Nursery Room Leader - £1000 Welcome Perk

The Old Station Nursery Group; St. Neots; Remote; GBP 16,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free childcare for your first month

52% discount on childcare based on hrs

31 days holiday + birthday day off

Access to The National College with a

One paid volunteering day each year

Perkbox discounts and wellbeing tools

Blue Light Card discounts

Employee of the Month recognition

Job summary

The Old Station Nursery St Neots is seeking a Nursery Room Leader to guide a dedicated room team and deliver high‑quality care and education. You will lead everyday routines, support colleagues to develop their skills, and ensure EYFS principles drive all activities.

You’ll champion safeguarding and inclusive practices, maintaining strong family partnerships while contributing to the nursery’s wider operation and continuous improvement. 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

Qualifications

• Must hold a Level 3 Early Years qualification or Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
• Strong understanding of the EYFS and how to apply it through play, care and meaningful interactions.
• Ability to guide colleagues, lead by example and provide effective supervision.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day‑to‑day running of your room, ensuring high-quality care and education.
• Mentor and develop your room team and model best practices.
• Oversee observations, planning and records to track each child’s progress and next steps.
• Create a safe, inclusive environment with routines that reflect each child’s needs.
• Build trusting relationships with families and work with colleagues and external professionals to support development.
• Support nursery operations during management absences as agreed.
• Maintain safeguarding, hygiene and wellbeing as a core part of practice.

Skills

Room leadership

Staff mentoring

EYFS knowledge

Safeguarding

Communication

Education

Level 3 Early Years qualification or QTS

Job description

Join Our Team as a Nursery Room Leader

Lead a room full of possibility -for children and your team

At The Old Station Nursery, we believe everyone is still growing — little humans and big humans alike. As a Nursery Room Leader at St Neots Nursery, you’ll guide your team to create a welcoming space where children feel secure, curiosity is encouraged, and everyone has a part to play.

You’ll stay close to the everyday care and learning that makes Early Years special, while supporting colleagues to develop their skills and growing your own confidence as a leader.

Why Join Our Team?

We take care of the people who care for our children and families. Here’s what that means for you:

• Childcare support: Free childcare for your first month, followed by a 52% discount based on your working hours.

• Time to recharge: 31 days of holiday, including national bank holidays, plus your birthday off and an extra day after 3 years of service.

• Space to grow: Access to The National College, with a library of courses and training to develop your practice and leadership.

• Connection to your community: One paid day each year to volunteer and support a cause that matters to you.

• Everyday support: With access to Perkbox, enjoy discounts on shopping, meals out, and everyday essentials, alongside wellbeing tools and online medical services. You’ll also be eligible for a Blue Light Card, helping your money go further with even more discounts.

• Recognition along the way: We celebrate the care and commitment you bring, with Employee of the Month recognition, long-service awards to mark your milestones, and referral bonuses for introducing friends or family to our team.

Pay: £14.27 per hour /£29,681per annumbased on experience (based on 40 hours)

Hours: 40 hours per week. Monday to Friday.

Location

The Old Station Nursery St Neots, Longsands College
Longsands Road
St Neots
Cambridgeshire
PE19 1LQ

Where You'll Be Working

At our St Neots children’s day nursery, we follow the Montessori approach in a home-from-home environment. The children in our care learn through play, and the passionate team at our Ofsted-rated ‘Good’ nursery offer children a variety of activities and learning opportunities every day related to their individual interests, ensuring no two days are ever the same. We are situated on the site of Longsands College, around the back of the school, and are best accessed via Kings Road. We are just a few minutes walk from the train station, where trains run every 30 minutes to Kings Cross, London. The A1 and the A428 are nearby, with bus routes into Cambridge, making us easily accessible for commuters. Our pre-school is only a short walk away and parking is available on both sites.

What You'll Be Doing

Working alongside the Nursery Management Team, you’ll lead the day-to-day running of your room, bringing together thoughtful care, purposeful play, and a team that supports one another.

One moment you might be helping a colleague extend children’s learning through an activity. The next, you could be welcoming a new family or adapting a routine to help a child feel more settled.

Your role will include:

• Leading and mentoring your room team, setting clear expectations and modelling high-quality care and education

• Guiding the delivery of the EYFS through engaging, play-based experiences shaped around children’s interests and developmental needs

• Overseeing observations, planning, and records so your team understands each child’s progress and next steps

• Creating a safe, inclusive environment with caring routines that reflect each child’s individual needs

• Building trusting relationships with families and working with colleagues and external professionals to support children’s development

• Organising daily responsibilities within your room and supporting the management team with the nursery’s wider running

• Keeping safeguarding, hygiene, safety, and children’s wellbeing at the heart of your team’s practice

• Sharing constructive feedback, welcoming ideas, and supporting colleagues’ ongoing development

• Taking on delegated leadership responsibilities, including supporting nursery operations during management absences as agreed

Our values are simple: Own it. Be human. Make it happen. As a Room Leader, that means taking responsibility for your room, listening to your team, and working together to turn ideas into positive experiences for children.

What We’re Looking For

You must hold a Level 3 Early Years qualification or Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to be considered for this role.

You’ll also bring:

• A strong understanding of the EYFS and how to put it into practice through play, care, and meaningful interactions

• The confidence to guide colleagues, share your knowledge, and lead by example

• A caring, observant approach that recognises each child’s strengths, interests, and needs

• Good organisation and clear communication to help your room run smoothly

• A commitment to safeguarding and maintaining high standards of care

• Openness to feedback and a willingness to keep learning alongside your team

We’re looking for someone who notices when others need encouragement, makes space for different ideas, and takes pride in helping both children and colleagues grow.

Please note: we are currently unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

The Old Station Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all applicants to share this commitment. All roles are subject to enhanced DBS checks, satisfactory references, verification of your right to work in the UK, and any essential qualifications. If successful, our Onboarding Team will guide you through every step of the onboarding process. We are proud to be an inclusive employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments will be considered to support fairness and accessibility for all candidates. This role involves regulated activity with children.