Nursery Manager

Family First Nurseries; Whitsbury; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Quarterly bonus up to £3,000 per year

33 Days Paid Holiday: 24 days annual +

Birthday off

Career Growth

Health & Wellbeing

Company Pension

Supportive Culture

Job summary

The Fordingbridge Day Nursery, part of Family First Nurseries, is seeking a confident Nursery Manager to lead daily operations, drive high standards of care, and nurture a positive culture for children and families. The role offers a £41,208 salary with a quarterly bonus up to £3,000 and a 40-hour week, onsite parking at The Fordingbridge Day Nursery.

You will lead a well-established team, ensure safeguarding, compliance with EYFS, and Ofsted readiness, while developing staff and building strong

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day running of the nursery, ensuring high standards of care and safeguarding.
• Inspire and develop your nursery team and build strong relationships with families.
• Drive occupancy and overall performance and support growth of the setting.
• Lead Ofsted preparation and inspections and ensure ongoing quality improvements.
• Support staff wellbeing and professional development.
• Oversee day-to-day nursery operations to maintain an organised, welcoming environment.

Skills

Team leadership

EYFS knowledge

Safeguarding

Childcare qualifications

Education

Level 3 childcare qualification

Level 5 Leadership/Management

Job description

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

• Location The Fordingbridge Day Nursery and Pre-School
• Date Opened 03/11/2026
• Work Experience 1-3 years
• Job Type Full time
• Province Hampshire
• City Burgate
• Postal Code SP6 1LX
• Country United Kingdom

Job Description

Nursery Manager– (75% Childcare Discount)

Salary: Up to £41,208 perannum, depending on experience, plus a quarterly bonus schemeworth up to £3,000 per year* Hours: Full Time (40 hours per week) Location: The Fordingbridge Day Nursery (onsite parking)

At The Fordingbridge 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 the nursery 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 relevant Level 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?

The Fordingbridge Day Nursery 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.

The Fordingbridge Day Nursery 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 equality ofopportunity 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