Location: Little Puddings Nursery, S. Anselm’s, Bakewell
Contract: Permanent, All-Year-Round
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday, worked on a rota between 7:30am and 6:30pm
Salary: £32,000-£35,000 per annum, depending on qualifications, experience and leadership responsibility
About the Role
Little Puddings Nursery is delighted to be opening our brand-new setting in Bakewell, within the beautiful Peak District, and we are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and committed Assistant Nursery Manager to join our leadership team.
Working closely with the Nursery Manager, you will support the leadership and day-to-day operation of Little Puddings, helping to ensure consistently high standards of care, teaching, learning, safeguarding and professional practice.
This is a hands-on leadership and teaching position. Alongside your management responsibilities, you will work directly with children, plan and deliver engaging learning experiences, build meaningful relationships and model excellent early years practice for colleagues. You will also help support, mentor and develop the team and play an important role in shaping the culture, standards and provision of our new nursery.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the Nursery Manager with the effective leadership, management and day-to-day operation of the nursery.
- Take responsibility for the nursery in the absence of the Nursery Manager, ensuring continuity of leadership and high-quality provision.
- Teach and support children’s learning and development through high-quality interactions, play, activities and experiences in line with the EYFS.
- Plan and deliver engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences that respond to children’s individual needs, interests and stages of development.
- Build warm, responsive relationships with children and support their communication, language, social, emotional and physical development.
- Act as a positive role model for colleagues, promoting high standards of care, teaching, learning and professional practice.
- Support, mentor and develop practitioners, encouraging reflective practice and continuous professional improvement.
- Monitor the quality of observations, assessments, planning and children’s learning records, providing guidance and support where required.
- Support staff induction, supervision, professional development and effective deployment.
- Build positive and professional relationships with parents and carers, supporting effective communication and partnership working.
- Take an active role in safeguarding and child protection and support compliance with the EYFS, Ofsted requirements and relevant statutory guidance.
- Support health and safety, risk assessments, safer eating, infection control, hygiene and other regulatory requirements.
- Help ensure that nursery policies, procedures, records and documentation are consistently implemented and maintained to a high standard.
- Contribute to the continued development and improvement of Little Puddings and its role within the wider S. Anselm’s community.
About You
We are looking for an experienced early years professional with strong leadership potential and a genuine passion for teaching, learning and providing exceptional care.
You will be confident, organised and approachable, with the ability to lead by example, support others and make sound professional decisions. You will have the maturity and judgement to take responsibility when required, while working collaboratively with the Nursery Manager and wider school leadership team.
You will be equally comfortable leading a team and being on the nursery floor, engaging directly with children and modelling the high-quality practice we expect from our team.
Essential
- A recognised Level 4 Early Years qualification or equivalent qualification recognised as full and relevant for working within the EYFS.
- Significant experience working in a nursery or early years setting.
- Previous experience of taking on leadership or additional responsibility within an early years setting, such as Senior Nursery Practitioner, Room Leader, Deputy or similar.
- Experience of supporting or delivering high-quality teaching and learning within the EYFS.
- A strong understanding of child development, the EYFS and safeguarding.
- Good understanding of the regulatory and statutory requirements relating to early years provision.
- Strong communication, organisational, interpersonal and leadership skills.
- The ability to support, motivate and develop colleagues.
- A positive, professional and solutions-focused approach, with the confidence to take responsibility and make sound professional decisions.
Desirable
- A recognised Level 5 Early Years Leadership or Management qualification, or equivalent.
- Previous experience in an Assistant Manager, Deputy Manager or similar leadership position.
- Experience supporting staff supervision, mentoring, induction or professional development.
- Experience across the early years age range, including babies and toddlers.
- Paediatric First Aid qualification and/or experience supporting Ofsted inspections or regulatory processes.
What We Offer
- The opportunity to help establish and shape a brand-new nursery from the very beginning.
- A key leadership position within a growing early years setting.
- A supportive, collaborative and welcoming working environment.
- A permanent, full-time position with a 51-week working year.
- A competitive salary of £32,000-£35,000 per annum, depending on qualifications, experience and leadership responsibility.
- Ongoing training and professional development opportunities.
- The opportunity to develop your leadership experience and contribute meaningfully to the culture, standards and provision of Little Puddings.
- The opportunity to work alongside experienced colleagues within the wider S. Anselm’s community.
About Little Puddings Nursery
Little Puddings Nursery is part of the S. Anselm’s community in Bakewell, within the beautiful Peak District.
We are committed to creating a safe, secure and inspiring environment where every child feels valued, supported and encouraged to thrive. Our approach places children at the heart of everything we do, with a strong emphasis on nurturing relationships, high-quality interactions, play, exploration and individual development.
As a new setting, this is a particularly exciting time to join us. You will have the opportunity to help establish the foundations of our nursery, contribute ideas and shape the environment and culture from the outset.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to satisfactory references, an enhanced DBS check and appropriate pre-employment checks.
If you are an experienced early years professional who is ready to take the next step in your career, passionate about teaching and learning, and would love the opportunity to help build something special from the beginning, we would love to hear from you.
Pay: £32,000.00-£35,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Free parking
Work Location: In person
