You're already doing half the Room Leader job.
New starters ask you questions.
You spot when something in the room isn't working.
You know which children need a little more support without being told.
And when the Room Leader is off, everyone seems to look at you anyway.
Maybe it's time to make it official.
Tiny Tots Recruitment is looking for a Senior Early Years Educator / Room Leader near Blandford Forum for an established rural nursery.
This role sits nicely between practitioner and nursery management. You'll still spend your days with the children, but you'll also take responsibility for the people, practice and environment within your room.
And the employer has put an exact figure on it:
£30,534 per year plus a £1,000 welcome bonus.
What's different when you're the senior?
You're not just thinking about your own key children anymore.
You're thinking about the whole room.
You'll be trusted to:
Supervise and support the practitioners within your team Deliver high-quality care alongside them Keep an eye on the overall quality of teaching and learning Identify where the room or team could improve Create more stimulating experiences and environments Make sure individual children's needs are recognised Keep records and statutory documentation on track Conduct staff appraisals Support less experienced practitioners Work closely with other Room Leaders and the management team Maintain strong safeguarding and EYFS standards Help the nursery run smoothly beyond your own immediate responsibilities
The employer is clear that this remains a hands-on role. You will still be delivering care directly to children while supervising the team around you.
You don't need to be a Deputy Manager already
This is aimed at somebody ready for that first proper step into leadership.
You'll need:
A full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification or above Proven experience as a Nursery Practitioner or Early Years Educator Good working knowledge of the EYFS Strong communication with children, parents and colleagues Confidence taking responsibility within a room The ability to give support and constructive feedback to other practitioners A positive, inclusive approach
If you've been waiting for somebody to give you the chance to prove you can lead, this is exactly the sort of role I'd be looking at.
Your new "office"
Although hopefully you'll spend very little time in an actual office.
The nursery is set within a converted farmhouse in the countryside near Blandford Forum.
Staff and children have access to an exceptionally large outdoor environment, including:
A dedicated Forest School garden A spacious main nursery garden All-weather AstroTurf for year-round active play Rural surroundings Plenty of opportunity for exploratory and independent learning
The employer describes the setting as peaceful and rural while still being only minutes from Blandford Forum.
So your leadership isn't going to revolve around keeping 20 children entertained in one small room.
There's space to actually create things.
The package
This one has a lot going for it:
£30,534 per year £1,000 welcome bonus Performance-related bonus Permanent, full-time role Monday to Friday 50% childcare discount and funding support Enhanced holiday entitlement Paid sick pay An additional wellness day every year Enhanced maternity leave Compassionate leave Access to earned pay before payday Vitality and Peppy wellbeing support Fertility and menopause support Gym discount Free cinema tickets Micro-learning and professional development Financial wellbeing tools Employee support fund Termly inset days Employee recognition awards
That's a strong package for someone moving into their first senior position.
And unlike some Room Leader jobs where the extra responsibility comes with an extra 50p an hour and not much else, the salary creates a proper distinction from the practitioner vacancy we've just posted.
If you're looking for a Room Leader job in Blandford Forum, Senior Nursery Practitioner role in Dorset or your first step into early years leadership, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today through Tiny Tots Recruitment for a confidential conversation about the opportunity.