- What is Westminster Children's Society?
Westminster Children's Society (WCS) provides affordable nursery care and education for young children. It was founded in 1903 and caters for children aged six months to five-years-old. As well as its educational role, it also provides training for the sector.
- Where is it based?
As the name suggests, WCS has 14 nurseries in Westminster, but 2008 will see new centres in Camden and Barking and Dagenham.
- How is it different from other nurseries?
It is central London's only significant charity supplier of care and education for young children, which means that all positions are subsidised. Parents pay what they can afford so the nurseries draw children from a wide range of backgrounds.
- What roles are available?
WCS has roles starting from nursery assistant, escalating through the ranks to nursery manager. There are also openings for chefs to provide nutritional meals for children and staff. The organisation is currently recruiting staff for its four new centres.
- Is training provided?
WCS has its own training centre in Pimlico that provides development opportunities for staff and for other childcare professionals. The organisation has won awards for its innovative training work.
- What is the package like?
WCS provides a salary that is above the national average. It provides interest-free travel loans, lunch vouchers and a non-contributory pension scheme. Staff also get reduced rates for childcare.
- Have there been any interesting developments recently?
The new Barking and Dagenham nursery opened in January as WCS's first nursery outside of Westminster. The nursery was designed in the round and has forged close links with local schools.
