Site Teams
The Nursery Manager
Every Tops Day Nursery setting has a nursery manager, whose main function is to ensure all his/her colleagues are trained, caring professionals ready to care for your child. These managers are supported by an office manager in a larger nursery and an administrator in a smaller nursery, whose role is to ensure bookings, invoices, and all administration is completed efficiently for you. In addition, there may be one or two deputy managers who will generally be working with the children, also covering for the manager should they be in meetings, off-site, on holiday or working with the children themselves.
Room Managers
Each room has a room manager or supervisor, and there is usually at least one other “senior” member of staff in each room who can manage that room. As the rooms can be open up to 60 hours per week to accommodate local community working hours, all staff work shifts to match the bookings.
Managers and deputy managers are generally degree or at least level-4 qualified. Nurseries aim to have one graduate with a post graduate specialisation (Early Years Professional or Early Years Teacher) either on site or through their area manager.
Seniors and room managers are at least level-3 qualified.
Other staff are at least level-2 qualified, working towards their level-3 qualifications, or working towards qualifications. Additional volunteers and students may also be at the setting.
Key Workers
Each child will have a key worker in their room, as well as a“spare key” depending on how your child’s hours match the working hours of their key worker. The key workers bond with your child and get to know as much as possible about them to best provide appropriate care and education.
Some staff have additional roles such as Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) – see separate blogs on these additional roles.
Each setting is supported by a cleaner who mostly cleans out of hours and larger nurseries may also have a housekeeper who helps after meal times. Some nurseries have an on-site chef or cook and where not available, healthy meals are brought in from an appropriate local supplier or delivered from a local Tops nursery that can provide them.