Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to deliver outstanding care and education for children.
- Company: Join Bright Horizons, a company driven by HEART principles.
- Benefits: Enjoy 100% childcare discount, enhanced leave, and professional development.
- Other info: Inclusive employer with a commitment to safeguarding and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while growing your career.
- Qualifications: Level 3 Early Years qualification and leadership experience required.
The predicted salary is between 40993 - 53634 ÂŁ per year.
Salary – Starting from £40,993 to £53,634 per annum (dependant on qualification/s and experience)
Location – Reading
Are you looking for an organisation whose culture is driven by our HEART principles – Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork? Where you can be yourself, feel supported, and help to make a difference to the next generation? Somewhere you can say: “I did that.”
We’re looking for a Nursery Manager to join our Abbeymore nursery. Our recently renovated Victorian building offers old‑style character and is set within a large, purpose‑built garden. The site offers ample parking and is within easy commutable distance to Reading and the surrounding area.
Our Benefits
- Childcare discount of 100% for first child*
- Enhanced parental leave
- 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays and paid Christmas closure.
- Ability to also purchase additional leave*
- Pension
- Financial and wellbeing benefits including 24/7 virtual GP appointments, early access to wages, and more
- Professional development programme access for every stage of your career, including access to a careers coach
The Role
As a Nursery Manager, you will lead a team to deliver outstanding care and education to all the children in your setting, and through inspirational leadership drive employee engagement, retention and performance. You will act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, holding overall responsibility for the day-to-day running of the nursery, and management of safeguarding policies. You will work in partnership with support office teams to recruit, nurture, and continuously develop high-performing colleagues, as well as identify and implement commercial plans and strategies to deliver FTE growth. You will optimise nursery performance, revenue generation, and cost efficiency in line with staff ratio requirements.
What We’re Looking For
- Full and relevant Level 3 or above Early Years qualification
- Experience within an Early Years leadership role (ideally as a Nursery Manager, Deputy Manager, Assistant Manager or similar)
- Experience of participating with a regulatory inspection, leading to a “Good” or “Outstanding” outcome
- Experience of developing high-performance teams, with effective regulatory compliance, quality improvement, delivery of high-quality pedagogy, innovation and service excellence
- Confident decision maker, with ability to support change and understanding of complex relationship between commercial and service excellence within a regulated setting
- Strong knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding, Child Protection, and the wider legislative requirements for working with children
- Ability to develop trust and strong working partnerships with both colleagues and parents/carers
Bright Horizons is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to safer recruitment practice and pre-employment checks, including an enhanced DBS check, which will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all ages and backgrounds to apply. We will consider reasonable adjustments required by applicants. If you want to make a difference, with a company who has been voted Great Place to Work every year since 2006, apply today!
We look forward to receiving your application! If you experience any problems, please email europe.recruitment@brighthorizons.com and we will be happy to help.
Nursery Manager in Reading employer: Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool
Contact Detail:
Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Nursery Manager in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the early years sector and let them know you're on the hunt for a Nursery Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Get social! Follow Bright Horizons on LinkedIn and other platforms. Engage with their posts and share your thoughts on early years education. This not only shows your interest but also helps you get noticed by the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview like it’s a big performance! Research common interview questions for Nursery Managers and practice your answers. Highlight your leadership experience and how you've driven team performance in previous roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, you can tailor your application to show how you embody our HEART principles – honesty, excellence, accountability, respect, and teamwork.
We think you need these skills to ace Nursery Manager in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your passion for early years education shine through. We want to see how much you care about making a difference in children's lives and how your values align with our HEART principles.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Nursery Manager role. Highlight your relevant experience, especially in leadership and safeguarding, and don’t forget to mention any successful outcomes from previous inspections. We love seeing specific examples!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to read. We appreciate well-structured applications that get straight to the heart of your qualifications and experiences.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Bright Horizons.
How to prepare for a job interview at Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool
✨Know Your HEART Principles
Familiarise yourself with the HEART principles: Honesty, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Teamwork. Be ready to share examples of how you've embodied these values in your previous roles, especially in leadership positions.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to discuss your experience in developing high-performance teams and leading through change. Think of specific instances where you’ve successfully managed a team or improved nursery performance, and be ready to explain your approach.
✨Understand Safeguarding Policies
Brush up on your knowledge of safeguarding and child protection legislation. Be prepared to discuss how you would implement these policies in the nursery setting and ensure compliance while maintaining a nurturing environment.
✨Engage with the Interviewers
Remember, interviews are a two-way street! Prepare thoughtful questions about the nursery's culture, professional development opportunities, and how they measure success. This shows your genuine interest and helps you assess if it’s the right fit for you.