Help!

[Guest]

I am currently a nursery manager; part of a chain. I love the nursery and the staff, it was a new nursery when I was appointed and new have nurtured each other and grown together and are a very strong and close team. Alot of money has recently been invested in the nurseries and occupancy is on the up.

As a chain we have recently inherited a training side to the business; I am quite passionate about training and I told my line manager that if there was an opportunity for me to move across to the training side of things I would love to. We have a kind of love/hate relationship but we are professional. I was told at a recent meeting that she has "trainers coming out of her ears", in other words there's no chance for you to move (though she never actually said those words!!!).

Round this time a Manager's job came up, a smaller nursery, less staff, less hours, more money. An independent nursery run by a committee. I applied for the position, have been shortlisted and I go for an interview next week. I have spent a morning in the setting and whilst I saw some good practice it does need money spending on it to bring it where I think it should be; they are due Ofsted (haven't been inspected since 2007 so pre-EYFS) any day now I guess.

I have told my line manager that I have an interview (had to as they wanted references to help with the short listing) and she went mad, saying I was copping out, giving up etc, she then said that I had to go through the process but would worry about my state of mind if I didnt get it. She did agree that yes I do have alot to offer and would be good at training but...........

My main reason for going for the job is (a) there's nowhere for me to progress in the current nursery chain I work for, not even to training it would seem ( if I am destined to be a nursery manager for the rest of my life then why not do it in a smaller nursery for more money?

The quandries I have are these;

I have worked in current place for 4 years so have accumulated a good leave entitlement, I am entitled to 4 weeks sick pay per year (not that I take it), I get bonuses and perks and have the support of financial, HR, Health and Safety etc on a daily basis and know alot of people in the company too. There are exciting times ahead I feel (obviously cant go into too much detail here). If I get the other job then a fair bit of money needs to be spent, do I get a good holiday entitlement and sick pay (I will find out at interview), I am reliant on the knowledge of those on the committee to help with HR, finance etc (and ACAS if they cant help).

 

Did I apply for the other job in haste do you think|? What would others do? HELP!!!!!

 

Sorry it's a long post but I know you lovely people will be objective!! Thanks

[Rea]

I usually find that things happen for a reason. You're looking for something else now because it was indicated you wouldnt get a training position but before that were there any little niggles that crossed your mind now and then? You must have thought about it previously, not many of us have a knee jerk reaction to one disappointment. Your current setting sounds lovely, new build, good team, things on the horizon but are there any challenges for you compared to the place you have the interview at?

Only you know what's really made you go this way.

[Guest Biker]

Janny,

As Rea has already said only you really know what made you go for this job.It sounds like you are looking for a new challenge.Its always hard isn't it weighing up the pros and cons?I can only say that it isn't always the material things (Money perks etc)That make you happy.

I took a job for less money and at the time it was a risk but i was much happier .Sorry not much help really!

[Guest]

Although it seems like a great opportunity and there is more money actually being paid to you in salary I would be very careful about looking at the financial situation of the place you are going to. You are part of a chain at the moment and chains (very generally here) tend to have more money to purchase new resources and are often willing to spend more, whereas the sad fact is that a lot of independent nurseries and preschools are strapped for cash. You say it needs a lot of money spending on it and I can see that you are looking forward to the challenge of buiding a nursery up again, but is the money you need available? Are the committee really onboard with spending a lot of money on new things? You may already know that they have and they are, but if you don't I would really look into this. If you are relying on the money being there in order to put in place your changes and then start the job and find out it's not you could end up in a position where you become demoralised and don't feel you are doing the job you wanted to do.

[Susan]

Maybe you need to go to the interview and find out the answer to these questions. An iterview isa 2 way process. You may not be offered the job and this may all be irrelevant!

 

Knowing what you know now IF you were not to get the job, how would you feel?

Disappointed or relieved?

That should give you some indication of what you really want!

 

Good luck whatever you decide.

[Guest]

You'll know more after interview and finding out the terms and conditions of employment. I agree with Rea, what will be will be!

 

I'm manager of a private/charitable nursery, I'm salaried so still get paid for sick but it's term time only and my holiday pay is factored into my monthly payments.

 

I've got a fantastic commitee but still end have ultimate say in most things, they are their as a support more than anything. In contrast I couldn't imagine working for a larger chain, I don't think I'd like not having the autonomy that I do managing a smaller setting, so there are probably plus points for both!

 

Good luck, I'm sure you'll reach the right decision for you x

[Guest]

I have to agree with both Kariana and moo20. The committee run setting may well be a great opportunity for you to feel like you have made a big difference, and indeed for you to do that. You may well be given a lot of autonomy and scope to develop the setting. However you may also find the setting does not have the opportunity to invest as the chain can. Development of a setting doesn't need to cost a lot but some finances are needed if only for ensuring a continuity of staff and a continuity of their morale. I personally couldn't envisage working for a chain after hearing the experiences of colleagues and comparing to my experiences of working for a voluntary preschool where I have been given free reign to make changes and develop our setting, but then again a chain could afford to make investments which we certainly can't.

[HappyMaz]

If it were me I'd want some detailed answers to my quesstions. You'd be giving up a lot of 'perks' in your current job that few smaller groups are able to provide. My own feeling (and it is just a feeling) is that full day care settings are more likely to be able to withstand the challenges posed by the single funding formula because they can benefit from the economies of scale that come to bear with central purchasing, price negotiation etc. That said, I think community groups with strong committees will be better placed to survive than small private groups so that might be a consideration.

 

So I'd like to ask:-

 

• Do they have a full waiting list?
  
• How does the committee support the group?
  
• How is confident is everyone feeling about the impending Ofsted - what do they think is likely to go well or let them down?
  
• Where has the person you're replacing gone to?
  
• How has the Single Funding Formula affected their income? Do they know how much per child per hour they are 'losing' if applicable?
  
• What sort of action plan for improvement do they have?
  
• Is there a budget for implementing this plan?
  
• What can they offer you in terms of CPD?
  
• Is there an expectation that staff work extra hours outside of their contract and is this paid for?
  

 

As the others have said, only you know whether the time is right for you to move on, but sometimes it can be a mistake to make a move when you have just had a disappointment like the one you describe. I'd say go into it wholeheartedly, weigh up the answers you get to your questions and then make a decision based on the evidence. However, if when you weigh it all up there are niggling doubts in your mind about the wisdom of moving then I'd say you should stay put for a while and see what happens.

 

Am I sitting on the fence quite enough?

[Guest]

Thank you all so much for your very quick and very helpful replies.

 

I am just back from lunch with an old friend and we have discussed, pondered and discussed some more! And for now (I could change my mind in an hour!!) I have decided that as I need to ask the question then clearly I'm not completely sold on moving!

 

If I get the job (and of course I may not) then I would be losing the safety net that I now have, a challenge though the new role would be, you are right, is the money there for me to make the changes that I feel are needed and will I get the support to implement them?

 

Still time to ponder but I think in my heart of hearts I know what to do.

 

Thank you all once again; as usual lots of sound advice; I love this site!!