Best thing ever leaving nursery work!!!!!!!!

[Suna31]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share my experience with you all working in a nursery. I have worked within the Early years industry for solid 12 years. This summer in August 2021 I applied for this role and was offered a interview few days later, I had my interview which I thought went well, 3 days later I was offered the job. I was literally in disbelief. I had graduated 2 years ago in Early Years (Arts). I landed a job that I always wanted to do when I graduated. For those that are interested to know what my new job is, it's Quality assurance lead manager in a primary school in London. I'm working from home in the mornings and onsite for few hours in the afternoon. I get 7 weeks annual leave a year including 2 full weeks off for Xmas. Salary is handsomely amazing and I'm only doing 35 hours a week (10.30-5.30) .

Moving on from that I would never recommend anyone to go and work in a nursery, I've held numerous positions within nursery's and worked for several nurseries. All the nursery and management are the same, don't actually care about the staff, staff poorly paid and over worked, staff not appreciated and nurseries understaffed, extremely long hours with no home life balance.

To look back I would say I will NOT miss working at any nursery at all, doing those ridiculous long hours. And it's the best thing this new job could have happened to me. Going back into education after 10 years and undertaking my degree was the best ever thing I did, it gave me a chance leaving daycare for good and embark on a journey with my new job.

I work in a nursery (preschool year) and while i agree that we're underpaid I disagree about your other comments.
My nursery has a lovely manager who does her absolute best for us. The staff are not cliquey, I know its a cliché but we're like family. Also while the pay is crap I get to work term time so spend every holiday with my own children so have saved a fortune in childcare fees over the years. That plus the immense job satisfaction makes it worthwhile for me so while i'm happy you've found a job you like you're unfair to generalise so much.

I worked in nurseries for ten years and agree with op.awful pay, owners that want more and more for less, taking work home when already on low pay, no back up from managers. Loved working with the children but I’d never recommend nursery work to anyone long term. And now most are expected to have level 4s/degree too.

Don’t be daft, OP! Have you even heard of the EYFS framework?

I’m not upset the OP has furthered her career - good on her - it just seems a strange job to promote when it’s not a very well known job role. I think people in education are just a bit confused about what it entails.

@Clarkey86

I’d say people who come on this to cast doubt on her profession because it’s not well known instead of congratulating her the knobs.

I’m sure some nurseries are better than others but all nursery workers on this thread don’t deny the awful pay and huge responsibility.

I thought sales pitch too. Or some kind of recruitment thing, can't quite put my finger on it.

I've heard of your job. I've seen it advertised. I think it's still a relatively new role but I believe it's to do with raising attainment?
Congratulations.
I'm working in a nursery, we're overworked and underpaid and they (parents, owners, management) are constantly asking for more. I'm almost finished my degree, it's been hard work but I'd love to find a job like yours.

@Willow200

Thank you for mentioning it. The other reactions to her getting this new role is extraordinary!

Well done on your new job. I worked partly in a nursery til last year. I've moved fully up to school now but I don't really recognise your description. Our senior early years officer and SLT are great and supportive . The hours are not long. Nursery opens at 8.30 and closes at 3.30 term time only. Salary is pretty good (not so much for me as an assistant but for the level 3 qualified staff and above which was everyone else they could do a whole lot worse for those working hours)

Can I ask why your hours differ to standard primary school hours?

And how did you get a job leading quality assurance without qualified teacher status?

@liveforsummer I think most of us in private nurseries are holding out for a position like that becoming available. Private nurseries are open year round, between 7am and 6pm, pay around £9 an hour and we usually have to do extras like cleaning.

@nordicnorth

Is this a sales pitch? It's feels like a sales pitch 🧐

My thought too. Particularly with the invitation to approach for advice.

Who is your employer? Do you work directly for the school or is it an external agency?

Another primary school based EYFS teacher who hasn't ever heard of this role so I don't imagine it's common.
Also impressed it's gone to someone without Qualified Teacher Status (or EYTS) and experience in primary, given that teachers are leaving the classroom in droves and this sort of role would likely have many applicants.

That said, I agree wholeheartedly with how undervalued and underpaid our wonderful PVI sector are so (if this isn't a strange sales pitch) then I'm genuinely very pleased for the OP. I hope you love it

[quote Willow200]@liveforsummer I think most of us in private nurseries are holding out for a position like that becoming available. Private nurseries are open year round, between 7am and 6pm, pay around £9 an hour and we usually have to do extras like cleaning.[/quote]
Our local council has been employing early years practitioners and officers in their droves since the change from 15-30 hours and the lifting of restrictions due to covid. Many are all year rather than term time as the roll out completes but that's reflected in the salary of course. No idea if it's the same everywhere but never been more jobs for these positions than now/

OP ignore all the detective work trying to prove you wrong, laugh it off.

It sounds like a great role, clearly some aren’t happy that you have found it and don’t seem you ‘qualified’.

Oh dear you seem a bit bitter I think you have been treated badly but not all nurseries are the same.

I’ve been a teacher a long time and have literally never heard of that job role. It can’t be very common? Every school I’ve ever known have wanted experienced teachers planning and implementing their curriculums.

RAs and policies done by the head and subject leaders. I don’t really get how an external person can be an expert in all of these areas without being an actual teacher.

This

@Labloverrr - people trying to find out more, aren't trying to 'prove her wrong' they are - literally - trying to find out more.

People are also replying to the tone of the OP.
She hasn't started a thread saying "Whoop whoop, I've got a new job and am very excited" - which would have been responded to with congratulations and people being pleased for her. All of her comments just come across as really strange.

Is your salary on the same scale as a teacher?

What I'd like to know reading this thread is, as a parent, what on earth can I do to make the staff at my sons nursery feel more appreciated? I can't make the nursery pay them more!

@Kite22

Have you read the responses and their tone? “Ive been a teacher for a long time and never heard of it…” “Sounds like a sales pitch”

People aren’t interested in finding out more in the way the OP meant, which is to give hope to underpaid nursery workers to better themselves, rather they want to know the ins and outs as ‘proof’.

@Assssssssssss She was underpaid as all the nursery workers have attested to. Even the ones treated well. In her case underpaid and treated badly. So yes, she’s excited and happy.

Why wouldn't an early years practitioner, particularly one educated to degree level, be qualified? Experience of inspections, framework, curriculum, policy, observation, raising attainment? I'm not an expert in the role but come on, just shows how undervalued nursery staff can be.

Probably because most employers filling a 'Quality Assurance Lead Manager' role require candidates to have a business/management qualification or a masters degree, substantial evidence of working within an education environment at management level. Having a degree in Early Years and working as a nursery nurse for 12 years doesn't usually meet the criteria. The OP hasn't elaborated on how they achieved such a position. It's unconventional and people are curious. The OP's posting style is a bit unusual and it's a strange first post.

Like I said, I've only ever saw one advert for a similar role but it was nothing to do with business and more to do with inspections, attainment, pedagogy and approaches which I could definitely relate to early years but I see what you're saying.

Congratulations OP. My dh worked in nurseries for 10 years. Awful pay, so much responsibility. And when dh asked to take 1 day unpaid parental leave when we had a 1 year old in hospital, a newborn and me still recovering from sepsis he was told no. My in-laws were civil servants and we asked them to help. They got 1 week fully paid EACH