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- Manage the running of a nursery, day-care or childcare setting
- Combine childcare skills and knowledge with business management skills
- Options to move into other careers including teaching, social work, or self-employment with further training and experience
As a nursery manager, you could work for a local authority, a privately owned nursery or a Sure Start Children's Centre.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Creating a safe and stimulating environment to promote learning
- Updating parents and carers on children's progress
- Working with colleagues to meet children's needs
- Checking equipment is in good condition
Your business responsibilities will often include:
- Recruiting staff and developing the nursery team
- Managing a budget
- Arranging marketing materials
- Keeping records
- Creating management reports
- Working within environmental, health and safety and fire regulations
- Keeping up to date with developments in early years care
- Building relationships with parents, carers, schools and childcare professionals
- Making sure the nursery meets Ofsted and early years foundation stage standards
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work in a nursery. Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You'll need
For this role, you'll need knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses, customer service skills, the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure, sensitivity and understanding, leadership skills, the ability to work on your own, and business management skills.
You can do a foundation degree or degree in child development or a related subject, such as early years education, psychology or childhood studies. Some nurseries may prefer you to have early years teacher status (EYTS).
You could do a Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce. You can also do other Level 3 childcare qualifications.
You could complete an advanced apprenticeship for the children and young people's workforce. Once you have experience as a nursery worker you could apply for a job as a deputy manager or manager.
You could work your way up from a nursery worker, training as you go, and then applying for supervisor jobs to move into nursery management. You'll usually need at least 2 years' work experience with children in a nursery to apply.
You'll need a background check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could become an area manager and look after the work of a number of nurseries. You might also consider setting up your own private nursery or creche. Ofsted have information on how to do this.
You could become a trainer or training assessor for people studying for childcare qualifications. You could also move into inspection. Taking a higher education qualification in early years or child development could help you move into teaching, children's nursing or social work.