Job Description

40,000 FTE - job will be pro rata to term time only

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an outstanding early years specialist to become our Nursery Manager at The Oaks Nursery. This position presents an excellent opportunity to play a crucial role in the daily operations of the nursery, providing support to the staff and helping to create engaging learning experiences for our young children.

To qualify for this position, you must hold a relevant Early Years qualification of Level 3 or above. Experience in team management, SEN support and an enhanced DBS check are essential. Strong communication skills with parents, carers, and external professionals are also crucial for success in this role.

The Oaks Nursery, rated Good by Ofsted, is a small pre-school nursery with a capacity for up to 20 children from age 2.5 to 5 in each session. We are open 8.30am to 3.30pm term time only. Our setting is known for its strong team bond that ensures each child receives the best start in life. Ideally situated within walking distance of the train station, bus services, and Hildenborough village, the nursery also offers complimentary parking for its staff. As well as a competitive pension and ongoing professional training and development opportunities.

We are delighted to welcome applications from candidates who share our core values and who can contribute to our future success. We recruit staff of the highest calibre who will inspire, support and challenge the children and fellow colleagues to achieve their full potential.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

To be responsible for the efficient day-to-day running of the nursery and overall delivery of a high-quality service To ensure that the nursery provides a safe, caring, stimulating educational environment, both indoors and outdoors, at every session To ensure that the nursery plans an appropriate play based Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum that enables children to make individual progress To ensure the nursery meets the requirements of the EYFS Statutory Framework at all times To manage, supervise and support the nursery staff To work with other professionals in the local area for the benefit of children and families To ensure all staff understand and work to the nursery policies and procedures, including how to deal with child protection issues appropriately and how to respond to incidents, accidents, complaints and emergencies To ensure the provision of a high-quality environment to meet the needs of individual children regardless of any disability, family background or medical needs To provide team members with the support and resources required for the early identification and intervention for children with possible special needs Hold overall responsibility for SEN and Safeguarding

MAIN DUTIES:

To provide overall management of The Oaks Nursery and ensure that legal requirements and quality standards are met at all times. To ensure the whole staff team understand and work to the EYFS Policies and Procedures at all times. To act as Designated Safeguarding Lead ensuring the setting adheres to safeguarding policies and procedures, taking the lead on responding to any concerns about a child's welfare, liaising with external agencies and promoting a culture of safeguarding within the setting. To plan, with staff colleagues, an appropriate play-based curriculum which is based on children's current interests and stages of development and which allows children opportunities for learning and development in all key areas of learning both indoors and outdoors. To ensure the nursery operates a key person system and that regular observations are carried out on all children and their progress recorded and shared with parents, both formally and informally. To ensure that the nursery is a safe environment for children, that equipment is safe, standards of hygiene are high, safety procedures are implemented at all times and fire drills are regularly practised. To head the staff team and convene regular staff meetings. To organise termly Parents' Evenings. Providing an opportunity for parents to visit the nursery to speak with their child's keyworker To work with local settings and attend termly collaboration meetings. To liaise with the management committee and attend committee meetings

NURSERY SESSION MANAGEMENT:

To ensure appropriate equipment and materials are set up before the children arrive, both indoors and outdoors, and are tidied away at the end of every session and the room left clean for the next session. To ensure all activities, equipment and other resources are presented attractively with the support of appropriate books. To ensure a daily register is taken at the beginning and end of each session and appropriate paperwork is kept during each session, to include accident books, medication records, risk assessments etc. To ensure that children are properly supervised at all times both indoors and outdoors and that appropriate adult child ratios are maintained at all times To ensure all health, hygiene and safety issues are addressed.

WORKING WITH PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS:

To communicate with parents in a positive, sensitive and constructive manner, encouraging parental involvement in the sessions. To work in partnership with a range of professionals across Kent.

MANAGEMENT / ADMINISTRATION:

To complete KCC headcount forms, monitoring funding forms and other paperwork requested by Ofsted or KCC by the due dates To work closely with the nursery SENCO. Providing support and guidance in all aspects of SEND provision. To ensure petty cash, fee collection and other financial records are kept correctly in collaboration with the administrator and treasurer To monitor expendable materials and equipment generally and ensure that orders are placed in a timely manner. To ensure a qualified first aider is available at every session and that the contents of the first aid box are regularly checked and replenished as necessary. To provide on-going supervision and an annual appraisal for the Oaks Nursery staff team.

GENERAL:

To ensure that the pre-school implements it's Equal Opportunities policy and is welcoming to children and families from all cultures, family groups and circumstances and with or without special needs. To actively challenge discrimination of all kinds and ensure that staff and volunteers within the nursery do the same. To continually evaluate and reflect on your own practice. To keep up-to-date with the latest ideas and developments in the early years field through early years meetings and training courses and reading relevant publications. To encourage and support staff members and volunteers in doing the same.
This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and the post holder will be required to undertake any other reasonable duties discussed and directed by the Nursery Committee.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Essential Criteria

NVQ Level 3 qualification in Childcare or equivalent Minimum of three years' post qualification experience in a pre-school/nursery setting Experience of managing a staff team Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the legal framework and quality standards relating to sessional day care Sound understanding of child development and how children learn through play and talk Good standard of literacy and numeracy and excellent communication skills Ability to be sensitive and supportive to children and families from a wide range of cultures, lifestyles and family circumstances and with a range of special needs Ability to carry out management tasks efficiently, to write clear reports and keep clear and informative written records and simple finance records as required Ability to keep clear and appropriate records on children and their progress Ability to work in a positive manner with colleagues and as part of a team Ability to work positively with a wide range of professionals in different sectors Willingness to attend training courses and to keep up-to-date with the latest ideas and developments in the early year's field. An ability to be proactive in identifying problems and providing solutions. Ability to be organised, methodical and able to work independently on own initiative without supervision while prioritising ongoing activities Current First Aid Certificate Experience of managing or deputising in a day care setting

Desirable criteria

Current Food Hygiene certificate Current Health and Safety at Work Certificate
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants must be prepared to disclose any convictions they may have and any orders that have been made against them.

The completed application form including the names and contact details of two referees, your CV and a letter of application, should be sent theoaksnursery@gmail.com

Appointment is subject to completed DBS checks and references.

Closing date by Friday 12th September with interviews likely to take place week commencing Monday 22nd September.

Job start date will be January 2026, full time, term time.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: Up to 40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Free parking
Work Location: In person