- What is your favourite thing about coming to work?
I love my job, I love childcare, and I love the team that surround me in making my role fun to be in. When I come into work and walk around the rooms, I am greeted with children that run up to me, happy and proud to show me what they are doing, and the babies that happily smile and wave from across the room. I love to be present in the rooms with my team, offering them training and mentoring to develop themselves in such a rewarding career. I also enjoy learning from them and implementing new ideas and activities to better develop the children. I am passionate about providing the best quality care that any parent or child would be proud to be a part of.
- Why did you choose to work in early years education?
From a young age I have always had a passion for working in childcare, learning about child development and supporting children through their milestones. Knowing that you can be a part of a child’s journey in developing is so rewarding, in addition to the parent partnership that you build along the way.
- What passions do you have within the Early Years curriculum?
My passions range from supporting babies in their early years, to working with children with special education needs and disabilities and helping our older children transition to school. We implement a bespoke curriculum tailored to every child and family, in addition to supporting those ever-important secure attachments. We promote Independence for each child and create an environment that helps children understand their feelings and emotions and develop the skills to regulate them.
- What’s the best thing about Working Mums East Sheen?
We have so much to celebrate and be proud of here at the nursery, from our wonderful roof garden that provides the children with a secure outdoor space filled with lots of learning opportunities, to our wonderful calming sensory room that provides the space for children to be calm and develop their senses. In the community in which we are located, we are fortunate to have lots on our doorstep that enables us to support our children with cultural capital experiences, such as nature walks to Richmond Park, visits to the dentist, and the library that the children visit weekly to develop and support their love of books and storytelling. We are also proud to be the only nursery, school and child-minding setting in the area to have received the Heathy Early Years London Silver Award from the local authority. This achievement has had a positive impact on both our nursery and our families, supporting us in providing the best possible start in life for our children.
- How do you create family partnerships at your nursery?
From the very first-time new families visit our nursery, I aim to create a relaxed, home-from-home environment. During my tours, my team in every room greet families warmly, smiling, interacting, and showing genuine interest. Secure attachment is a key part of our curriculum that starts from our baby room all the way through to preschool. We offer daily handovers and feedback, termly parent evenings with each child’s Key Person, and we have a range of special events such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and grandparents’ tea parties. Building these relationships are so important as I want our parents to feel comfortable sharing any concerns or feedback in a way they feel validated and reassured that their voice has been heard.
Find out more about Working Mums East Sheen here