Nursery Third in Charge

RAF Association; West of England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced childcare discount

Healthcare cash back

Virtual GP

Health and Stress Support

Gym discount

Refer a Friend bonus

Generous annual leave

Group Associate Membership

Travel & accommodation for training

Early interviews

Gala event invitations

Job summary

RAFAKidz Nursery at MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol is recruiting a Nursery Third in Charge. You will support the management team to raise the quality of care and develop the team, with strong knowledge of the EYFS framework and Ofsted guidance.

You will coach and mentor staff, plan training needs, and ensure engaging, safe learning environments. A minimum Level 3 Early Years qualification and Paediatric First Aid are required, with DBS clearance at appointment.

Qualifications

• Minimum Level 3 Early Years qualification and Paediatric First Aid certificate.
• Experience as Room Leader or Senior Practitioner is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of the EYFS and Ofsted guidance is required.
• Ability to coach and mentor staff and support training needs.

Responsibilities

• Support the Nursery Management team to strengthen and grow care quality.
• Coach and mentor staff, identify training needs, and ensure high training standards.
• Create and maintain enriching, safe, stimulating educational environments.

Skills

Staff coaching

Mentoring

EYFS knowledge

Ofsted guidance

Education

Level 3 Early Years qualification

Paediatric First Aid

Job description

Nursery Third in Charge RAFAKidz Nursery, MOD Abbey Wood, Bristol BS34 8JH £33217 40 hours per week

• Enhanced childcare discount of 40% for permanent employees
• Healthcare cash back for you and your children to cover prescription, dental and optician costs
• Free access to virtual GP
• Health and Stress Support plus gym discount
• Unlimited Refer a Friend bonus payments
• Generous leave with time off to relax and recharge over the Christmas period
• Group Associate Membership – savings and discounts on household bills and more!
• Guaranteed transfer to another nursery (for spouses and families being reassigned)
• Preparing for promotion? We pay travel and overnight expenses to allow you to experience another of our fabulous settings
• First Stage Informal Telephone Interviews – let’s get to know each other before arranging a visit
• Opportunities to attend gala evenings to celebrate our big nominations and wins together!

About us

2025 was a phenomenal year for RAFAKidz! Our special awards include

• Nursery Group of the Year Nursery World
• Medium Sized Nursery Group of the Year National NMT Nursery Awards
• Outdoor Learning Environment National NMT Nursery Awards

About our Third in Charge Role

You will need to have a minimum Level 3 Early Years qualification along with a Paediatric First Aid certificate. You will be working closely with the Nursery Management team to strengthen and grow the quality of our care and our team. Previous experience as Room Leader or Senior Practitioner will be a great starting point for this position as RAFAKidz will invest in you and your development to enable you to grow in this first level management role. You will have a strong knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and current Ofsted statutory guidance along with proven practical experience of implementing good quality learning opportunities.

A key part of the role will be to support the coaching and mentoring of staff, helping the manager to identify staff training needs and to ensure highest levels of training are provided to staff. You will create and maintain enriching and high-quality educational environments which are safe, caring and stimulating at all times.

This post requires a satisfactory, enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check on appointment and every three years thereafter.

As part of our inclusive culture, we encourage applications across all cultural backgrounds, genders and abilities