Meadow Nursery School - Deputy Manager

Meadow Nursery School, Murray Road, Wokingham RG41 2TA

25th July 2025

Job advert

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with strong leadership skills and a passion for supporting children

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Support:

• Support the Nursery Manager in day-to-day staff management, ensuring high-quality care and education are consistently provided.
• Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in the manager's absence, ensuring safeguarding policies are followed at all times.
• Foster a positive, collaborative environment among staff, ensuring everyone is working towards the same goals.
• Lead regular meetings with the Nursery Manager to discuss staffing, curriculum, and other key operational matters.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of nursery policies, practices, and training initiatives.

Supporting Children's Development:

• Ensure every child, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), receives the appropriate care, support, and learning opportunities.
• Support transitions for children, both within the nursery (e.g., from home to nursery, nursery to school).
• Maintain clear, accurate records of children's progress, interventions and report to the Nursery Manager and relevant professionals.
• Develop secure relationships with key children and families so you can support them effectively and accurately track their learning and development.

Curriculum and Inclusion:

• Promote and deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, ensuring it is inclusive and accessible to all children.
• Lead or support phonics, speech and language sessions, and other group or individual learning activities, ensuring they are tailored to each child's needs.
• Liaise with external professionals such as speech therapists, educational psychologists, and other specialists to ensure children's needs are met.
• Share regular updates with staff about children's learning and development, offering guidance on how to support individual needs.
• Attend meetings, including those with the Nursery Management Committee, parents' evenings, and external professionals.

Safeguarding and Wellbeing:

• Uphold all safeguarding practices and policies, ensuring that all children's safety and welfare are prioritised.
• Lead by example in creating a safe, welcoming, and positive nursery environment where all children and families feel supported.
• Ensure that any child protection concerns are addressed promptly and in accordance withpolicies
• Qualified level 3 or above practitioner, with a minimum of 3 years' experience in an early years setting.
• Proven experience in a leadership or management role within a nursery or early years setting.
• In-depth knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• Confident in using technology to record, track and write comprehensive reports, as well as using emails to accurately send information.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with staff, parents, and external professionals.
• Compassion, patience, and dedication to ensuring every child's individual needs are met.
• Experience in safeguarding practices and a strong understanding of child protection policies.
• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to maintain accurate records and manage a variety of responsibilities.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Lead and contribute to staff training.
• Ensure all children's dietary, medical, and cultural needs are met, supporting the preparation of snacks and meals.
• Assist with the day-to-day running of the nursery, including staff cover, event organisation, and emergency situations.
• Attend weekly staff meetings, contributing to discussions on safeguarding, SEND, and general nursery provision.
• Participate in local Early Years cluster group meetings and other professional development opportunities.
• Continuous professional development and training opportunities.
• A supportive and inclusive work environment where your contributions will be valued.
• The chance to make a lasting impact on children's lives, particularly those with SEND.

Join Our Team: If you're an enthusiastic, compassionate leader with a passion for supporting both the general and specific needs of children, we'd love to hear from you. Take the next step in your career and join us at Meadow Nursery School to make a meaningful difference every day.

• Management Competencies (Core Skills & Qualities):

In this Deputy Manager role, we're looking for someone who can demonstrate the following core competencies:

• Leadership: Inspire and motivate staff, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and communicate the nursery's vision clearly.
• Managing People & Teams: Effectively lead and develop a team, provide constructive feedback, encourage collaboration, and handle conflict positively.
• Communication: Communicate effectively at all levels, using clear, concise, and appropriate methods to support both staff and families.
• Customer Awareness: Understand the needs of our families, develop strong relationships, and ensure services are flexible and responsive to their needs.
• Problem Solving & Decision Making: Proactively identify challenges, analyse data to make informed decisions, and collaborate with others to achieve the best outcomes.
• Planning & Resource Management: Manage resources effectively, plan strategically, and monitor progress to ensure goals are met.

Meadow Nursery School