Meet the Manager: Kirsty from Fennies Raynes Park, Amity Grove

Today, we were lucky enough to sit down with our Nursery Manager, Kirsty from Fennies Raynes Park, Amity Grove. She recently joined the nursery, and we got to ask her questions about her career in Early Years and what she’s looking to achieve in the future. 

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Throughout this blog, we’ll discuss Fennies Raynes Park, why it’s a great nursery to send your child to, and why it’s a great place to work. Kirsty will answer questions on the following topics!

• Inspiring the Local Community
• Parent Partnerships
• Early Years Curriculum 
• Team Upskilling and Atmosphere
• Childcare Passions
• Upcoming Events

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Kirsty’s Profile

Kirsty has nearly 20 years experience in the Early Years sector and joined the Raynes Park Nursery team on the 24th of June 2024, and her 6 month work anniversary is coming up fast! Check out our TikTok to see a short clip of Kirsty introducing herself to the Fennies Family.

‍What’s a fun fact about you?

I try to stay true to who I am by embracing activities that help me relax and recharge, which is why I’ve been doing lots of yoga recently. It’s great at helping me unwind and focus on my well-being. I also love to travel the world and explore new places, I’ve even had the chance to go on multiple helicopter rides, one of which being over the Grand Canyon!

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How do you come together within the local community to help inspire local businesses and parents?

I believe in creating strong links between our nursery and local businesses to foster a sense of community. For example, we collaborated with the local food bank and library where the children go on visits to help out or learn through reading new books. This month we’ll also be helping the Women’s refuge during the Christmas period to ensure they get the clothes they need to keep them safe and warm. Initiatives like these help us engage with the local community and give back to them in meaningful ways.

What’s one moment that stands out to you the most in your Early Years Career so far? 

One of my proudest and most memorable moments to date was when I received an Ofsted outstanding rating, it was such a proud achievement for me and the team. We’d put so much hard work into achieving that and the rating itself was affirmation of that. Now I’m focused on replicating that level of excellence here at this nursery.

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How do you go further and try to improve the Early Years curriculum at Fennies Raynes Park, Amity Grove?

I’m constantly looking for innovative ways to enhance the curriculum. One of the initiatives we’ve introduced here at our Raynes Park Nursery is called ‘Fascinations’. This project is based on the children’s interests, allowing us to incorporate their passions and hobbies into their learning to make it even more enjoyable and engaging for them. For example, this week the theme was ‘Robots’ and the children’s home learning was to create their own robots using waste materials and junk modelling. This is a hands-on way for them to develop their creative and motor skills outside of the nursery to further prepare them for school.

How do you create Parent Partnerships at Fennies Raynes Park?

Here we have a strong emphasis on building genuine and open relationships with the parents. To help us achieve this we hold regular meetings and talks on topics that are of interest to our parents. Topics such as weaning, behaviour management strategies and potty training are all talks we have done recently to help provide that support our parents need and deserve. The other key aspect to building strong parent partnerships is communication, ensuring there is always a channel open for the parents to express concerns, ask questions or just talk to us. The goal is to build trust between the parents and the nursery team, we want to build relationships rather than just partnerships.

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What’s one impact you like to make on the team atmosphere?

I’m passionate about creating a positive environment to work in. It’s contagious, if you see one person enjoying themselves, it’s hard not to be infected by that. This knock-on effect makes the whole experience more enjoyable and upbeat for everyone involved, whether that’s the children or the team. Creating an environment where people feel motivated and happy, is a surefire way to push people to give their best.

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What’s one way you help to upskill your team?

I believe in making learning fun and engaging, just like we do for the children! Therefore we hold regular training sessions, such as quizzes, games and team bonding activities to help keep things exciting and refreshing. With the learning being more interactive, it makes the team feel more supported and motivated to continue developing their craft. If people love what they do, they feel more empowered to grow within their role.

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Why did you choose to work in Early Years education?

I’ve always had a passion for making a difference in children’s lives. The Early Years of a child’s life is critical to their development, and knowing that I can be a pivotal part of shaping the foundation of who they are is an incredibly rewarding feeling. A quote I heard that I live by ‘A child’s brain is 90% developed by the age of 5.’ which really highlights how important it is to make an impact during these early years.

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‍What passions do you have within the Early Years curriculum?

I’m devoted to offering a holistic learning approach that caters to the unique needs of every child through a variety of different learning styles. At Fennies Raynes Park, each of our rooms are full of diverse resources where the children can learn through play in different ways, allowing them to naturally absorb and develop their core, essential skills. It’s important to me that we are inclusive, and that every child has an opportunity to thrive through learning in a way that tailors to their individual needs.

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What would you like to achieve in the next 6 months?

Within the next 6 months, I would like to make our Raynes Park Nursery an outstanding setting. We’re committed to providing high-quality care and education to children, and I’m determined I can help lead the team towards that goal.

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What’s your favourite thing about coming to work?

Something that really resonates with me is having the opportunity to support and benefit others. Whether that be the team, the children or our parents, knowing that I can have a positive impact on their experience at our nursery keeps me motivated and excited to come to work each day.

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Do you have any exciting visits or upcoming partnerships within the community planned for the new year?

Yes, we do! We’ve got some very exciting collaborations in the works. A fire engine will be visiting the nursery which will be great for the children to learn about the importance of firefighters in our community. Soon we will have a musician come play for the children to give them that exposure to music, speaking of, we have our ‘Music and Movement Open Morning’ coming up on March 1st 2025! In the spring we’ll also have a Beekeeper come in to teach the children about their work, and a florist will visit too, which ties in perfectly due to our proximity with the Chelsea Flower Show. Partnerships like these help bring new learning experiences to the children, introducing them to different aspects of the world around them.

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What events have you got in the near future at Fennies Raynes Park?

We have some brilliant events planned, including parent talks and evening socials which allow us to connect with the parents in a relaxed setting. We have a Prosecco and Wine night coming up soon which will allow the parents to talk to their child’s key person and ask any questions they have. We’re also going to host talks on school readiness and the process of applying for school, which will provide parents with valuable insights as their children approach the transition to school. In the new year we will have our ‘Music and Movement Open Morning’ on March 1st 2025 where parents and children will be able to enjoy a morning of harmonious fun and learning.

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What is your biggest passion about Early Years? 

Ensuring that when the children leave the nursery, we have prepared them appropriately to be ready for school. That doesn’t just mean academically, it is also about fostering positive behaviour management and independence so they are best equipped to take that next step. We want the children to leave the nursery feeling confident and prepared for the next stage of their learning journey.

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We also had the chance to speak to Oceane, the Third in Charge at Fennies Raynes Park, Amity Grove, and asked her a quick question about Kirsty…

What’s your favourite thing about working with Kirsty?

I love Kirsty’s honesty. When she gives me any feedback she is always honest and provides it in a constructive manner. She’s always looking for ways to help me improve and develop within my role. I really appreciate the support she gives me, it not only makes working with her very rewarding, but also an enjoyable learning experience..

We had a great time speaking to Kirsty, it was really insightful learning about all the exciting things she has planned for Fennies Raynes Park, Amity Grove. Does this sound like a nursery that would suit you and your child? Book a tour now and launch your child’s learning journey today!