Introducing our Team of Staff

Gail - Pre-school Manager

Safer Recruitment Officer

Gail works all year to provide management direction to our team of staff in the ever changing sector that is early years. Her knowledge and experience ensures that Playmates continues to offer the best childcare in the area.

Significant talent: Thinking outside the box! "I've had a really great idea...."

Marrilynn - Early Years' Lead

Designated Safeguarding Lead,

Inclusion Manager & SEND-Co-ordinator

Marrilynn works all year in her role to ensure our staff are providing activities and experience to enhance their learning. She also supports Kellie in the SEND-Co role and accessing extra support for families.

Significant talent: Problem solving! "It is what it is!"

Kellie - Early Years' Deputy Lead

SEND-Co-ordinator, DSL support and

Keyworker for the Yellow Circles

Kellie works all year and spends equal time on her SEND-Co (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) role and supporting the children in her keygroup. She also takes on the Leader role in Marrilynn's abscence.

Talent for: Inventing silly songs! "There was an old woman named Kellie......"

Sara - Early Years' Practitioner

Health & Safety Officer, Mentor and

Keyworker for the Blue Triangles

Sara works all year and loves to do projects around the Setting to offer enhanced learning opportunities to the children, especially in the garden. She has some big plans this year!

Talent for: Re-designing areas! "Would it be okay if......"

Charlotte - Early Years' Practitioner

Room Leader in The Cabin and

Keyworker for the Orange Stars

Charlotte works all year and runs the dedicated area for our 2 year olds. She is qualified to Level 5 in childcare and is passionate about offering the most up-to-date strategies from her continued studies at University.

Talent for: Spending on outlandish resources! "Could I borrow the debit card?"

Sophie - Early Years' Practitioner

Keyworker for the Orange Stars

Sophie works all year and spends her time supporting our 2 year olds with Charlotte in the Cabin. Sophie started with us in September 2020 and has quickly proved herself to be an effective member of the team.

Talent for: Instigating morale boosting activities....

Karen - Pre-school Practitioner

Keyworker for the Red Rectangles

Karen provides term time care to her keygroup and has a natural way with our quieter and less confident children.

Talent for: Creating wacky activities

Claire - Early Years' Practitioner

Keyworker for the Purple Diamonds

Claire works all year, leading her keygroup. She loves exploring small world activities with our children and the children love spending time with her.

Talent for: Making her colleagues giggle at her mixed up cliches

Penny - Pre-school Practitioner

Keyworker for the Green Squares

Penny asked if she could volunteer with us to gain experience for her Level 3 and she is now a keyworkerer. Penny works term time and loves making crafts with the children.

Talent for: Making little sparkly things

Zoe - Early Year's Practitioner

Offers one-to-one support for our children needing extra support.

Zoe has shown great dedication to helping our SEN children and those displaying speech and language delays. The children love her volume and enthusiasm

Talent for: Being loud and exciting to all the children

Jennifer - Early Years' Practitioner

Offering one-to-one support for our children needing extra support in the Cabin

Jennifer joined us after serving many years at a nursery in Raunds. She was taken on to support the Cabin staff with their children needing extra support and is great at including every child in activities.

Talent for: Ensuring all the children can join in with activities

Hayley - Office Administrator

Management support

Hayley joined us in September 2018 to take on the administration of the Pre-school due to the many changes introduced.

Talent for: Fixing IT issues for the worn out senior staff

"At Playmates we realise our
Pre-school is only as strong as the passion and dedication of our team of outstanding staff."

Each staff member is valued within our setting and is regularly reviewed, to ensure they are happy within their roles.
We spend a lot of time providing opportunities for them to enhance their skills and qualifications, to ensure the Playmates' environment is fun, safe and stimulating for all children.

Each Keyworker gets to know their individual children and their families, so we can offer a more personal service, and parents feel confident that their child is reaching their full potential during their time with us.

Keyworkers will send observations home (via Famly, our online nursery application) and welcome any input from the family to share in their child's learning journey.

All staff supervising the children are qualified to Level 3 or above in childcare, 2 have degrees in education and we are all qualified in paediatric first aid.