Nursery Manager

Abacus Ark Ltd.; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4-Day Working Week

32 Days Annual Leave

Medical Cashback Plan

Training & Career Development

Progression opportunities

New site openings

Blue Light Card discounts

Manager Bonus Incentive

Long service rewards

Mental health and wellbeing support

Team social events and celebrations

Company pension

Supportive team culture and mentorship

First aid and safeguarding training

Job summary

Abacus Ark Nursery is seeking an experienced Nursery Manager to lead daily operations, ensuring high standards of care, education, safeguarding and compliance in a family-run setting.

You will oversee a dedicated team, drive quality improvement and ensure EYFS and Ofsted requirements are met across the setting, while fostering a nurturing, safe environment for children to thrive.

Qualifications

• Experience as deputy/manager in a childcare setting.
• Level 3 Early Years Educator minimum; Level 5+ preferred.
• Strong EYFS knowledge and curriculum planning.
• Experience mentoring staff and developing teams.
• Knowledge of Ofsted and safeguarding requirements.
• Ability to lead and inspire a team.

Responsibilities

• Safeguarding and wellbeing: ensure children are safe and well cared for in line with legal requirements.
• Lead and train staff with performance management and development.
• Oversee delivery of a high-quality EY curriculum meeting statutory frameworks (EYFS).
• Ensure compliance with Ofsted, health and safety requirements.
• Engage with parents and communicate progress and wellbeing.
• Manage budgets, staffing, resources and day-to-day operations.
• Drive quality improvement through observations, assessments and audits.

Skills

Deputy/Manager experience

EYFS knowledge

Curriculum planning

Leadership

Ofsted safeguarding knowledge

Mentoring staff

Team leadership

Education

Level 3 Early Years Educator

Level 5 or above

Job description

Full-time Permanent Level 3

Posted 30 Sep 2026

Description

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Join a family run nursery where you’re truly valued...

We're looking for an experienced and passionate Nursery Manager to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a dedicated team, inspire high-quality early years education, and make a real difference to children's lives in a supportive, family-run environment.

Role Summary:

As Nursery Manager, you'll be responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the nursery, ensuring the highest standards of care, education, safeguarding and compliance. You'll lead and support your team while creating a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment where children can thrive. You'll ensure the nursery operates in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Ofsted requirements and all relevant legislation, while continuously driving quality improvement across the setting.

Why Join Abacus Ark Nursery?

• 4-Day Working Week - Work full-time hours across just 4 days and enjoy 3 days off every week for better work-life balance.
• 32 Days Annual Leave (Includes 8 Bank Holidays, 4 Personal Wellbeing Days)
• Medical Cashback Plan - Health Shield plan worth over £1,000 per year (including GP Anytime, health screening, health cash plans, MyGymDiscounts, SkinVision, online health assessments, massages, dental, optical and more)
• Training & Career Development - including specialised training and support/funding with enrolling onto further qualifications
• Progression opportunities within the company
• New site openings - further opportunities available

We invest heavily in our team with:

• Blue Light Card access with major high street stores/food/cinema/holiday/travel discounts (various discounts between 10-20% off
• Manager Bonus Incentive
• Long service rewards
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Team social events and celebrations
• Company pension
• Supportive team culture and mentorship from experienced early years professionals
• Inclusive and positive working environment
• First aid and safeguarding training

Key Responsibilities:

• Safeguarding & wellbeing: Ensuring all children are safe, protected, and well cared for in line with legal requirements.
• Leadership & staff management: Supervising, training, and supporting staff, including performance management and professional development.
• Curriculum & quality of education: Overseeing the delivery of a high-quality early years curriculum and ensuring it meets statutory frameworks (e.g., EYFS in the UK).
• Compliance & regulation: Making sure the nursery meets all legal, Ofsted, and health & safety requirements.
• Parental engagement: Building strong relationships with parents and communicating effectively about children’s progress and wellbeing.
• Operational management: Managing budgets, staffing ratios, resources, and day-to-day running of the nursery.
• Quality improvement: Monitoring standards through observations, assessments, and audits, and driving continuous improvement.

Professional Requirements

· Must have experience as a deputy/manager in a childcare setting

· Level 3 Early Years Educator (minimum); Level5 or above preferred.

· Strong understanding of EYFS, curriculum planning, and child development.

· Experience in mentoring staff and supporting team development.

· Good knowledge of Ofsted and safeguarding requirements.

· Ability to lead a team.

Company Overview

Our mission is to empower every child with the essential tools they need to thrive from day one of school and to discover the joy of learning. We are dedicated to nurturing their Focus, Independence, Resilience, Social Understanding, and Trustworthiness, alongside introducing language, mathematics, and a wider understanding of the world. We seek to ensure children are not only ready to learn but also to shine. We believe in the boundless potential of every child and strive to ignite their passion for learning, helping them grow into confident, capable, and compassionate individuals.