Nursery Manager

Job Description: Nursery Manager

Location: [Employer hidden — view at passion-project.co.uk], West Runton, Cromer, NR27 9NQ, Norfolk

Hours: 37 hours per week, 44 weeks per year role

Reporting to: Head of Pre-Prep and the Headmaster

Purpose & Role

Beeston Hall is seeking an individual with the energy, experience and expertise to launch and to manage a new Nursery, initially in the first phase for 3-year-olds, from September 2026, with a view to expanding to include 2-year-olds in the future. Thereafter they will be required to lead, manage and develop the Nursery provision for children to make strong progress socially, emotionally, physically, and academically in a safe, caring, nurturing and stimulating environment.

The Nursery Manager will be involved in the strategic planning, budgeting and outreach, to grow the Nursery and ensure high standards of Early Years practice, staff welfare and training, parent partnerships, and regulatory compliance, including the prospect of extending and growing the provision to children aged 2 upwards.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Management
• Lead on the development of the Nursery project and co-ordinate the various elements to ensure its successful development by June 2026.
• Lead, supervise and line-manage nursery staff: recruitment, induction, performance management, professional development.
• Ensure staffing meets required ratios and qualifications.
• Be responsible for setting aims, objectives and strategic direction of the nursery in alignment with the school’s ethos.
• Liaise with the admissions department, arranging visits and preparation for enrolments.
• Curriculum & Pedagogy
• Oversee and develop a high-quality curriculum for children, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Learning and Development and Assessment Requirements (Progress Check at 2).
• Monitor planning, assessment, and children’s progress; ensure a Key Person system is in place.
• Provide or arrange training, supervision and support for staff in best practice, child development theory, transitions to age 4+ etc.
• Safeguarding & Wellbeing
• Ensure all safeguarding policies, child protection, health & safety, risk assessments are observed.
• Maintain a healthy, safe, caring environment for children and staff.
• Operational & Administrative Duties
• Manage daily operations: scheduling, resources, room layout, supplies.
• Maintain accurate records (attendance, assessments, staff records, accident logs).
• Liaise with parents: enrolment, parent consultations, complaints, feedback.
• Prepare reports for senior leadership / governors / proprietors.
• Compliance, Quality Assurance & Improvement
• Ensure inspection-readiness and compliance with EYFS statutory regulations, local authority requirements.
• Carry out self-evaluation and plan for improvement; monitor quality of provision via observations, feedback.
• Budgeting & Finance
• Manage the nursery’s budget: staffing, materials, equipment, maintenance.
• Forecast needs, monitor expenditure, ensure cost-effectiveness.
• Partnership & Community
• Work with the rest of the school to ensure smooth transitions for children entering Reception (aged 4+).
• Build good relationships with parents and carers; communicate regularly.
• Actively contribute to year-round marketing and admissions strategies.
• Where relevant, coordinate with external agencies, including with Progress Check at age 2, (e.g. health visitors, speech and language services).
• Personal Qualities
• Caring, patient, enthusiastic, with a love for early years.
• High level of integrity, reliability, professionalism.
• Creative, able to plan engaging activities and environments.

Person Specification

Early Years qualification (full Full Paediatric First Aid and relevant Level 3 or certificate (or willingness to above) in childcare / EYPS / obtain).

EYTS or QTS Administration of medication qualification

Level 2 Food and Hygiene

Additional qualifications in leadership / management / education.

Minimum of 5 years’ Management experience experience working with children aged 2-4. Ability to co-ordinate in a specific area - e.g. SEND, EAL

Excellent working Continuous Professional Experience and Knowledge knowledge of EYFS Statutory Development in EYFS Framework and ISI inspection Knowledge of SEND and inclusion practice. Proven track record in managing and leading in Skills in digital record EYFS setting keeping, assessment tools, software.

Experience of budget management relating to Nursery provision

Reflective practitioner Marketing / parent willing to learn and improve. engagement experience.

Resilience, ability to adapt Experience of leading Personal Attributes to changing needs / change or innovation. challenges.

Strong sense of vision; able to contribute to overall school ethos

Excellent interpersonal & communication skills (with children, parents, staff).

Good organisational and time management skills

Safeguarding / Child Understanding of all the Experience of working in Protection training statutory elements of multi-agency teams safeguarding in an EYFS setting

Knowledge of safeguarding legislation & best practice.

The school aims to have the successful candidate in post by mid-May 2026, subject to their notice period, with potentially some flexibility here.

The schools aims to have Nursery opening hours of 7.30 am to 4.30 pm with wrap-around care offered until 5.45pm as required.

Salary dependent on experience but based on 37 hours per week, full-year equivalent, likely to be between £35,000 to £37,000 per annum, bearing in mind the level of responsibility undertaken, the availability of the successful candidate, and qualifications and experience of the candidate.

The School

Beeston Hall was founded in 1948 as a boys’ boarding prep school and became co-educational in the 1970s, building a national reputation in the 1980s. It has remained core to its values of ‘letting confidence flourish’ whilst expanding further and opening a Pre-Prep school in 2016. In 2025 Beeston became part of the Radley Schools Group, an educational charity of eight schools, with the shared values of purpose, resilience and empathy sitting as the foundation to an all-round education. We are a school with a strong sense of family - we share experiences and support each other – with an overriding ethos of inclusion. Our pupils learn to celebrate other pupils’ success as well as their own, and to be kind to those around them.

A Beeston education is focused on the individual. We encourage every pupil to find the area or subject in which they can excel, building their confidence and self-esteem. A love of learning is fostered from an early age, and our pupils are taught to be generous of spirit and curious about the world around them.

Most importantly, they are encouraged to recognise their advantages and develop into responsible citizens, with an understanding of how they can contribute to their community and beyond. Pupils are taught a broad curriculum, with all sitting the Common Entrance exams and/or or academic scholarships at 13+.

They are mostly class taught by a single teacher to the end of Year 4, and by specialist subject teachers thereafter. Great emphasis is also placed on the extra-curricular side of school life. Sport, music, art, and drama, as well as a wide variety of clubs and activities, play a prominent part in our pupils’ timetable.

Everyone at Beeston is involved in the pastoral care of each pupil. Their wellbeing is at the very core of our school, and it is our strong belief that true academic success can only be achieved when built on a foundation of happiness and confidence.

Beeston has a healthy blend of day pupils and boarders with many of our pupils opting to flexi-board as they move up the school and a steady retention of full and weekly boarders preparing for their 13+ destinations which are often well beyond the county of Norfolk.

Beeston Hall is part of the Radley Schools Group. Company Reg No RC000611 and Charity No 309243 and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Radley Schools Group is an equal opportunities employer and accepts applications from all sectors of the community. The successful applicant will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.