You want more responsibility. Just not all of it at once.
There's a big jump between leading your own room and suddenly being responsible for an entire nursery.
A good Third in Charge role gives you somewhere in between.
Tiny Tots Recruitment is looking for an experienced early years professional to join an Outstanding-rated nursery in Surbiton, supporting the senior management team while continuing to work closely with practitioners and children.
You'll earn £30,264 to £34,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications, alongside a £2,000 welcome bonus.
What changes at Third in Charge level?
You stop thinking only about what is happening in your own room.
You'll start looking across the nursery.
Are staff deployed properly?
Are Key Person arrangements working?
Is practice consistent?
Are parents getting the communication they need?
Are practitioners receiving the support and feedback that will actually improve their practice?
Your responsibilities will include:
Promoting high standards across the nursery Supporting and supervising practitioners Helping deploy staff effectively Supporting the Key Person system Making sure provision meets EYFS requirements Giving professional feedback to parents and carers Helping build positive relationships across the team Supporting practitioners in their relationships with families Stepping into additional leadership responsibilities when required
It's proper nursery-wide experience, without expecting you to become the Nursery Manager overnight.
And you're learning somewhere standards are already high
The Maple Road nursery is currently rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
That changes what you're walking into.
Instead of spending your first six months firefighting poor practice, you're joining an established team where strong standards already exist.
Your challenge is to help maintain them.
The nursery supports children from babies through to preschool and offers:
Spacious outdoor provision A growing garden Regular outings into the local community Sports and physical-development experiences SENCO support Nutritious meals Home-from-home environments Age-appropriate playrooms This could be your route to Deputy
This vacancy would particularly suit an existing:
Room Leader
Senior Nursery Practitioner
Senior Early Years Educator
or
Third in Charge
who wants to build genuine nursery-management experience.
You'll need a full and relevant Level 3 Early Years qualification or above, strong EYFS knowledge and enough experience to confidently support other practitioners.
You'll also need to be comfortable giving feedback.
Leadership isn't just being the person everyone likes.
Sometimes it's noticing that something isn't working and having the confidence to address it properly.
The benefits make the step up worthwhile too
The current package includes:
£30,264 to £34,000 per year £2,000 welcome bonus 33 days' annual leave including bank holidays Christmas and New Year shutdown Flexible working options Significant childcare discount £500 refer-a-friend bonus Employer-contribution pension Sick pay from day one Life assurance Additional wellbeing day 12 weeks' fully paid maternity and adoption leave Four weeks' fully paid paternity leave Paid parental bereavement leave Paid compassionate leave Paid miscarriage leave 24-hour remote GP appointments Medical cashback including dental treatment and physiotherapy Retail, supermarket, cinema and gym discounts Recognition and reward programmes Tailored training and genuine progression opportunities
After two years' service, there's also the Grand Event, which can provide up to an additional week of leave for a significant life event.
Location matters
The nursery is at Claremont Hall on Maple Road, around a 10-minute walk from Surbiton Station, with bus links towards Kingston, New Malden and surrounding areas.
So this is a particularly practical option for candidates commuting around South West London.
If you're looking for a Third in Charge nursery job in Surbiton, senior early years role in KT6 or the next step towards Deputy Nursery Manager near Kingston, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply today through Tiny Tots Recruitment for a confidential conversation about the opportunity.