The route to the top managerial post of a nursery is no longer through childcare experience alone. Patricia Slatcher reports on the skills and training that are now needed to take on senior management roles
The traditional route of nursery nurse to manager has been through experience, grabbing your opportunities and only then undertaking a management qualification. But there is a transition under way that could mean such a qualification will soon be a prerequisite for the job.
Getting in
'There is an increasing emphasis on business skills, as opposed to just childcare experience, and future managers should be looking to the NVQ4 in childcare and education that includes training in such skills,' says Rosemary Murphy, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association.
In the future, business graduates without childcare qualifications may even be taken on by nursery chains for senior management positions. This is already happening at Child Base, which has 24 nurseries. 'At present a business graduate manager will be taken on to be responsible for a group of nurseries,' says managing director Michael Thompson, 'but I can foresee a time when we would recruit such a person for a large single site nursery.'
Michelle Knowles is someone who made it into management the 'old' way, without paper qualifications, but appreciates the business knowledge she's gaining through studying for an NVQ4. In just five years, she climbed from part-time assistant to link manager overseeing the three nurseries which make up the Cambridge Childcare business.
Maternity cover offered her deputy management experience and finally a vacancy meant the top job full time. 'I became the link manager last year but am now doing an NVQ4 and have found learning about business skills and law is essential,' she says. 'Despite the fact that I "made it" before gaining the management qualifications, I do think they will become more desirable. Nursery nurses should look beyond their basic diploma if they are serious about management.'
In-house training is another way into management. Susan Hay, director of Nurseryworks Family Solutions, which has nine nurseries in London, says that her company appoints managers either with practical experience plus an early years degree, the ADCE or an equivalent qualification - or, someone who has been trained up inside the company. Aspiring managers might do well to contact a number of nursery chains (see Nursery Chains, Nursery World, 16 November 2000) and ask what in-house training they provide.
At 23, Jo Pell became one of Child Base's youngest managers when she stepped in on a temporary basis while her manager was on maternity leave six months ago.
She became involved in the group's management training programme when she joined Cedars Day Nursery in Leighton Buzzard three years ago as deputy, with a very clear vision of moving into the top slot one day. 'I knew this was the direction I wanted to move in, so I had already started an HNC. Aware of the business aspect, I also took extra courses in computing, accounting and health and safety,' she says.
Average week
Michelle oversees three nurseries encompassing 118 child places and around 40 staff, while Jo managed a 44-place nursery and 16 staff. Both find their week filled with dealing with parents and carers; checking registers, staff rotas and future bookings; appraisals, meetings and general administration.
Michelle's post means travelling between sites, while Jo found herself more involved with budgets and health and safety audits.
Pros and cons
All the administration can be quite stressful, admits Jo. 'But no two days are the same and the challenge keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed overseeing the whole nursery, learned a tremendous amount from it and built up stronger relationships with the children and the parents, which was very satisfying.'
The notoriously low pay is the main downside, says Michelle. 'With an NVQ4 I know I could work in management in many other organisations and I would be paid three times as much,' she says. 'Overseeing such a wide operation can be daunting and there are times when I think I just want to change nappies.
'There's a lot of satisfaction though from knowing you are running a good business and being respected by others in the wider community. But having the chance to see the different settings and what the children can get out of them confirmed for me that I was in the right job because you see how valuable it is.'
Pay and conditions
As a manager you can earn from around 16,000 upwards, but top level depends on your provider, nursery size, location and how long it's been established.
Managers with Child Base, for example, can earn up to 25,200 if in charge of a 60-plus nursery. There are other benefits such as pension schemes, private healthcare, car insurance, company cars, an extra bonus or profit share scheme.
Qualities needed
'You need enthusiasm and a willingness to do anything at the drop of a hat,' says Jo. 'You must be a good team worker and listener, but have the confidence to speak your mind.
'You have to have a bit of a hard shell because you may have to deal with a staff disciplinary incident or even sack a member of staff,' advises Michelle. 'With parents too, you must be personable but professional, or many of them will have you jumping through hoops.
'You've really got to love the job and remember it is about running a business and the management of people, so you must be well organised.'
Further information
- Qualifications to consider are the NVQ4, which came on-stream last September and the well-established Advanced Diploma in Childcare and Education (ADCE) which is being brought in line with it (call CACHE on 01727 847 636 for details).
Other management courses are available through the National Extension College (01223 450 500), which has just introduced a distance-learning course Business Skills for Care and Early Years (see Training Today, Nursery World, 21-28 December 2000, page 19).
My week at work
Name: Victoria Cowling
Position: Ski nanny
Employer: Scott Dunn
Monday
I got this job through the nanny agency Family Match based in Winchester, and I've been a private ski nanny for Scott Dunn here in Courchevel, France, since the beginning of last December. I'm working with six other ski nannies - five work in the company creche, the other works with me as a private nanny and we share a flat. It is my first time as a ski nanny.
Sunday is transfer day and the private nannies only day off. In the evening the creche nannies give a talk about the creche to the new parents while the private nannies have an information booklet about themselves for the parents to read.
Today, like every day - except Sunday - we start at 8.30am. The creche nannies pick up the children from where they are staying and take them to the creche, whereas we look after the children - aged between four months and 12 years - in the chalets or hotel rooms. Both of us will take them to ski school if they are old enough - they start at four. We have to be able to drive in snow and have a skid test before leaving England.
Tuesday
The families are usually only here for a week so you have to get the children used to you quickly. If the children are happy the parents are happy too. So far I've been looking after babies this week - it's a four-month-old and a seven-month-old for two families.
I'm trying to learn French while I'm here, but a lot of French people will answer you in English which is frustrating. We don't have much time to ski while we're working, but we get two weeks holiday in which we can do so. Scott Dunn gives us a free lift pass, skis and boots.
Wednesday
Picnic day if the weather's good. Meet the parents with their children at 12.30pm on the piste for a picnic lunch. Afterwards we have a big snowball fight and make snowmen. Not all the children adapt to the snow or take to skiing and there are sometimes tears. But, of course, others love it.
Everything certainly gets wet! I take the babies out in the buggies - the roads are cleared efficiently. Little ones also take their buckets, spades and plastic starfish outside and play with the snow like sand!
Thursday
It's the creche nannies' day off, but the private nannies work 8.30 to 5pm as usual, although I normally stay and chat to the parents about what I've been doing with the children. It's very different working for individual families as you have much more to do with the parents. Also you sometimes have to make quick decisions by yourself. Baby-sitting in the evening - we get paid extra for this.
Friday
After work a few of us drive down the mountain to the supermarket to do a big shop for the creche and ourselves. It's our responsibility to manage the creche food budget. We give the children snacks and a cooked lunch during the day.
Saturday
The guests' last day. There's not much time for the ski nannies to feel sad as new children will soon arrive. I'm meeting lots of different people from all over the world and making new friends as well as seeing a different country. It's great.
