Quality Manager
Full TimeJob Overview
The Quality Manager is responsible for ensuring high-quality educational practice
across all Little Elms nurseries. This role focuses on developing and upskilling staff
through coaching, modelling, training, and embedding the Little Elms Curriculum in line
with child development knowledge, EYFS, and the organisation’s pedagogical
principles.
The Quality Manager is a hands-on pedagogical leader who works alongside managers,
room leaders, apprentices and practitioners to elevate practice, drive curriculum
fidelity, and ensure exceptional outcomes for children and families.
across all Little Elms nurseries. This role focuses on developing and upskilling staff
through coaching, modelling, training, and embedding the Little Elms Curriculum in line
with child development knowledge, EYFS, and the organisation’s pedagogical
principles.
The Quality Manager is a hands-on pedagogical leader who works alongside managers,
room leaders, apprentices and practitioners to elevate practice, drive curriculum
fidelity, and ensure exceptional outcomes for children and families.
Key Responsibilities
1. Quality Visits & In-Practice Mentoring
• Conduct regular quality visits across nurseries.
• Observe practice, assess quality and learning environments, and provide
constructive feedback.
• Coach staff in real time, scaffolding practice and demonstrating effective
strategies.
• Model exemplary interactions, routines, and classroom organisation.
• Identify areas of improvement and support action plans with nursery leaders.
2. Training Design & Delivery
• Design and deliver engaging training sessions at the Centre for Learning, during
inset days, and in settings.
• Support the development of training programmes aligned to curriculum pillars,
developmental knowledge, and organisational goals.
• Facilitate reflective practice and pedagogical discussions that deepen
practitioner understanding and extend their skill set.
3. Curriculum Understanding & Implementation
• Support teams in applying the Little Elms Curriculum, ensuring theory-topractice fidelity.
• Promote understanding of curriculum pedagogical pillars (e.g., Little Artists,
Little Athletes, Little Innovators, Little Wellbeings).
• Guide room leaders and managers to plan, deliver and evaluate learning through
high-quality interactions.
• Monitor curriculum execution and recommend improvement strategies.
4. Child Development Expertise
• Strengthen staff understanding of typical and atypical child development from
birth to 5.
• Support early identification of needs, development delays, and appropriate
intervention pathways.
• Work alongside SENCOs, DSLs and leadership to foster inclusive practice and
differentiated provision.
• Promote a high-expectation culture where every child is seen as capable and
competent.
5. Quality Assurance & Improvement
• Ensure alignment with EYFS, Ofsted EIF, safeguarding principles, and internal
policies.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations to managers and senior leaders
following visits.
• Support nurseries to prepare for inspections through ongoing practice
development and documentation.
6. Long-Term Research & Innovation (Strategic)
• Contribute to the development of a research-informed culture within Little Elms.
• Support the Head of Education and Training in establishing partnerships with
universities, training bodies, or research organisations.
• Participate in small-scale action research projects to evaluate impact of
pedagogy, curriculum delivery, or interventions.
• Help design and trial pilot programmes or educational initiatives, capturing
insights and feedback.
• Use research outcomes to refine training content, curriculum guidance and
practice expectations.
Note: this is a long-term responsibility that will grow as organisational capacity
develops.
Culture & Collaboration
• Role-model professionalism, respect, and a growth mindset.
• Build strong, trusting relationships with nursery teams to create conditions for
improvement.
• Promote collaboration, shared learning, and professional dialogue between
settings.
• Champion the Little Elms values through daily actions and interactions.
Key Measures of Success
• Improvements in quality ratings from visits and internal audits.
• Increased practitioner competence, confidence and engagement with coaching.
• Evidence of curriculum fidelity and improved outcomes for children.
• Strengthened understanding of child development indicators and intentional
practice.
• Positive feedback from nursery teams and leaders on training and support
provided.
• Contribution to research initiatives that inform long-term educational direction.
• Conduct regular quality visits across nurseries.
• Observe practice, assess quality and learning environments, and provide
constructive feedback.
• Coach staff in real time, scaffolding practice and demonstrating effective
strategies.
• Model exemplary interactions, routines, and classroom organisation.
• Identify areas of improvement and support action plans with nursery leaders.
2. Training Design & Delivery
• Design and deliver engaging training sessions at the Centre for Learning, during
inset days, and in settings.
• Support the development of training programmes aligned to curriculum pillars,
developmental knowledge, and organisational goals.
• Facilitate reflective practice and pedagogical discussions that deepen
practitioner understanding and extend their skill set.
3. Curriculum Understanding & Implementation
• Support teams in applying the Little Elms Curriculum, ensuring theory-topractice fidelity.
• Promote understanding of curriculum pedagogical pillars (e.g., Little Artists,
Little Athletes, Little Innovators, Little Wellbeings).
• Guide room leaders and managers to plan, deliver and evaluate learning through
high-quality interactions.
• Monitor curriculum execution and recommend improvement strategies.
4. Child Development Expertise
• Strengthen staff understanding of typical and atypical child development from
birth to 5.
• Support early identification of needs, development delays, and appropriate
intervention pathways.
• Work alongside SENCOs, DSLs and leadership to foster inclusive practice and
differentiated provision.
• Promote a high-expectation culture where every child is seen as capable and
competent.
5. Quality Assurance & Improvement
• Ensure alignment with EYFS, Ofsted EIF, safeguarding principles, and internal
policies.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations to managers and senior leaders
following visits.
• Support nurseries to prepare for inspections through ongoing practice
development and documentation.
6. Long-Term Research & Innovation (Strategic)
• Contribute to the development of a research-informed culture within Little Elms.
• Support the Head of Education and Training in establishing partnerships with
universities, training bodies, or research organisations.
• Participate in small-scale action research projects to evaluate impact of
pedagogy, curriculum delivery, or interventions.
• Help design and trial pilot programmes or educational initiatives, capturing
insights and feedback.
• Use research outcomes to refine training content, curriculum guidance and
practice expectations.
Note: this is a long-term responsibility that will grow as organisational capacity
develops.
Culture & Collaboration
• Role-model professionalism, respect, and a growth mindset.
• Build strong, trusting relationships with nursery teams to create conditions for
improvement.
• Promote collaboration, shared learning, and professional dialogue between
settings.
• Champion the Little Elms values through daily actions and interactions.
Key Measures of Success
• Improvements in quality ratings from visits and internal audits.
• Increased practitioner competence, confidence and engagement with coaching.
• Evidence of curriculum fidelity and improved outcomes for children.
• Strengthened understanding of child development indicators and intentional
practice.
• Positive feedback from nursery teams and leaders on training and support
provided.
• Contribution to research initiatives that inform long-term educational direction.
Essential Knowledge, Skills & Experience
• Minimum Level 6 Early Years qualification.
• Strong pedagogical knowledge of early childhood development.
• Demonstrated experience in coaching, mentoring or training early years staff.
• Deep understanding of EYFS, Ofsted expectations and inclusive practice.
• Confidence in role-modelling outstanding interactions and strategies.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to influence positively.
• Desire to engage with educational research and evidence-based practice.
Personal Attributes
• Passionate, child-centred and committed to excellence.
• Reflective and curious, with a love of learning.
• Warm, professional and emotionally intelligent.
• Solution-focused, organised and proactive.
• A natural educator who inspires others
• Strong pedagogical knowledge of early childhood development.
• Demonstrated experience in coaching, mentoring or training early years staff.
• Deep understanding of EYFS, Ofsted expectations and inclusive practice.
• Confidence in role-modelling outstanding interactions and strategies.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to influence positively.
• Desire to engage with educational research and evidence-based practice.
Personal Attributes
• Passionate, child-centred and committed to excellence.
• Reflective and curious, with a love of learning.
• Warm, professional and emotionally intelligent.
• Solution-focused, organised and proactive.
• A natural educator who inspires others