Nursery Manager

Family First; Arlesey; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly bonus up to £3,000 per year

34–33 days paid holiday (24 days + BHs

Birthday day off

Career growth and professional dev.

Health & wellbeing support

Company pension scheme

Job summary

Acrewood Day Nursery, part of the Family First Nurseries group, is seeking a confident Nursery Manager to lead day-to-day operations, ensuring exceptional care and safeguarding for children.

You will develop a strong team, engage with families and drive nursery performance while upholding high standards and regulatory compliance. A supportive leadership culture accompanies a focus on professional growth and quality education.

Qualifications

• Full and relevant Level 3 childcare qualification.
• Strong knowledge of the EYFS statutory framework and safeguarding requirements.
• Level 5 qualification in Childcare, Leadership or Management.
• Experience leading and developing teams within an Early Years setting.
• Experience of achieving Good or Outstanding Ofsted outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day nursery operations ensuring high care, education and safeguarding.
• Inspire and develop the nursery team and build strong relationships with families.
• Drive occupancy and nursery performance, support growth.
• Lead Ofsted preparation and inspections.
• Oversee compliance with EYFS and regulatory requirements.
• Foster staff wellbeing and a positive workplace culture.

Skills

Team leadership

Safeguarding

Parent partnerships

Communication

Education

Level 3 childcare qualification

Level 5 leadership/management qualification

Job description

Arlesey, United Kingdom | Posted on 03/11/2026

Nursery Manager– (75% Childcare Discount)

Salary: Up to £28,473.12 perannum, depending on experience, plus a quarterly bonus schemeworth up to £3,000 per year* Hours: Full Time (36 hours per week) Location: Acre wood Day Nursery (onsite parking)

At Acrewood Day Nursery we’re looking for a confident and experienced Nursery Manager tolead our well-established nursery and continue building apositive, high-quality environment for children, families and colleagues.

You’ll have theopportunity to lead with confidence, develop a strong team andcreate a nursery culture where children thrive, families feelsupported and colleagues enjoy coming to work. With supportivesenior leadership, strong team foundations and the freedom tomake a genuine impact, this is an exciting opportunity for anEarly Years leader who takes pride in delivering outstandingcare and education.

We believe greatchildcare starts with a happy, supported team. Here’s whatyou’ll enjoy as part of Family First:

• QuarterlyBonus Scheme: Earn up to£3,000 per year in additional bonuses, subject to termsand conditions.
• 33 DaysPaid Holiday: 24 daysannual leave, plus bank holidays and your birthday off
• CareerGrowth: Tailoredtraining, professional development and opportunities to progress
• Health& Wellbeing Support: Access aconfidential employee assistance and wellbeing programme.
• CompanyPension Scheme
• Supportive Culture: Join apassionate, dedicated team that values collaboration andhigh-quality childcare

The Role

As NurseryManager, you’ll take the lead in the day-to-day running ofthe nursery, ensuring the highest standards of care,education and safeguarding. You’ll inspire your team,build strong relationships with families and drive thenursery forward, creating an environment where childrenand colleagues can thrive. Yourresponsibilities will include:

• ChildSafety & Safeguarding: Ensure the safety andwellbeing of all children, maintaining robustsafeguarding procedures and a safe, nurturing environment.
• EYFS& Compliance: Ensure the effective implementationof the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) frameworkand maintain compliance with all relevant statutoryand regulatory requirements.
• TeamLeadership & Development: Lead, motivate anddevelop your nursery team, encouraging professionalgrowth, collaboration and consistently high standardsof practice.
• ParentPartnerships: Build strong, positive relationshipswith families through clear communication, trust and ashared commitment to each child’s development.
• NurseryOperations: Oversee the effective day-to-day runningof the nursery, maintaining an organised, welcomingand well-managed setting.
• Occupancy &Performance: Drive nursery occupancy and overallperformance, supporting the continued success andgrowth of the setting.
• Ofsted& Quality Improvement: Lead Ofsted preparation andinspections, ensuring the nursery maintains highstandards and is continually improving the quality ofcare and education.
• StaffWellbeing: Support the wellbeing, engagement anddevelopment of your team, fostering a positive andprofessional workplace culture.
• Quality Care &Education: Ensure children receive high-quality,engaging and age-appropriate learning experiencesthat support their individual needs and development.

About You You’rean experienced, confident and approachable Early Yearsleader who is passionate about delivering high-qualitychildcare and education. You enjoy developing people,maintaining high standards and creating a positivenursery environment where children, families andcolleagues feel valued and supported. Youunderstand the importance of effective leadership,strong safeguarding practices and building a team thatworks together to achieve the best outcomes for children.

• Full and relevantLevel 3 childcare qualification.
• Strong knowledge ofthe EYFS statutory framework and safeguarding requirements.
• Experience leadingand developing teams within an Early Years setting.
• Apassion for delivering high-quality childcareand education.
• Level 5qualification in Childcare, Leadership or Management.
• Experience ofachieving Good or Outstanding Ofsted outcomes.

Why Join Us?

Acrewood offersthe opportunity to lead a well-established settingwith supportive senior leadership, strong teamfoundations and the freedom to make a realdifference. As part of the Family First Group,you’ll benefit from a positive working culture,opportunities for professional development and thesupport you need to grow as a leader whilecreating an exceptional nursery experience forevery child.

Please note: We areunable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Acrewood ispart of the Family First Group where we take great care totreat everyone as a person, with equal rights andresponsibilities to any other individual, whether they are anadult or a child. We are committed to providing equalityofopportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all childrenand families according to their individual needs.Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religionor belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexualorientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity,ethnic or national origin, or political belief has no placewithin the Family First Group