Nursery Manager - Hawthorns Primary School

EMEA3 Recruitment; Worthing; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Hawthorns Primary School and Nursery in West Sussex is seeking an experienced Nursery Manager to lead a caring, stimulating nursery/pre-school environment for children aged birth to five. You will drive continuous improvement, build strong partnerships with families and professionals, and uphold safeguarding and welfare requirements.

The role requires leadership, a deep understanding of child development and inclusive practice, and the ability to plan and assess to support communication,

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of child development from birth to five, safeguarding and welfare requirements, assessment and planning, and strategies to support communication and language development.
• Commitment to inclusive practice, including supporting children with SEND, and leading high‑quality early years provision.
• Ability to build partnerships with families and other professionals to support learning.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the nursery provision ensuring a safe, welcoming, stimulating environment for under-fives.
• Drive continuous improvement and high standards across the early years team.

Skills

Nursery leadership

Child development knowledge

Safeguarding

Assessment & planning

Communication & language

SEND support

Job description

About Us

Hawthorns Primary School and Nursery is a friendly, happy and caring one-form entry
primary school in West Sussex, which has a fantastic and supportive staff team and is well respected within the local community. We have high expectations and a school-wide commitment to improve children’s learning and staff expertise and professional
development.

Job Details

Salary: NJC Grade 6, SCP 9-12, £28,153 to £29,542 p.a. pro rata. Actual starting salary - £23,713.48 p.a. (Higher grade considered based on qualification/experience)
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, term time only (38 weeks plus 5.8 weeks annual leave entitlement)
Location: Worthing Area
Interviews: Wednesday 16th September 2026

We are looking for a passionate and experienced early years leader who can inspire and motivate a team, drive continuous improvement and maintain high expectations for all children. You will be organised, proactive and reflective, with a commitment to ensuring every child feels safe, valued and successful.

What You Need to Succeed

We are seeking an experienced Nursery Manager to join our friendly team and help create a welcoming, safe and stimulating nursery/pre school environment, tailored to meet the individual needs of each child, in accordance with the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework.
The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of child development from birth to five, safeguarding and welfare requirements, assessment and planning, and strategies to support communication and language development. They will be committed to inclusive practice, including supporting children with SEND, and will have the skills to lead high-quality early years provision while building strong partnerships with families and other professionals.

Further Information

Hawthorns Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children. This post is subject to rigorous pre-employment checks, including references, qualifications, health, enhanced DBS checks and online social media searches. Hawthorns Primary School is part of the Schoolsworks Academy Trust and the Trust is fully committed to supporting the career development of all its staff.

How to Apply

Applicants should clearly state on the application form their current expertise and previous experience. Please make reference to the Job Description and Personal Specification when completing the Skills and Competencies part of the application. Visits to the school are warmly welcomed. If you are interested in applying and would like to visit the school, please contact the school office on Tel: [phone], to arrange a suitable time to visit.

Application forms should be sent to the school by email to [e-mail]

NOTE TO CANDIDATES

- Please do not select the ‘Apply online’ button as the School processes your applications directly rather than through this site.

The reference number for this role is SCHO02976.