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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Before School Club Assistant

💰 $ - $

EducationChildcareEarly YearsSchool Support

🎯 Role Definition

A Before School Club Assistant supports the safe, calm and engaging start to the school day by supervising children before lessons begin. This role includes preparing and serving breakfast, organising structured and free-play activities, promoting positive behaviour, ensuring safeguarding and health & safety compliance, and liaising with parents and classroom staff to create smooth transitions into the school day. Ideal candidates have practical childcare experience, good communication skills, and a commitment to the wellbeing and development of primary-aged children.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Volunteer or parent helper at school breakfast clubs
  • Nursery Assistant or Early Years Practitioner
  • Lunchtime Supervisor or Childminder

Advancement To:

  • Senior Breakfast/Before School Club Supervisor
  • Breakfast Club Manager / Wraparound Lead
  • Teaching Assistant or Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
  • Early Years Practitioner Level 3 / Deputy Room Leader

Lateral Moves:

  • After School Club Assistant
  • Lunchtime Supervisor
  • Holiday Club Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Greet children and parents/carers each morning, register arrivals accurately, and maintain daily sign-in/out records in line with school safeguarding and attendance policies.
  • Prepare, serve and clear healthy, age-appropriate breakfast options, ensuring compliance with food hygiene standards and managing any dietary requirements or allergies safely.
  • Supervise children in mixed-age groups, maintaining safe staff-to-child ratios and actively monitoring play and behaviour to prevent accidents and promote inclusion.
  • Design and deliver a balanced mix of structured activities (arts and crafts, puzzles, phonics warm-ups) and free play that supports social, emotional and cognitive development before the school day.
  • Implement and reinforce the school’s behaviour management policy consistently, using positive reinforcement and clear, age-appropriate boundaries to promote respectful interactions.
  • Support transitions from breakfast club to classroom settings by walking children to their classrooms, handing over to teaching staff, and communicating any important behavioural or welfare information.
  • Observe children’s mood, appearance and interactions each morning and report any safeguarding concerns immediately to the designated safeguarding lead, following school procedures and record-keeping protocols.
  • Provide personal care support as required (e.g., toileting assistance, nappy changing for early years) while maintaining dignity, privacy and hygiene standards.
  • Administer medication or first aid in accordance with school policy and training, record incidents and accidents accurately, and communicate significant events to parents and senior staff.
  • Maintain an organised, welcoming environment by setting up activity stations, tidying resources, and ensuring toys and equipment are clean, safe and appropriate for the age group.
  • Manage and update inventory for breakfast supplies, toys and craft materials, reporting shortages and helping with simple ordering or stock rotation as requested by the manager.
  • Conduct informal risk assessments of rooms, outdoor spaces and equipment before sessions, taking immediate action to remove hazards and logging concerns in line with health & safety guidance.
  • Support children with additional needs and SEN adjustments as directed by the school or SENCO, implementing individual care plans and working with parents to ensure consistency.
  • Build positive, professional relationships with parents and carers, exchanging daily feedback about behaviour, attendance and any incidents while maintaining confidentiality and empathy.
  • Keep accurate records of attendance, incidents, behaviour logs, dietary requirements and child-specific information, ensuring handover notes are clear for classroom teachers.
  • Participate in regular staff briefings and handovers with class teachers and school leadership to ensure continuity of care and awareness of any emerging classroom issues.
  • Deliver short learning-focused activities that reinforce morning routines such as phonics games, literacy warm-ups or numeracy challenges that link to the curriculum when required.
  • Encourage independence and self-care skills (coats on, packing bags, washing hands) through gentle coaching and modelling of routines to prepare children for the school day.
  • Support emergency procedures — participate in fire drills, follow evacuation protocols and help account for children in line with school policies.
  • Provide pastoral support for children who arrive distressed or need emotional support, using calm de-escalation techniques and involving senior staff or parents when appropriate.
  • Mentor and supervise volunteers or trainee assistants during sessions, providing guidance on routines, safeguarding and activity facilitation.
  • Maintain professional conduct, contribute to a positive team culture and act as a role model for children and peers during all club activities.
  • Adapt daily programming and supervision strategies in response to child attendance levels, weather conditions and unexpected timetable changes to keep sessions productive and safe.
  • Record and report any maintenance or cleaning issues in club spaces (kitchen equipment, furniture, toys) to site staff or the club manager promptly.

Secondary Functions

  • Contribute to the planning of seasonal themes, themed weeks and special event breakfasts to enhance engagement and promote school values.
  • Support basic administrative tasks such as collecting fees where applicable, updating parent contact details and maintaining consent forms.
  • Attend occasional training and CPD (safeguarding refreshers, food hygiene, behaviour management) and apply new practices in the club setting.
  • Liaise with lunchtime and after-school staff to share observations about children’s routines, behaviour and needs to ensure consistent care across wraparound services.
  • Assist with simple data collection for monitoring attendance patterns and behaviour incidents to support school reviews and inspections.
  • Provide input into risk assessments and health & safety checks, offering practical insight from day-to-day operations.
  • Help coordinate small-group activities that support transition objectives for early years and key stage 1 children.
  • Support occasional school-led events (parents’ evenings, open days) by providing information about the before school club and promoting good practice.
  • Take responsibility for recycling, hygiene and sustainability practices in club activities, ensuring food waste and materials are managed appropriately.
  • Work collaboratively in multi-disciplinary teams, escalating concerns and supporting wider school initiatives that improve child wellbeing and attendance.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Valid paediatric first aid qualification (or willingness to obtain) and the ability to apply basic first aid in childcare settings.
  • Knowledge of safeguarding legislation, recognition of signs of abuse/neglect, and confidence in following the school's child protection reporting procedures.
  • Food handling and hygiene knowledge, including safe preparation and storage of breakfast items and awareness of allergen control.
  • Understanding of Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) principles or Key Stage 1 routines and how to structure short learning activities that support early learning goals.
  • Experience keeping accurate records: registers, accident logs, medication forms and behaviour incident reports using paper-based systems or basic school MIS.
  • Ability to carry out simple risk assessments for play areas and kitchen/serving spaces and take immediate remedial action.
  • Competence in basic IT tasks such as using email to communicate with parents or staff, and entering attendance/incident details into school systems.
  • Knowledge of behaviour management strategies and positive reinforcement techniques suitable for primary-aged children.
  • Awareness of health and safety requirements in school settings, including manual handling basics, infection control and safeguarding of food.
  • Experience or training in supporting children with additional needs and implementing individual support plans.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent communication skills with children, parents and colleagues: clear, calm, friendly and professional.
  • Strong observational skills to notice changes in behaviour, health or mood and act according to school safeguarding procedures.
  • Patience, empathy and emotional resilience when supporting children who are tired, upset or display challenging behaviour.
  • Team player who collaborates with classroom teachers, SENCOs and club staff to ensure continuity of care.
  • Reliability and punctuality — consistently prepared to open and run sessions to schedule.
  • Good time management and organisational skills, able to set up activities quickly and ensure smooth handovers to class teachers.
  • Positive, proactive attitude with initiative to create engaging activities and solve practical problems during busy morning routines.
  • Confidentiality and professional discretion when handling sensitive family or child information.
  • Flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing numbers, last-minute staff shortages or altered school plans.
  • Creative approach to activity planning, offering varied resources that stimulate curiosity and social play.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • GCSEs (or equivalent) including English and Maths preferred but not always required; a willingness to complete required training.

Preferred Education:

  • NVQ/SVQ Level 2 or Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development, CACHE Diploma, or equivalent childcare qualification.
  • Valid paediatric first aid certificate, basic food hygiene certificate and an up-to-date DBS check.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Early Childhood Education
  • Childcare and Development
  • Education Studies
  • Health and Social Care

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0 to 3 years in a childcare, breakfast/after-school club, nursery or school environment. Many schools welcome candidates with volunteer or parental support experience supplemented by short-term placements.

Preferred:

  • 1–2 years’ experience working directly with primary-aged children in a school or club setting, experience handling food services for children, practical safeguarding experience, and familiarity with EYFS routines or Key Stage 1 classroom expectations.
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