Management and Staff
CLAIRE HERMITAGE
The Manager of the Nursery is Mrs Claire Hermitage. Claire has been qualified as a B-Tec Nursery Nurse since 1997.
Claire joined Forbury Gardens Day Nursery, our sister nursery in June 1997 as a newly qualified Nursery Nurse and had held different positions with all the ages of children throughout the nursery, starting as Room Leader through to Senior Team Leader. She took on the position of Nursery Manager in February 2002. In December 2007, Claire completed a Certificate in Management. Claire has been involved from the onset with the set up of Berkeley Gardens Day Nursery and is committed to ensuring that high standards are in place to work towards achieving an Outstanding Ofsted inspection.
Claire is qualified in First Aid and is one of the Appointed First Aiders in the Nursery. She has qualifications in Health and Safety, Special Educational Needs and Safeguarding Children and has attended various Early Years courses. Claire is determined to ensure that all children at Berkeley Gardens Day Nursery are as fully prepared as possible for the transition to schools and other settings. Claire will oversee the Care and Education for all children at the nursery.
Claire will also be maintaining close links with Forbury Gardens Day Nursery and overseeing the overall running of both nurseries.
CLAIRE LITTLE
The Deputy Manager of the Nursery is Mrs Claire Little, NVQ 3 Nursery Nurse, who has been a qualified Nursery Nurse since 2000.
Claire joined Forbury Gardens Day Nursery in July 1998 as an NVQ 2 Trainee Nursery Assistant. Claire started off her childcare career moving around the nursery to gain experience in all age groups. As Claire gained her qualifications she settled into the under 2’s and became a Room Leader for each room within that age group. Claire then left the nursery to try a new career path, but after 6 months returned to the Nursery and became the Deputy Team Leader for the under 2’s. Claire then became the Team Leader for this age group in 2005 until now and has gained lots of experience within the office during this time to develop her skills for the future.
Claire has a Certificate in management, and is qualified in first aid. Claire also holds a certificate in Special Educational Needs and is the SENCO for Berkeley Gardens Day Nursery and oversees the provision for SEN at Forbury. Claire has attended a number of Early Years courses to gain more knowledge.
YVONNE DUDMAN
Our Office & Building Services Manager, Miss Yvonne Dudman, has been employed from the onset of the Forbury Gardens Day Nursery opening in September 1991, assisting the,then principal with the initial set up of the nursery. Yvonne is our Catering Supervisor for the kitchens at both nursery sites, overseeing the menu planning, ordering and working closely with the Cook and Domestic Assistant.
Forbury Gardens and Berkeley Gardens Day Nursery both proudly hold the ‘Five Stars for Food Safety Star Rating’ and Yvonne works hard to ensure that the high standards are maintained.
Yvonne provides both nurseries with its their varied purchasing requirements, and is responsible for the administration, fees, accounts, grant funding and all of the maintenance in and around the nurseries.
Yvonne has obtained her Food Hygiene Certificate, HACCP and her Emergency Paediatric First Aid Certificate.
NURSERY STAFF
SENIOR STAFF liase frequently with the Nursery Managers and appraisals occur regularly. They can be identified by a different coloured uniform to our usual lilac.
|
All senior staff and room leaders are qualified Nursery Nurses with a certificate in First Aid and either a National Nursery Examination Board Certificate (NNEB), B-Tec National Diploma, NVQ level 3 in Childcare or DCE Level 3 in Childcare and education. They will usually have received two years professional training with practical experience in nursery and primary school, the home, day nursery, hospital and special care centres.
The Nursery Assistants are also dedicated and are sensitive to the needs of the individual children. Assistants have a range of experience, some possessing other qualifications, most are in training for NVQ2 or NVQ 3. Staff are encouraged to participate in courses and further their professional development. Many have attended an Emergency Paediatric First Aid Course. |
 |
Students from local secondary schools can enjoy observation and some involvement with children as part of their work experience programme.
Regular supply staff are called upon during staff’s extended absence and tend to work in specific area where children are familiar with them.
 |
The nursery asks that staff are flexible but whenever possible they are assigned to an area where they will develop sound working relationships with other staff, children and parents. The nursery operates a key person system. A key person has special responsibilities for working with a small number of children, giving them the reassurance to feel safe and cared for and building relationships with their parents.
Notice boards in each room help identify the whereabouts of staff. Staff wear grey sweatshirts and lilac T shirts bearing a logo of a lion, a symbol of Reading. The nursery is staffed according to the numbers of children present. |
The ratio of staff to children is as follows:
1:3 for babies/toddlers 3 months - 2 years
1:4 for children 2 years - 3 years
1:8 for children 3 years - 5 years.
These ratios allow for adequate care even during staff’s lunch breaks, sickness periods and short holidays.