Lead Practitioner

Acorn Early Years; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive payscales

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Training days and development plans

Enhanced pension scheme

Employee wellbeing programme

Childcare discount pro-rata

Job summary

Acorn Early Years – Mulberry Bear in Milton Keynes is seeking an experienced Early Years Lead Practitioner to drive high-quality practice and develop leadership skills within our 62-place nursery. The role is 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 07:30–18:15, with a stepping stone into senior leadership.

You will work with the Senior and Deputy, mentor apprentices and students, and lead the room in their absence, ensuring a safe, stimulating, and inclusive learning environment for children aged

Qualifications

• Hold a Level 3 qualification in Early Years.
• Strong practical experience in an early years setting.
• Demonstrate leadership skills and potential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a holistic, child-centred curriculum in line with EYFS.
• Support planning in the moment, observations and next steps.
• Lead the room in the absence of Senior or Deputy.
• Nurture staff development and embed the ethos.
• Build strong partnerships with parents and external professionals.
• Uphold safeguarding responsibilities and maintain documentation.

Skills

Leadership potential

EY experience

Mentoring

Education

Level 3 qualification in Early Years

Job description

Lead Early Years Practitioner

Acorn Early Years – Mulberry Bear - Open University Campus

Full-time / Permanent

If you are offered a Lead EYP role, you will receive a £500 recruitment bonus after successfully completing your 3 month probation period.

Are you an experienced Early Years Practitioner looking to take the next step in your career? Acorn Early Years at Mulberry Bear is seeking a passionate and motivated Early Years Lead Practitioner to support high-quality practice and develop leadership skills within our setting.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys being a positive role model, supporting colleagues, and working closely with senior staff while continuing to provide outstanding care and education for children.

About Acorn Early Years – Mulberry Bear

Acorn at Mulberry Bear is a 62 place day nursery in Milton Keynes, which offers full and part-time care for children aged four months to four years, and is open 7:30am until 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, all year round.

All Acorn nurseries are closed for all bank holidays, between Christmas and new year, plus our four training days each year. This means the monthly fees are calculated over 49 weeks. You will not be charged for these days, however fees are payable for additional closure days which are out of our control, eg: additional bank holidays over the standard eight. Funded childcare options are available. The nursery provides children with a caring, challenging and stimulating environment. All children are assigned a key person which helps children to become familiar with the setting and to feel confident and safe within it. We also operate a buddy system which supports children’s wellbeing and development when the main key person is away from the setting.

The Acorns and Squirrels room caters for children aged four months to two years old. The Acorn roomhas 12 spaces and the Squirrels room has 16 spaces. It has a bright main play room, which offers a rangeof sensory play with a range of resources to support children’s physical, emotional and language development. There is a sleep area and nappy changing/toilet facilities, and children have access to a safe, enclosed garden.

Our Oaks room caters for children aged three and four, and has 24 spaces, and is a bright room with awide range of open-ended and first-hand experiences.All the nursery meals are freshly prepared and delivered each day by Acorn Catering, which operatesfrom our hub kitchen at our Shenley Church End nursery. We use local and ethically sourced produce to createour delicious meals and all our menus have been designed to be nutritionally balanced ensuring weoffer a variety of foods.

About the Role

The role will be 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday working between 0730 and 18.15.

The Early Years Lead Practitioner role is a stepping stone into senior leadership. You will work in partnership with the Senior and Deputy within your room, contributing to the smooth day-to-day running of the provision and leading the room in their absence when required.

You will play a key role in nurturing staff development, embedding Acorn’s ethos, and ensuring children thrive in a safe, stimulating, and inspiring learning environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver a holistic, child-centred curriculum in line with the EYFS and statutory guidance
• Ensure children’s emotional wellbeing, safety, and care needs are consistently met
• Act as a positive role model, embedding Acorn’s values, policies, and procedures
• Support and nurture colleagues, particularly apprentices, students, and volunteers
• Lead the room in the absence of the Senior or Deputy
• Promote high-quality interactions and positive behaviour strategies
• Support planning in the moment, observations, assessments, and next steps
• Create rich, engaging learning environments that promote curiosity, independence, and critical thinking
• Build strong professional partnerships with parents/carers and external professionals
• Uphold safeguarding responsibilities and stay up to date with guidance and legislation
• Complete and oversee relevant child documentation and paperwork

About You

• Hold a Level 3 qualification in Early Years (or equivalent)
• Have strong practical experience in an early years setting
• Be beginning to demonstrate leadership skills and potential
• Have taken on, or be keen to take on, additional responsibilities (e.g. mentoring, health & safety)
• Be reflective, confident, and committed to professional development
• Share Acorn’s values and passion for delivering high-quality early years provision

Why Join Acorn Early Years?

• Clear career progression and leadership development opportunities
• Ongoing support and mentoring from an experienced senior team
• A values-led, inclusive, and supportive working environment
• Strong focus on quality, wellbeing, and staff development

Safeguarding & Inclusion

At Acorn Early Years, we are proud to be an inclusive employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. Reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process are fully supported.

All applicants must:

• Have the right to work in the UK
• Provide two satisfactory references
• Undergo an Enhanced DBS check

Benefits

• 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
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Cyclescheme
• Techscheme
• Length of Service awards
• Summer and Christmas parties
• Pay advances for when times are tough
• Employee assistance wellbeing programme

Vacancy Reference: MULLEAD