well.
A few of the more popular job sites are:
-
Indeed.co.uk. Indeed is the most popular job search site across the globe, with over 180 million unique visitors each month. It is relatively easy to find available positions for early years teachers, using the search function. Registered users can also save their CV for easy application and to give prospective employers a chance to search for them by skill.
-
earlyyearscareers.campaign.gov.uk: This is the Government’s job search site for early years careers.
-
CV-Library.co.uk: CV Library is the leading independent job-searching site in the UK. There were over 1400 ‘EYFS’ jobs on the site at the time of writing.
-
Tes.com: TES is one of the largest teaching communities online. They offer resources, courses and job postings for positions across the globe.
Recruitment Agencies
There are numerous recruitment agencies operating within the UK. Some of these organisations help to match teachers to available positions.
Below are a couple of the more popular agencies:
-
Reed.co.uk: Reed became the first recruitment website available in the UK in 1995. It now features over 170,000 jobs as well as career tips and advice.
-
Hays.co.uk: Hays has “a team of expert education consultants working with a diversity of schools and nurseries across the UK to find you the most suitable early years vacancies”.
Cold Calling
Another way many job seekers search for employment is to research a facility and send them a CV, even without a prior posting. This is a risky route to take, but for people hoping to find a job at their dream school, it is often worth taking.
Make sure you thoroughly research the facility, directing your CV to the correct department. You should also make a few changes to your covering letter, letting them know why you are sending one without a prior posting.
Keeping Track
It is a good idea to keep track of the CVs you send out, where they went and who they were directed to. Consider creating a spreadsheet or table in a word processing program, to be sure you do not lose anything.
You can then use this information to follow up with relevant positions. It can also help you avoid applying for the same position twice. Jobs are often cross-posted, which can result in a lot of confusion, especially if you apply weeks apart.
Follow up with those that were solicited, keeping track of dates and the identity of the people you speak with. When it comes time for an interview, recognising the name of a person you talked to on the telephone can be incredibly impressive.
Activity 1 – Create a Job Tracking Chart
Estimated time: 10 to 15 minutes
Get a head start on your job search by creating a job tracking chart now. Create columns for important pieces of information such as the job title, location, deadline, application method, date applied, date of follow-up, interview date and interview follow-up.
Consider what steps you should take to avoid duplicate applications now, so you do not run into that issue later on.
10.6 Putting Together a CV
Your CV is typically the first impression prospective employers receive, so it is important to spend a lot of time perfecting it. Writing a good CV is not a difficult skill to learn, but it does take a lot of thought, time and focus.
Structure and Style
Experts generally agree that your CV should be no longer than two pages in length, single-sided.
Make sure you arrange the information provided into clearly labelled sections, so your reader does not need to search through the whole document looking for the information they need. Never use wordy or essay-style language – instead, focus on being concise.
Use a font like Times New Roman for CVs that you intend to print and mail. If you are sending it electronically, use Arial or another sans-serif font. These fonts read better on the screen than others. Avoid the use of bold or italics, except for headings and titles. Try to use bullet points and section headings, to divide information in easy to read sections. Always use consistent spacing, bullet style and font.
Vocabulary and Grammar
Demonstrating a good grasp of the English language, including a well-developed vocabulary, can set your CV apart from the rest. Schools and early years facilities want to hire educators who can help the children in their care develop in all areas of learning. Showing that you have strong vocabulary skills gives you an advantage over others. Try to use action verbs such as achieved, accomplished and developed, as well as adjectives such as productive, resourceful and positive.
Make sure you take the time to proofread your CV after completing it.
Search for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, spacing issues and overall readability. Give yourself plenty of time for this task. Some people wait until the day after they finish their CV to proofread, so they can be sure they catch more errors. Others read aloud after they complete their work. Both techniques help you pick up mistakes your eyes may otherwise pass over. Wherever possible, ask a friend or family member to proofread your work as well. Most hiring managers ignore CVs containing errors, or that are difficult to read.
10.7 Important Sections of your CV
Nevertheless, there are a few key sections that all CVs must show. Failing to include any of the information below can result in someone else getting the job.
Contact Information
Every CV should start with your contact information. This particular section does not require a heading, but you should put the whole thing or your name alone, in a slightly larger font. This helps set it apart from the rest of the document, giving the hiring manager easy access to your name, telephone number and email address.
Personal Statement
The personal statement is a short paragraph of about three to four sentences. Despite its brevity, this is one of the hardest parts of a CV to draft.
You need to summarise your key achievements, where you are in your career and any personal qualities that prove you are an effective and competent teacher.
Avoid clichéd language, focusing on creating a paragraph that expresses some of your personality.
Remember that this is the first personal thing prospective employers read about applicants. Make sure you come across well.
Core Qualifications
Not every CV contains a section relating to core qualifications. However, it is advisable that EYFS teachers include this information when applying for employment in the field. This information differs from your personal statement but builds on the skills discussed there.
You should tailor this section to the job you are applying for, making mention of skills relevant to that particular job. You may also want to make mention of any skills you have that are not strictly professional but are beneficial to the field.
For example
You might want to indicate that you have strong organisational skills.
Career Summary
If you have extensive, relevant experience, you may want to break this section up using bullet points. Be sure you record the school, your role and the dates you were employed, along with a summary of your responsibilities and achievements. Try to make sure that each point discusses a skill or success.
Education and Achievements
Finally, include a section that discusses your education and achievements. Include any awards or other successes in this section as well. If you have taken any additional courses or participated in continuing professional development workshops, record the name and the dates you attended. Early years facilities value educators who continue to learn.
Do not Forget a Covering Letter
Never send a CV off without a covering letter, even if you are sending it by email.
The letter should be no longer than one page and must be easy to read. Try to keep your paragraphs short, concise and to the point. Use the same font you used on your CV, for consistency.
Always begin your letter as formally as possible, never assuming familiarity. Make sure you address the letter to the individual responsible for hiring decisions. CVs and covering letters without a specific person identified may get lost.
Start by mentioning why you want to work for that particular school. Make sure you discuss a few specific things about the school you are applying for, such as recent awards they have won. This demonstrates a keen interest in the school as well as the job, something sure to set you apart from other candidates.
Your covering letter must also mention a few highlights from your CV, such as any key accomplishments or strengths. Talk about relevant volunteer work or personal interests that make you a good fit for the position. End your covering letter by thanking the reader for their time and letting them know that you look forward to hearing from them.
Activity 2 – Creating a Personal Statement
Estimated time: 10 to 15 minutes
Drafting a personal statement is one of the hardest aspects of creating a CV. Spend some time now thinking about your own personal statement. For example, ask yourself where you are in your career. What are your educational highlights? What personal strengths do you have that make you an excellent EYFS teacher?
Write down the answers to these questions and start to create a point form personal statement.
10.8 Bonus Skills
These skills are not necessarily job requirements, but they do give interviewers an incentive to offer you employment.
Volunteer or Tutor Children
Volunteering always looks good on an application, especially if you volunteer with young children. It gives you additional experience with the early years age groups, whilst also demonstrating that you have taken on an educator role in the past.
Lead a Group, Team, or Organisation
Along the same lines, coaching a team or organising a group shows strong leadership skills. Early years centres want to hire teachers who already know how to exercise authority whilst still encouraging play and fun.
Prioritise Continuous Education
Always focus on continuing your education. Take as many training classes as you can and participate in as many workshops as possible. Showing your prospective employer that you value and are committed to delivering the best education possible goes a long way.
10.9 Interviewing Tips
It is your first chance to really demonstrate your strengths and skills and why you should be the one to walk away with the job. Succeeding in interviews depends on many factors, preparation being the most important one. Interviewees who are unprepared come across as nervous, slow to respond and not as interested in the position as others. Make sure you are familiar with the company, the position and the people conducting the interview. Being prepared involves completing all of the following tasks.
Dress Professionally
Always dress professionally. Even if the role you are applying for has a very casual dress code, you should still arrive in a suit or other business attire. Make sure your fingernails are clean, your hair is groomed and your clothes are washed and ironed. Interviewers often form an impression of prospective employees within the first minute of meeting them. Ensuring that your appearance is professional and tidy helps them to see you in a positive light.
Practise Interviewing
Ask numerous friends, relatives and colleagues to help you practise your interviewing skills. Focus on making appropriate eye contact, keeping your voice steady without speaking too fast and maintaining relaxed body language. Work on removing utterances like “um” and “uh” from your speech, to ensure that you come across as confident and sure of yourself.
Some organisations use an interviewing technique called behaviour interviewing. This style makes use of incisive questions, to determine how you may respond in any given situation.
Other institutions prefer to ask questions based on experience.
Enlisting friends employed in a variety of industries gives you exposure to numerous types of questions.
During the Interview
Start by offering a firm handshake with an upbeat smile and a friendly greeting. This can go a long way to breaking the ice and setting you at ease. Accept any drink you are offered. If you do become stumped by a question, it can be a prop you can use to buy a few extra seconds of thought as you take a sip.
Focus on your body language. You want to come across as confident and relaxed, but not arrogant or imposing. Sitting up straight and leaning slightly forward makes you appear interested and engaged in the conversation. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer, or divide your focus between members of your panel. Make sure you appear interested and excited about the job, at all times.
10.10 Handling Tricky Questions
Being prepared for questions of this nature can help you to answer them with ease, without the risk of making a misstep or saying the wrong thing. Make sure you ask your friends to list their own tricky interview questions, to help you better prepare.
Your Biggest Weakness
This is a very common question asked in interviews. Resist the temptation to take a strength and try to spin it into a weakness. Interviewers do not want to hear answers like, “I’m a perfectionist” or “I’m a workaholic”. Instead, they are looking for signs of self-recognition and problem-solving. Pick a skill that you are not very strong at, but one that you are taking steps to improve. Try to find one that is unrelated to the job at hand, so your answer does not disqualify you from employment.
For example
You could tell the interviewer that you are a poor public speaker, but that you have been watching YouTube videos hoping to improve.
Do You Have Questions For Us?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but it is still a hard one to answer. Depending on how the interview went, you may not have any more questions about the job itself. If this is the case, you may want to ask why the position is open. If there is a high turnover rate, you should know in advance. Alternatively, the organisation may be expanding and offering new programmes. You may also want to ask about the type of environment the interviewer runs. Are the staff members encouraged to socialise during their lunch breaks? Do they celebrate birthdays? Is communication with parents done in a formal or informal way? The answers to these questions can reveal a lot about a company.
Explaining Gaps in Work.
Never lie about gaps in your work history. If you were unemployed because of illness or education, do not try to hide it by being dishonest about the start and end dates of other jobs. The amount of information you provide in these circumstances is up to you.
Experts advise that you answer questions about educational gaps by explaining the type of programme you took and why it conflicted with your ability to work.
Absences for medical reasons can be a bit harder to explain, especially if you do not wish to reveal the precise cause. Make sure you offer details about the dates you were off work, but be vague about the cause. Saying something like, “I made a difficult decision to leave my job and now I am ready to get back to work” can help. If pressed, you could let your interviewer know that you were experiencing a medical issue, but it has been dealt with and you are eager to get back into the workforce.
10.11 After the Interview
Shake hands with everyone in the room, remaining as confident as you were when you walked in. Do not loiter around, even if you are waiting for a lift or other type of transportation. Make sure you exit the building and wait at another location.
A day or so after your interview, take the time to email the interviewer or each person on the panel and thank them for their time. This small gesture goes a long way. It lets them know that you are still very eager and excited about the position. It also demonstrates excellent manners, something early years centres are always happy to have in their EYFS teachers.
Assignment
Finding Work as an EYFS Teacher
Time: 30+ minutes
Hopefully, you took in as much of the information in this module as possible. To find out how well you have done, complete the following worksheet.
Download the worksheet below and complete.
Module Summary
This module, providing instruction on how to find work as an EYFS teacher, is the last module in our EYFS teaching course.
Throughout the course we discussed the EYFS framework in detail, giving you information about assessments and areas of learning.
We also talked about working with children having special educational needs and ways in which to help promote child welfare in the early years.
This module discussed the best ways to find employment as an EYFS teacher.
We talked about what to keep in mind before you start your search and gave you tips on how to put together your CV.
We also went over a few hints on how to start your job search.
Finally, we provided a few tips on how to ace your interview.
WELL DONE!
YOU HAVE MADE IT TO THE END OF THE COURSE
BEFORE YOU RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATION YOU MUST FIRST TAKE A SHORT TEST
CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO START THE TEST