Toddler Room Leader - Little Peanuts Day Nursery and Forest School

We're looking for a caring, confident and inspiring room leader to join our Little Peanuts team. This role is central to supporting the well-being, development and happiness of our children, while leading colleagues in creating a nurturing, playful and communication-rich environment.

At Little Peanuts, children are at the heart of everything we do. Our approach is shaped by our core values of Play, Nurture and Communication, The Curiosity Approach™, outdoor learning and our beautiful on-site Forest School. As room leader, you'll help your team put these values into practice every day, ensuring that children feel safe, listened to, and excited to explore.

What you’ll be doing:

• leading your room and ensuring a warm welcome for every child and family, as well as all colleagues
• supporting staff in using In the Moment Planning, building strong attachments with their key children and recognising teachable moments
• creating thoughtful provocations and invitations that inspire children’s curiosity and deep engagement
• ensuring high standards of care, including mindful routines, safe practice, and consistent approaches to wellbeing and co-regulation
• building strong partnerships with families, sharing information sensitively and celebrating each child’s achievements
• modelling high-quality language interactions and communication-friendly practice across your team
• promoting outdoor learning and ensuring children have daily opportunities for exploration in our garden and Forest School area
• leading room meetings, completing documentation, and supporting colleagues with observations, focus weeks and reviews
• support an ethos where children and staff take pride in their shared environment

You will be:

• a passionate early years practitioner with strong leadership skills
• someone who truly understands child development and the importance of attachment, emotional well-being and co-regulation
• confident supporting colleagues and able to guide practice with clarity, positivity and respect
• skilled at creating calm, beautiful learning environments using natural and authentic resources
• committed to reflective practice, professional development and working as part of a supportive, friendly team
• warm, patient and responsive in your interactions with children, ensuring each one feels valued, understood and secure

Qualifications and experience:

• Level 3 Early Years qualification (or above)
• experience working in an early years setting, ideally with leadership responsibilities
• strong understanding of the EYFS and child-centred practice

Join us because:

• we're a supportive, welcoming team and a leadership ethos built on kindness and respect
• there's regular supervision, training and opportunities for professional development
• we have beautiful learning spaces, a thriving Forest School and a setting where staff well-being really matters
• we have provision for sick leave and emergency dependency leave with full pay
• you'll have the chance to make a real difference to children’s early experiences

If you’re excited to help shape the daily experiences of our children we’d love to hear from you.

We take the safeguarding of children very seriously and the post carries a requirement for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring check.

• provider: Little Peanuts Day Nursery and Forest School
• hours: 30 to 40 hours
• rate of pay: £27,800 per annum
• address:
  Little Peanuts Day Nursery, Millfield Industrial Estate, Wheldrake, York, YO19 6NA
• website:https://www.littlepeanutsdaynursery.co.uk/

If you're interested in applying, contact Sarah Hardwell by email: [email protected] or telephone: 01904 217321.

This application closes Friday 19 December 2025.