Nursery Manager

Family First; Coton; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly bonus scheme

27 days annual leave + bank holidays +

Birthday off

Progression opportunities

Employee wellbeing programme

Refer a friend bonus up to £750

Well-resourced nursery

Job summary

Family First is seeking a dedicated Nursery Manager for Coton Day Nursery. You will lead the daily operations, uphold high standards of care and education, and work with a supportive senior team.

We value experienced leaders who can drive standards, develop staff, and build strong relationships with families. The role offers a stable environment within a growing group and genuine progression opportunities.

Qualifications

• Full and relevant Level 3 Childcare qualification.
• Previous Nursery Management experience.
• Strong knowledge of EYFS and safeguarding.
• Experience leading teams within Early Years.
• Level 5 qualification in Childcare, Leadership, or Management.
• Experience achieving Good or Outstanding Ofsted outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day running of the nursery while maintaining high standards.
• Lead, motivate, and develop the nursery team.
• Drive occupancy and nursery performance.
• Prepare for Ofsted inspections and maintain compliance.
• Build strong partnerships with parents.
• Ensure EYFS and safeguarding compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Team development

EYFS knowledge

Safeguarding

Education

Level 3 Childcare qualification

Level 5 Leadership/Management

Job description

Coton, United Kingdom | Posted on 09/07/2026

NurseryManager
Coton Day Nursery - Coton C of E Community Primary School, Whitwell Way, Coton, Cambridge, UK

Permanent-Full Time | 40 Hours Per Week £40,170 depending on experience + Quarterly Bonus Scheme worth £3,000 per year*

Are you an experienced NurseryManager looking for a setting where you will feel trusted, supported andgenuinely valued as a leader?

Small Peopleis looking for a confident and experienced Nursery Manager to lead ourwell-established nursery and continue building a positive, high-qualityenvironment for children, families and teams.

This role isideal for a strong Early Years leader who enjoys developing teams, drivingstandards and creating a nursery culture where both children and teams thrive.You will be joining a stable nursery with supportive senior leadership, strongteam foundations and the freedom to lead your setting with confidence.

Coton Day Nursery is a rural village setting with regular nature-based exploration beyond the nursery grounds. Rather than relying solely on its outdoor play area, children have opportunities to visit nearby parks and open fields, where they can observe wildlife, explore natural environments, and build confidence through outdoor learning.

If you takepride in running a happy, organised nursery and leading a team people genuinelyenjoy being part of, we would love to hear from you.

What weoffer:

• Quarterly bonus scheme worth upto £3,000 per year*
• 27 days annual leave plus bankholidays and your birthday off
• Genuine progressionopportunities within a growing group
• Supportive and approachablesenior leadership team
• Employee wellbeing &assistance programme
• Refer a friend bonus up to £750
• Well-resourced nursery with apositive team culture

*Termsand conditions apply.

The role:

As NurseryManager, you will lead the day-to-day running of the nursery while maintaininghigh standards across the setting. You will be responsible for:

• Leading, motivating, anddeveloping your nursery team
  
• Ensuring EYFS and safeguardingcompliance
  
• Building strong parentpartnerships
  
• Driving occupancy and overallnursery performance
  
• Leading Ofsted preparation andinspections
  
• Creating a positive,professional team culture
  

This is ahands-on leadership role where your experience, leadership style, anddecision-making will make a genuine impact every day.

What we’relooking for:

• Full and relevant Level 3Childcare qualification
  
• Previous Nursery Managementexperience
  
• Strong knowledge of EYFS andsafeguarding
  
• Experience leading teams withinEarly Years
  
• Passion for deliveringhigh-quality childcare and education
  
• Level 5 qualification inChildcare, Leadership, or Management
  
• Experience achieving Good orOutstanding Ofsted outcomes
  

Coton Day Nursery is part of the Family First Group where we take greatcare to treat everyone as a person, with equal rights and responsibilities toany other individual, whether they are an adult or a child. We are committed toproviding equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for allchildren and families according to their individual needs. Discrimination onthe grounds of gender, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civilpartnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy ormaternity, ethnicor national origin, or political belief has no placewithin the Family First Group.