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As Nursery Manager, Sami brings five years of dedicated experience at Canterbury Road, where she previously excelled as our supernumerary SENDCO working alongside Melanie to create truly inclusive provision. Her deep understanding of child development and commitment to quality first teaching has helped shape our early intervention programme and communication commitment, ensuring every child receives the support they need to thrive.
Through her hands on approach of mentoring and empowering practitioners, Sami has strengthened the team’s understanding and support for all children. Her approach combines clear direction with practical expertise, setting high expectations while creating an environment where both children and staff feel confident to grow and develop.
In her role as Nursery Manager, Sami ensures the highest standards of safety while skillfully managing the day to day running of the nursery. She coordinates our dedicated team, maintains strong safeguarding practices, and works closely with families and external professionals, all while preserving the warm, welcoming atmosphere that makes Canterbury Road special.
As Deputy Nursery Manager, Dionne plays a vital role in ensuring smooth transitions for all children in our care. Her expertise in supporting families through key moments in their nursery journey makes her the perfect Family Coordinator, guiding everything from first settling sessions to preparing children for their next steps into school.
With specialist knowledge in early development, Dionne coordinates our Under 2’s provision and has created our innovative ‘Preparing you for Birth to Two’ training programme. This ensures all practitioners working with our youngest children understand the unique ways babies and toddlers learn, develop and form secure attachments. Her deep understanding of early childhood development helps create nurturing environments where our littlest learners thrive.
Alongside her family-focused responsibilities, Dionne manages all aspects of nursery funding and finances, skillfully balancing occupancy to ensure we maintain our high-quality provision while remaining accessible to our community. Her attention to detail in both care and administration helps maintain the exceptional standards our families expect.
As Training and Development Manager, Melanie brings over a decade of leadership experience to Canterbury Road Day Nursery, having been an integral part of the management team since 2012. During her time as Nursery Manager, she led the setting to achieve Ofsted Outstanding in 2024. With a First Class BA Hons in Early Education, Melanie is furthering her expertise through a Masters in Educational Leadership, reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning.
In her current role, she nurtures and develops practitioners’ skills through highly focused training opportunities. Through detailed observation of practice and deep understanding of curriculum implementation, she creates meaningful professional development programmes that strengthen teaching quality and pedagogical knowledge. As a qualified safeguarding and first aid trainer, she further develops the team’s knowledge in these essential areas, ensuring children’s safety and wellbeing remains at the heart of everything we do.
As Third in Charge, Ash plays an important role in supporting the leadership of Canterbury Road Day Nursery and maintaining consistently high standards of care and education across the setting. She holds a Level 4 qualification in Early Years Education and is currently working towards her Level 5 Leadership qualification. Ash has been a valued member of the team since 2014.
With experience across all age groups from 0–5 years, Ash has a strong understanding of child development and how to create stimulating, engaging learning environments that support children’s growth at every stage. She is confident in adapting activities to meet individual needs and interests, helping children feel secure, motivated, and supported in their learning.
As our Physical Activity and Nutrition Co-ordinator, she is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyles and positive early habits. As a mother herself, Ash understands the importance of high-quality childcare and is committed to building strong partnerships with families. She is a valued member of the leadership team whose knowledge and consistency are greatly respected across the nursery.
Chloe joined Canterbury Road Day Nursery as an apprentice in 2014 and, through her dedication and passion for early years education, has progressed to become our Tinies Room Leader.
With a warm and nurturing approach, Chloe creates engaging and creative learning opportunities for our youngest children, supporting their development in a safe, caring, and stimulating environment. She is highly skilled at recognising children’s individual needs and ensuring they feel secure, confident, and supported as they explore and learn at their own pace.
Chloe builds strong relationships with families and truly embodies our nursery’s family-focused ethos, ensuring both children and parents feel supported, valued, and welcomed. She is also confident in supporting and developing her team, sharing her knowledge and practice to strengthen provision across the room. As a mother herself, she brings both professional experience and personal understanding to her role in delivering high-quality early years care.
Kerry joined Canterbury Road Day Nursery in 2018 as an apprentice and, through her hard work and commitment, progressed to become our Tots Room Leader.
With a strong sense of organisation and structure, Kerry creates well-planned routines and purposeful learning experiences that support children’s development across all areas. She has a strong focus on encouraging independence, confidence, and engagement through play, helping children to build key skills and take pride in their achievements.
Kerry is a key member of her team, working closely with staff to ensure consistency, high-quality practice, and the smooth running of the Tots room. She is committed to ongoing professional development and actively shares new ideas and approaches with her team to strengthen practice and outcomes for children. As our Well-being Officer, she also plays an important role in supporting wellbeing initiatives across the nursery and contributing to a calm, consistent, and supportive environment for both children and staff.
As Pre-School Room Leader, Beth plays a key role in supporting children as they prepare for school, creating engaging and purposeful learning experiences that build confidence, independence, and a love of learning.
With specialist knowledge in additional needs, Beth works as our SENCo, coordinating tailored support for children and working closely with families and external professionals to ensure individual needs are understood and met. Her approach is thoughtful and child-centred, ensuring all children are able to access learning and make progress.
Beth plays an important role as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), helping to ensure safeguarding procedures are consistently followed and that children’s welfare and safety always remain a priority within the nursery. She is a knowledgeable and highly respected member of the team, valued for her commitment since joining in 2016.
As Curriculum Lead and Pre-School Room Leader, Laura plays a key role in shaping and delivering a high-quality curriculum across Canterbury Road Day Nursery. She has been a valued member of the team since 2015.
With a strong eye for detail and a reflective approach, Laura creates stimulating and well-organised learning environments that inspire curiosity and engagement. She is skilled at observing children’s interests and extending them through creative, purposeful planning, ensuring learning is meaningful and challenging.
Laura is passionate about supporting children’s learning through rich, first-hand experiences that encourage exploration, independence, and confidence. She works closely with staff to support best practice across the nursery and is dedicated to her own professional development. She is a highly respected member of the team, known for her expertise and commitment to high-quality early years education.
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