Deputy Manager

Acorn Early Years Foundation; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive payscales

65% childcare discount

Generous family leave

Christmas closure

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

4 dedicated training days

Job summary

Acorn Early Years Foundation is seeking a confident Deputy Nursery Manager for Hedgerows Nursery in Netherfield, Milton Keynes. You will work closely with the Nursery Manager, leading a room and guiding staff to maintain high standards of care and learning across the setting.

You will oversee safeguarding, quality of practice and partnerships with families, while supporting planning, assessments and staff development in a busy, child-centred environment.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of EYFS and safeguarding requirements.
• Experience leading a nursery or early years team.
• Proven ability to mentor and develop staff.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day running of the nursery with the Manager.
• Lead the nursery in the Manager's absence and oversee a designated room.
• Support staff inductions, performance reviews and development.
• Ensure high standards of care, education and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

EYFS knowledge

Staff mentoring

Communication

Safeguarding knowledge

Famly (nursery system)

Tools

Famly

Job description

Acorn Early Years – Hedgerows Nursery - Netherfield

If you are offered a Management role, you will receive a £1000 recruitment bonus after successfully completing your 3 month probation period.

Acorn Early Years is seeking a confident, passionate and experienced Deputy Nursery Manager to join our leadership team at HedgerowsNursery. This is a key leadership role for an early years professional who is committed to high‑quality practice, strong team development and excellent outcomes for children and families.

About the Role

Working closely with the Nursery Manager, you will support the effective day‑to‑day running of the nursery, lead by example, and play an integral role in maintaining high standards of care, education and compliance. You will hold responsibility for a designated room or area, support staff performance and development, and lead the nursery in the Manager’s absence.

About Hedgerows

Acorn at Hedgerows is a 43 place day nursery in Netherfield, Milton Keynes. Attached to the Hedgerows family centre, the nursery transferred to us from Milton Keynes Council and offers fully‑funded places for eligible 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

The nursery offers full and part‑time care for children aged four months to four years, and is open 7:30am until 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round.

The Acorns and Squirrels room caters for 15 children, aged four months to two years old. It has a bright main play room, a sleep area and nappy changing/toilet facilities and children have access to a safe enclosed garden.

Our Oaks room has provision for 24 children, aged three and four, and is a bright room with access to a large garden space with a covered area for all year round play. A toilet area and quiet/sleep room is available for children to use.

We place a strong emphasis on outdoor learning and the children enjoy play outside in all weathers. Pre‑school children develop their outdoor learning at regular Forest School sessions, and a variety of imaginative and creative play activities can be enjoyed alongside regular outings and trips.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Management

• Work in partnership with the Nursery Manager to ensure the smooth and effective running of the nursery
• Lead and manage the nursery in the absence of the Nursery Manager
• Be accountable for your designated room/area and staff team
• Effectively deploy staff across the nursery to meet operational needs
• Support staff inductions, supervisions and professional development
• Address staff performance issues professionally and in line with Acorn procedures
• Carry out return‑to‑work interviews in the absence of the Manager
• Cascade key information and updates to staff and management
• Role model professionalism and act as a strong ambassador for Acorn Early Years

Quality of Practice & Curriculum

• Ensure high‑quality interactions between staff and children that meet individual developmental needs
• Promote and support effective planning in the moment across the nursery
• Ensure children’s interests are reflected within a rich, engaging learning environment
• Monitor children’s progress to ensure all children reach their full potential
• Ensure regular, high‑quality observations are completed and reviewed on Famly
• Oversee assessments, including initial assessments, termly reviews and two‑year checks
• Support moderation of staff assessments and promote consistency of practice
• Promote children’s independence, confidence, wellbeing and physical challenge

  Safeguarding, Compliance & Partnerships

  • Safeguard all children and ensure safeguarding procedures are followed at all times
  • Maintain compliance with statutory requirements, Ofsted expectations and Acorn policies
  • Ensure all required documentation is completed accurately (care plans, medicine forms, transitions, etc.)
  • Manage complaints, concerns, queries and compliments professionally and effectively
  • Build and maintain positive, professional relationships with parents and carers
  • Communicate confidently with external professionals and agencies, including Ofsted
  • Book, log and follow up nursery show rounds for prospective parents

  What We’re Looking For

  • A strong working knowledge of the EYFS, safeguarding and early years legislation
  • Previous leadership or management experience within an early years setting
  • Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills
  • Confidence in mentoring, coaching and developing staff
  • A calm, positive and consistent approach to behaviour management
  • Experience using nursery management systems such as Famly
  • A genuine passion for providing high‑quality, inclusive early years education

  Why Join Acorn Early Years?

  At Acorn, we are passionate about creating nurturing, inclusive environments where children feel happy, confident and supported to thrive. We value our teams and actively support professional development, coaching and progression.

  We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments will be considered throughout the recruitment process.

  Safeguarding & Compliance

  Applicants must have the right to work in the UK, be able to provide two satisfactory references, and all roles are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

  As a thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to making Acorn a safe, nurturing and fun place for our children to be, we offer:

  • Payscales that are competitive, transparent and reviewed annually
  • 65% Childcare discount Pro-rata according to contracted hours
  • Generous family leave
  • Christmas closure
  • 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays (and the option to buy more)
  • 4 dedicated training days and individual development plans