Nursery Manager: Lead Early Years & School Readiness

Willingcare; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted childcare

Christmas closure

Your birthday off

Pension scheme

Training and development opportunities

Long service awards

Wellbeing programme

Job summary

Willingcare in Gloucester is seeking a strong Nursery Manager – Level 3+ to lead the day-to-day running of the nursery, motivate practitioners, and uphold high standards of care and education. You will embed the EYFS, safeguarding and Ofsted expectations while supporting a nurturing environment across age groups.

The role is full-time, 40 hours per week, with a salary up to £40,000. You’ll build partnerships with families and drive continuous improvement, with benefits including discounted

Qualifications

• Full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification or above.
• Proven Nursery Manager experience.
• Strong track record leading an Early Years setting.
• Excellent knowledge of the EYFS, safeguarding and Ofsted requirements.
• Confidence leading, motivating and developing a nursery team.
• Experience maintaining high standards of care and education.
• Strong understanding of children's development across age groups.
• Experience supporting school readiness and transitions.
• Overseeing staffing, deployment, ratios and day-to-day operations.
• Strong organisational and decision-making skills.
• Visible, supportive and hands-on leadership style.

Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the nursery.
• Lead, motivate and develop practitioners across each age group.
• Maintain consistently high standards of Early Years care and education.
• Ensure the EYFS is embedded effectively throughout the setting.
• Support practitioners to create nurturing, engaging and age-appropriate environments.
• Ensure older children are given meaningful opportunities to develop confidence, independence and school-readiness skills.
• Encourage teams to make creative use of the nursery's outdoor areas for learning, exploration and adventure.
• Oversee staffing, deployment, ratios and team performance.
• Maintain strong standards across safeguarding, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Build positive partnerships with parents and families.
• Drive continuous improvement and ensure high-quality practice remains consistent across the nursery.

Skills

Nursery management

Leadership

EYFS knowledge

Ofsted requirements

Staff development

Child development understanding

School readiness

Staffing deployment

Health and safety

Decision making

Education

Level 3 Early Years qualification or above

Job description

Willingcare in Gloucester is seeking a strong Nursery Manager – Level 3+ to lead the day-to-day running of the nursery, motivate practitioners, and uphold high standards of care and education. You will embed the EYFS, safeguarding and Ofsted expectations while supporting a nurturing environment across age groups.

The role is full-time, 40 hours per week, with a salary up to £40,000. You’ll build partnerships with families and drive continuous improvement, with benefits including discounted