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 - Pre-school Leader
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 - Pre-school Deputy Leader
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 - Pre-school 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!
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Talent for: Re-designing areas! "Would it be okay if......"
Charlotte - Pre-school 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 - Pre-school 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
Sophie - Pre-school 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 - Pre-school 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 - Pre-school 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
Alice - Pre-school Practitioner
Alice started with us as an Apprentice and has already passed her Level 2. She is currently studying for her level 3 and enjoying taking on some keyworker duties.
Talent for: Being agile enough to sit on the floor to join in activities
Hayley - Office Administrator
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."
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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.
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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.
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All staff supervising the children are qualified to Level 3 or above in childcare (except Alice who has a level 2 and is currently studying her level 3) and more than 75% of us are qualified in paediatric first aid.
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