What is it like to be a nursery manager?

Photo credit: Tops Day Nurseries

Kellie Butler is the nursery manager at Tops Day Nursery Christchurch 

She says it is the “most rewarding job you can have” as she watches babies develop “into children ready to start school and become the best version of themselves”. 

Here she reveals what a typical day is like and how she got to where she is today.

1. What does your job involve?

Day to day my job involves creating an enabling environment for both children and staff to thrive and create a safe space where they can forget about the world outside and live in the bubble of my nursery.

This means using my knowledge of health and safety, safeguarding, SEN and everything else that comes from my nursery experience to ensure that the children are growing their skills and development, as are the staff.

2. Describe a typical day at work for you?

A typical day for me is to open the nursery at 6:45am for the 7am children to arrive. I ensure the correct checks are done, make sure the staff are confident and happy with the activities they will have throughout the day and then I will be in the office completing all the behind the scenes admin work to ensure the nursery runs smoothly and compliantly with the Ofsted Standards.

Working for Tops we use schema play and here at Christchurch we have a schema play accreditation which means we use this to support the children’s development along with daily snapshots for the parents to view and keep up to date with as well as full indepth observations. It is great as a manager to still have the bond with the children in the setting. I care for the children like they are my own as I do for the staff. I like to see them happy and enjoying their day in the setting.

3. How did you get to where you are today?

I studied childcare in college as working with children is something I had always wanted to do. I didn’t at the time realise that I would be so good at it. I feel being caring and compassionate and willing to help children and adults comes so naturally that running a nursery setting was the perfect goal for me.

I went straight into my level 3 when I left school. It was a 2 year cache diploma and then once I was qualified I got a job in the nursery I had a placement in back in Liverpool. Throughout my career I have worked my way up and around nurseries in Liverpool where I am from and also down south, I worked as a room lead in a nursery in the New Forest and then applied for Deputy Manager here at Tops Christchurch. The manager at Christchurch left and I became the interim manager in which then I excelled in my skills and proved I could be the manager of Christchurch.

I am studying my level 5 in childcare while on the job. This is an apprenticship that will help further my career in the future.

4. What skills do you need to do your job?

To work in childcare management I believe you have to be compassionate, caring, punctual and flexible.

5. What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

The most challenging aspect of my role as a manager is learning that you can’t please everyone all of the time, as a empathetic person I wish I could do this but there are times when difficult discussions need to take place with parents / staff and other agencies but these always are worthwhile as you should always have the children’s best interests at heart.

6. What makes you smile at work?

The children, without a doubt. The cuddles. The funny little personalities and just seeing them grow. Watching children develop from babies into children ready to start school and become the best version of themselves is the most rewarding job you could ever have.

7. What job did you want when you were a child?

I wanted to be a Butlins Redcoat to entertain children and families and make long lasting memories. Through hard work and determination I did indeed become a Butlins Redcoat in 2014 – 2017 in Butlins Bognor Regis and made all my childhood dreams come true.

8. What top tips do you have for anyone wanting to be a nursery manager?

My top tips for anyone wanting to be a nursery manager is to be open and transparent with staff, parents, outside agencies, anyone in the company and keep that communication going with the children’s best interests at heart. 

To not be afraid to get stuck in. I still change nappies, clean floors, tables, toilets, potties and close the nursery and open the nursery. There is nothing I would ask my staff to do that I don’t do myself.

The job is a stressful job and we as a sector will be forever fighting to be seen but it is important to have a work life balance and figure out what works for you when you come up against stressful situations. It’s not just sitting and playing with children. All day we work hard to be able to make it look that way but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

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