Our Team
Every single one of our nursery practitioners is fully qualified and has a genuine passion for childcare. They love nothing more than helping children develop as individuals, guiding them through the first stages of their lives. Here you can discover what really makes our team special.
Ian – Nursery Manager
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
Seeing the children grow and develop, becoming ready for school. Some children can have barriers in place from birth which can cause difficulties, so forming part of a team to support the child and their families to ensure the child receives the best care and support is very rewarding.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Work for the cause, not the applause.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
To stop children from living in poverty.
Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about?
I’m not a bad cook!
What are you happiest doing when you’re not working?
Spending time with my wife and 2 children.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
That it is fully focused on the child, it is about the process the child goes through to learn, not about what is produced at the end.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
That we have a family approach and everyone belongs, and is a member of our nursery family.
Kirsty – Deputy Nursery Manager
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
Seeing the children coming into nursery on a morning and seeing the journey of children from the baby room through to pre-school, watching them grow and learn.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Be kind to yourself.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
To read minds.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
When I’m not at work, I love spending time with my little girl, family and friends. Going out to restaurants and shopping is also a favourite!
What do you love most about our curriculum?
I love our new nursery curriculum, in particular, the family aspect as that is what YMCA Day Nursery is all about. Each pillar and theme link one way or another involving our community, our world and our family. Children learn through this and have a sense of belonging in our nursery.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
Seeing the children coming into nursery happy and ready for the day, as well as watching the children grow from the baby room and flourish through each room to our preschool room. Learning to walk, say their first words, make friends, learn to put their coats on; just being part of their journey is amazing.
I loveLisa – Nursery Cook
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I enjoy cooking, especially when I can see how much the children like the food. I always like to be kept busy, and I love seeing the children everyday.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
I wanted to be a florist as I always loved the colours and smells as a little girl when I was in a flower shop.
What’s the top 3 things on your bucket list?
Go to Graceland, holiday in the Caribbean and know that my daughters are living their best life.
What do you love most about our curriculum?
There us always an abundance of activities for the children to play and learn from.
What is your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
I All the staff are lovely, we all get on well and I feel very much part of the team. It’s also nice to see the children’s progress as they come up through the rooms. I love interacting with them when I help out at meal times.
Rachael – Baby Room Lead
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I love to come into work and see all the children, it makes me happy to watch them grow and learn new skills.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
I would ensure that all children have the opportunity to achieve everything that they can in life regardless of their background.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
I’m happiest spending time with my family, doing lots of fun and exciting days out.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
I love how it is tailored to allow the children to learn based on their experiences and their own development stages, we base all our activities around what they love to do and get excited about.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
I feel really comfortable here and welcomed as soon as I joined the team. I really like how the children who come to us have a close relationship with each member of staff, we’re part of each other’s extended family.
Emma- Room Lead
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
Helping others, seeing the children learn and grow, providing fun experiences through nursery life.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Be patient and just let things happen in their own way/own time.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Cleaning!
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
Spending time with friends and family.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
It’s different to others (we are only 1 of 2 nurseries in the country that have this curriculum), and I love that it focuses on children’s well-being.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
It’s a friendly and welcoming environment, created by a good team that can pull together to support others when needed.
Laura – Toddler Room Lead
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
Watching children grow and develop, and to see them come into nursery excited with a smile on their faces every day ready for something new.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Superspeed.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
I wanted to be a vet due to my love of animals and wanting to care for them.
What’s the top 3 things on your bucket list?
To travel the world, own a house and meet Tom Holland.
What do you love about the curriculum?
The thing I love most about the nursery curriculum is that the different areas allow us to develop our knowledge and understanding further and make us come together to share this knowledge and understanding of the world, communities and different families. We do this through both adult and child-led activities using different songs, books and arts and crafts.
What is your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
My favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery is seeing the smiles on the children’s faces as they come into nursery ready for the day and are excited to see our staff and their friends/ peers, showing the great bonds they have made during their time here.
Lauren – Nursery Practitioner
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I love to watch the children develop, grow and learn new things everyday. I enjoy working at the YMCA nursery as I have a great working relationship with everyone there.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
I have a son called Charlie, I love spending my time with him being outdoors.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
The curriculum is very family-orientated just like the nursery.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
My favourite thing about nursery is the friendships I have made with all staff and parents, and the bond I have with all the children throughout.
Jessica – Nursery Practitioner
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I enjoy watching every child grow to their full potential, seeing them improve every day. I also enjoy working with my colleagues, I’ve never met such and incredible group of people.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
To teleport through time.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
A paramedic or nurse.
What’s the top 3 things on your bucket list?
To travel the world, have an amzing family and to drive.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
I love that it gives multiple opportunities for children to experience a range of new and exciting topics.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
Seeing children develop skills and learn new things and to also develop new milestones.
Jade – Apprentice Nursery Practitioner
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
The most enjoyable thing about work at the nursery is watching the children do things for the first time. I love watching them grow up and become independent.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Everything happens for a reason.
Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about?
Sewing and drawing.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
I love cooking with my family, walking my Siberian Husky Cody and drawing.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
I like how our curriculum has different sections of development. I like that it helps us as early years practitioners help and improve the skill so the children are ready for school.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
My favourite thing about working for YMCA Day Nursery is that we all as practitioners help each other when we need it and we all work as part of a team to make sure the children are safe and happy.
Shelbie – Apprentice Nursery Practitioner
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I love making the day busy and exciting for the children so that they really enjoy coming into nursery. Watching the children grow up and hit new milestones is amazing.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is from our Deputy Manager. She said “always be you”.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
A vet.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
Spending time with my family and friends.
Lisa – Apprentice Nursery Practitioner
If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?
Hand painter, upside down story reader, cuddle giver for them hard days!
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I get to see all the children’s little personalities and watch them achieve their goals and targets!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Everything happens for a reason.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
A singer (but I will stick to singing out-of-tune nursery rhymes).
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
Spending time with my children!
What do you love most about our curriculum?
It gives us so many possibilities for activities and ideas for our little ones!
What is your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
It’s a really lovely team we all support each other.
Gemma – Nursery Practitioner
If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?
Nursery Mum – someone who cares just as much as a mum in the daytime when mum is busy at work.
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I enjoy getting to watch and assist children grow and develop. Seeing children thrive in an environment provided by us is very rewarding.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Promise me you’ll always remember that you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think – Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
The ability to grant wishes! I would love to make people happy all the time.
What do you love most about our curriculum?
I love the way the curriculum incorporates the community and surrounding areas. The pillars of learning ensure we develop each child in all ways we can and build the best opportunities for the children.
What is your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
My favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery is the way the team all works together to create the best safe and enabling environment for children to learn and develop.
Tracy – Nursery Practitioner
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
Watching all the children in my care grow and thrive, seeing them smile and laugh every day.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Just be yourself.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Time travel!
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
Archaeologist or Environmental Scientist.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
Spending time with my family in the great outdoors.
Morgan – Nursery Practitioner
If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?
Simple…Nursery Practitioner – someone who constantly sings songs out of tune, is always ready with tissues and gives out good cuddles when they’re needed.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Be true to yourself!
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Time travel.
Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about?
I can play the keyboard.
Beth – Nursery Practitioner
If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?
Out-of-tune singer with silly dance moves and fun activities.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Always be yourself!
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Read minds.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
A dancer, I used to love dancing around in my bedroom!
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
Spending time with my son and daughter.
What do you love most about the curriculum?
I love planning activities! The new curriculum gives me the opportunity to do this.
What is your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
My favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery is coming to work and enjoying it! Everyone is so lovely, staff, children & parents/careers. It’s a lovely place to work!
Emmie – Nursery Practitioner
If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?
A stand-in parent to support entertain and help the child thrive.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Believe in yourself.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Super speed.
When you were little, what did you want to grow up to be?
A primary school teacher, I enjoyed playing pretend classrooms!
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
Spending time with my partner and two children.
What is your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
My favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery is how supportive everyone is of one another and how friendly and supportive the staff are to the children and their families.
Paige – Nursery Assistant
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I love working watching the children thrive and achieve while having fun!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
If you can be anything, be kind.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
To fly!
When you were little, what did you want. to grow up to be?
I wanted to be a teacher. I have always loved the thought of working with children.
What are you happiest doing, when you’re not working?
I love going on dog walks, spending time with family and friends and going out on day trips.
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
I love how it allows us to create learning opportunities for the children to learn about our community and understand the world.
Grace – Bank Staff
What do you enjoy about the work that you do?
I love working with the kids, finding out about their different personalities, watching them grow intellectually and enjoy the early years of their life.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Never give up.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Invisibility.
When you were little, what did you want. to grow up to be?
I wanted to be a teacher. I even used to role play with invisible children!
What do you love most about our nursery curriculum?
I love that it helps the children to understand why everything in our community is so important and makes us better people.
What’s your favourite thing about YMCA Day Nursery?
The staff work together as one team, to provide the best care we can give for the children, the children all have different caring, funny and kind personalities that brings out the best in us. They never fail to put a smile on our faces, just as much as we try to make them have the best time whilst there with us.
