A Nursery Manager should be visible in the setting, not permanently hidden behind an office door.
Tiny Tots Recruitment is looking for an experienced Nursery Manager to lead an established early years setting in Wantage, Oxfordshire.
Located right in the centre of Wantage, the nursery has built a strong local reputation for providing a warm and caring environment where children are encouraged to explore, discover and develop their confidence.
The setting cares for children from baby age through to preschool and provides bright age-specific rooms, a large garden and an all-weather indoor play area. Children have plenty of freedom to learn through active and creative play both indoors and outdoors.
As Nursery Manager, you'll lead the whole setting while remaining connected to the children, families and practitioners who make it what it is.
What you'll be doing: Taking overall responsibility for the day-to-day leadership of the nursery Inspiring, supporting and developing the early years team Maintaining consistently high standards of care and education Ensuring practice throughout the nursery reflects the EYFS Leading safeguarding and ensuring procedures are embedded across the team Supporting Room Leaders and senior practitioners with their own development Monitoring the quality of children's experiences across all age groups Managing staffing, rotas and effective deployment Leading staff supervision, performance and professional development Supporting recruitment, induction and retention Building strong relationships with parents and carers Maintaining regulatory records, policies and procedures Preparing confidently for Ofsted inspection Promoting inclusive practice and ensuring individual children's needs are recognised Supporting occupancy and the continued success of the nursery Identifying opportunities to strengthen practice and improve outcomes Creating a positive culture where staff feel supported, accountable and proud of their setting What we're looking for: A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years or Childcare qualification as a minimum Previous Nursery Manager experience or substantial Deputy Manager experience Strong working knowledge of the EYFS Excellent safeguarding and child protection knowledge Proven experience leading and developing an early years team Confidence managing staffing, occupancy and nursery operations Strong communication and relationship-building skills Good organisational and decision-making ability Experience supporting Ofsted preparation and regulatory compliance A positive and visible leadership style Someone ambitious about quality while remaining approachable to staff and families What's on offer: £40,000 to £47,000 per year Permanent, full-time employment Company pension Childcare benefits Employee discounts Additional leave benefits Employee Assistance Programme Health and wellbeing support Employee mentoring programme Financial wellbeing and planning support Referral programme Free flu vaccinations Free on-site parking Discounted or free food Company events Ongoing professional development Regular training Opportunities to progress within a wider nursery organisation
The nursery is part of ICP Educare, whose Oxfordshire portfolio includes settings in Wantage, Culham and Didcot. The group was recognised as a Top 20 Mid-Size Nursery Group in 2026, while the Wantage setting itself has a current review score of 9.5 out of 10.
There is also a strong emphasis on children's individuality. Every child has a Key Person who gets to know their interests and uses those interests to create meaningful learning opportunities. As children progress towards preschool, the focus gradually develops towards independence, resilience and preparing confidently for school.
If you're looking for a Nursery Manager job in Wantage, an Early Years Manager job in Oxfordshire or a nursery leadership role near Didcot and Grove, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today through Tiny Tots Recruitment for a confidential conversation about the opportunity.