Senior Early Years Practitioner

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

We are looking for a passionate and dedicated Senior Practitioner to join our Acorn Nursery at Mulberry Bear, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. This is a full-time role, working 40 hours per week with a variety of shifts between 7:15 am – 6:15 pm.

At Acorn, we are proud to be one of the leading childcare providers in Milton Keynes, Northampton, and Bedford, with over 35 years of experience. We specialise in nature pedagogy and are committed to providing outstanding care and education. As a Top 20 DayNurseries group and a not-for-profit organisation, we always put children first, ensuring you are part of a business that truly cares.

In this role, you will be working in our Acorn Room with children up to 2 years old, providing a high standard of physical, emotional, social, and intellectual care. You will work within a supportive team to create an engaging and nurturing environment where children can learn through play and exploration. Building strong relationships with parents and carers will be key to ensuring every child’s needs are met.

We are looking for someone with a minimum Level 3 qualification in Early Years (Level 6 or graduate-level qualifications are desirable) and experience working in an Early Years setting. Previous experience in a leadership role is an advantage, but above all, we want someone who is motivated, enthusiastic, and passionate about outdoor learning and creative play. A strong understanding of EYFS and safeguarding procedures is essential.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will also have the opportunity to develop your leadership skills, deputising for the manager or deputy when required and supporting the team through mentorship and guidance.

In return, we offer a competitive salary, enhanced pension contributions, fantastic training and career progression opportunities, and a 65% childcare discount.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your Early Years career and be part of a team that values creativity, learning, and professional growth, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today and help us shape the future of our youngest learners!

Successful applications will need to provide ‘right to work in the UK’ documentation and undertake a DBS check.  Acorn Childcare is committed to safeguarding children and promoting the welfare of children, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Benefits

Working at Acorn

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
• 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 
• Employee assistance wellbeing programme