Nursery Manager

Join as Nursery Manager at our Forest School - Beautiful Setting and Great Benefits

We're looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and confident Nursery Manager with at least 3 years leadership experience to lead our well-established team at Woodlands Nursery & Forest School - a unique early years setting in Melton Mowbray where outdoor learning and child-led exploration are at the core of everything we do.

Our goal is to create a truly wonderful and enriching educational, caring and nurturing experience, not only for our children but also their families. Woodlands is more than just a nursery - it's a place where children are free to explore muddy puddles, build dens, and learn through the rhythm of the seasons. It's a setting where staff feel empowered, families feel welcome, and children feel at home.

About the role

As Nursery Manager, you will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the nursery, maintaining high standards across care, education, and compliance. You'll lead and support a passionate team, promote child-centred learning, and ensure strong relationships with families.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a hands-on leadership position and is committed to delivering quality early years education - both indoors and out.

As Nursery Manager, you'll have the autonomy to lead your setting with confidence and creativity, shaping the day-to-day environment in a way that reflects your vision and values. While we'll give you the space to make decisions and take ownership, you'll never be alone - our codirectors and leadership team are always on hand to provide support, guidance, and a collaborative sounding board when you need it.

What We're Looking For:
A warm, ambitious and skilled leader who with:

Minimum 3 years' experience in a management/leadership role within early years

Level 3 or higher Early Years/Childcare qualification

Strong knowledge of the EYFS , safeguarding, SEND and Ofsted requirements

Confident using nursery management systems (e.g. Famly)

A practical, solutions-focused leader who leads by example

Excellent communication and team-building skills

A genuine interest in outdoor learning and forest school values

Key Responsibilities
As Nursery Manager, your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Manage day-to-day operations and ensure high standards of care and education

Lead, mentor and support staff through supervision and training

Ensure compliance with EYFS, safeguarding and health & safety

Monitor and grow nursery occupancy, including organising promotional events

Build strong partnerships with parents and external agencies

Sound knowledge and understanding of safeguarding and SEND

Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team culture

Employee benefits that you'll love

A competitive salary starting from £35,000+ based on experience

Additional holiday days after several years with us

Staff childcare discount

A free hot lunch provided daily

Our PlayTime employee benefits platform - discounts at 100s of retailers

In house training and career development

Contributory pension scheme

Fun work events throughout the year to celebrate our team

Our recruitment process

Successful candidates will be invited to interview at the setting as part of our safer recruitment process.

We take safeguarding seriously. In line with our duty to safeguard children and our Safer Recruitment Policy, you will be subject to our stringent vetting procedures and an enhanced DBS check should your application be successful.

Learn more about Woodlands at

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From £35,000.00 per year

Benefits:
Childcare
Company events
Company pension
Employee discount
Free parking
Health & wellbeing programme
On-site parking
Store discount

Work Location: In person