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Celebrating three decades of service at Hampstead Gate

There was cause for celebration at Hampstead Gate Day Nursery in Milton Keynes as the childcare team honoured their beloved colleague, Melanie Thomas, as she marked her milestone 30-year anniversary at Childbase Partnership.

Having started with the company in 1993 at sister-setting Meadow View Day Nursery in Newport Pagnell, Melanie has progressed through a variety of roles over her three-decade career, shaping the lives of countless children and providing expert mentorship to the staff team, which she continues to do as Nursery Practitioner at the setting on Eelbrook Avenue.

A keen runner, Melanie has taken part in countless fundraising events over the years, using her skills to raise money for charities including Mind, Cancer Research UK and Alzheimer’s Society, contributing to the three million plus total raised by Childbase Partnership in the last 30 years, and more recently taking part in food donation drives to support The Trussell Trust.

To mark the special occasion, proud colleagues presented Melanie with a flower bouquet, gifts, balloons and handwritten cards of appreciation from colleagues, as well as enjoying a lunch courtesy of grateful managers and reminiscing over her favourite career memories.

Hampstead Gate Day Nursery Deputy Manager, Katie Hughes explained;

“Mel’s unwavering commitment to the learning and development of our children is truly inspiring. She has provided hundreds of children with a strong foundation for their future education, growth and wellbeing and her passion for early childhood education makes her a joy to be around. Parents trust her insightful advice, reassuring presence, and genuine care for each child at our nursery. We feel truly lucky to have her at Hampstead Gate.”

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Devonshire mark International Men’s Day

Colleagues from Devonshire Day Nursery in Chiswick pulled out all the stops for their male team members as they celebrated International Men’s Day with a series of initiatives.

At the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Bennett Street, practitioners Alex Girvan and Josh Elliott were presented with a series of gifts to mark the occasion including beloved Harry Potter collectors figurines and sweet treats, as well as handmade cards from their Manager and messages of appreciation from adoring colleagues, thanking them for their valued contributions to nursery life and recognising them as part of the 3% of males working within the Early Years sector in England and Wales.

Named as “wonderful role models” by their Manager, Emmy Avery, both Alex and Josh are qualified with degrees and hold a wealth of experience, with Josh acting as Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator at the setting, with a passion for supporting children with additional needs. He is also described as “a firm favourite” of the boys and girls in the Ladybirds room, where he is Team Leader, and a “go to” for those who are struggling.

Alex has recently trained as a specialist in Early Interventions and leads an ‘Attention and Listening Group’ within the setting’s two-year old room. He also leads exciting science experiments once a week as his alter-ego ‘Science Sid’ in efforts to engage the children in ‘Science’, ‘Technology’, ‘Engineering’ and ‘Maths’ from a young age and foster a love for the STEM subjects, as well as having storytelling skills described as “second to none”.

Devonshire Day Nursery Manager, Emmy Avery explained;

“Alex and Josh are both the epitome of kindness and go out of their way to help their colleagues any way they can – they can be relied upon for advice, camaraderie and will gladly pick up any job thrown at them – in any room. They are not afraid of dressing up for events such as World Book Day and go all out for events for charity – with Josh being our Charity Representative. As their manager, they make me smile every day. They are truly special to the nursery.”

International Men’s Day was celebrated on Sunday 19^th November 2023.

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International Men’s Day at West Downs

Colleagues from West Downs Day Nursery in Winchester pulled out all the stops for their male team members as they celebrated International Men’s Day with a series of initiatives.

At the award-winning setting on Romsey Road, practitioners Tom Bungay and Adam Jordan were presented with a series of gifts to mark the annual occasion, including handmade cards from the children in their care and presents from thoughtful colleagues including bespoke notebooks, luxury wash sets and individual messages of appreciation from the team.

As part of the festivities, talented Nursery Chefs; Helen and Rosana, made a celebration cake for all to enjoy, whilst Managers filled the staff room with Tom and Adam’s favourite snacks and sweet treats, thanking them for their valued contributions to nursery life and recognising them as part of the 3% of males working in Early Years in England and Wales.

West Downs Day Nursery Manager, Julia Grant explained;

“From guiding our little ones through their first steps to fostering their curiosity, our amazing male educators have a profound impact on shaping young minds. They bring their unique skills, talents, and caring nature to create safe and nurturing environments for our children.”

“We would love to see more gender diversification within the sector so we are absolutely delighted to have male colleagues at West Downs. We believe the presence of male practitioners offers many benefits, including offering different approaches to learning, breaking down gender stereotypes, providing positive role models and changing perceptions within the industry”, she added.

International Men’s Day was celebrated on Sunday 19^th November 2023.

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Celebrating 25 years of service at Lime Grove

There was cause for celebration at Lime Grove Day Nursery in Hemel Hempstead as the team honoured their beloved colleague and Nursery Practitioner, Kathryn Jenkins, as she marked her milestone 25–year anniversary at the setting with a week of festivities.

With the title of longest-serving employee at the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Park Road, Kathryn has helped to positively shape the lives of countless children throughout her career, making a lasting impact on grateful families with her unwavering commitment to early childhood education and determination to provide the highest standards of care.

To honour the special occasion, pre-schoolers showcased their creativity by making their own portraits of Kathryn, complete with personal messages, whilst the proud team laid on buffet lunches and bespoke cakes, before presenting her with cards, presents, balloons and a memory box, filled with cherished memories from both children and staff over the years.

Lime Grove Day Nursery Quality Manager, Erica Fitzpatrick explained;

“Kathryn is such a bubbly, lovely, wonderful member of our team and I don’t know where we’d be without her. The smiles on the children’s faces when they see her walk through the door are a testament to the incredible bond they have formed, and she is an inspiration to us all. We can’t thank her enough for all she does and hope she knows how cherished she is.”

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Colleague celebrations at Windermere

Festivities were well underway at Windermere Day Nursery in Kettering as colleagues celebrated National Nursery Practitioner Day with treats from their grateful managers.

Putting the spotlight on the achievements of the Early Years workforce, practitioners from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Haweswater Road were delighted to be greeted with messages of appreciation from their grateful managers; Amy McCulloch and Stacey Chamberlain, as well as doughnuts and other confectionary in the staff room to thank them for their valued contributions to nursery life and devotion to the children in their care.

The occasion follows a string of events which put the talented team in the spotlight, most recently including the annual Childbase Conference, Ball and Awards at Coventry’s CBS Arena with host Stephen Mulhern, as well as annual long-service dinner, with 200 colleagues celebrating over 15 years at the company, totalling over 4,000 years combined.

Windermere Deputy Manager, Stacey Chamberlain explained;

“We are incredibly fortunate to have such passionate colleagues who go above and beyond to ensure the wellbeing and development of our children is the top focus. Their hard work, patience and care makes a lasting impact and we had a lovely time celebrating them.”

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Celebrating colleagues at Nursery on the Green

Festivities were well underway at Nursery on the Green in Redbourn as colleagues marked National Nursery Practitioner Day with a week of celebrations, put on by grateful managers.

Putting the spotlight on the achievements of the Early Years workforce, practitioners from the award-winning setting on South Common were delighted to start the week with cake and gift boxes, filled with goodies including sweet treats and self-care items, to thank them for their valued contributions to nursery life and continued devotion to the children in their care.

Throughout the week, teams enjoyed different daily initiatives including mindfulness colouring activities on Tuesday, handmade cookies on Wednesday, origami sessions and positivity jars on Thursday, before ending with a special pizza lunch on Friday.

Nursery on the Green Manager, Carli Toal explained;

“We had a fantastic week celebrating our amazing nursery practitioners. We can’t thank them enough for their unwavering support, expertise and positivity. Their passion for educating and nurturing young minds is inspiring and makes coming to work a real joy.”

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National Nursery Practitioner Day at Woodlands

Festivities were well underway at Woodlands Day Nursery in Barnet as colleagues celebrated National Nursery Practitioner Day with treats from their grateful managers.

Putting the spotlight on the achievements of the Early Years workforce, practitioners from the award-winning setting on Orchard Road were delighted to be greeted with messages of appreciation from their grateful manager; Melina Koulakis, as well as a special hot chocolate station with a variety of treats and toppings to thank them for their valued contributions to nursery life and continued devotion to the children in their care.

Woodlands Day Nursery Manager, Melina Koulakis explained;

“We had a brilliant time toasting to our amazing nursery practitioners who make a positive impact to the lives of our little ones every single day. This is another fantastic opportunity to honour the hard work and dedication of our colleagues, whose passion for nurturing young minds and shaping futures is truly commendable.”

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Colleague celebrations at Edwinstowe

The focus was on wellbeing at Edwinstowe Close Day Nursery in Cambridge as colleagues celebrated both World Mental Health Day and National Practitioner Day over a week period.

Taking time to reflect on World Mental Health Day, practitioners from the award-winning setting off Chaucer Road dressed in green to represent the international mental health symbol of the green ribbon, before taking to the staff room for games including self-care bingo, a skittles challenge to promote talking about feelings and colouring activities, as well as being provided with mindfulness resources and a positivity jar filled with quotes to inspire.

Following the festivities, later in the week colleagues enjoyed treats from their grateful managers as part of National Nursery Practitioner Day, which puts the spotlight on the achievements of the Early Years workforce, with initiatives including a pick ‘n’ mix station and bespoke handwritten cards for each staff member, thanking them for their outstanding contributions to nursery life and continued devotion to the children in their care.

Edwinstowe Close Deputy Manager, Chantelle Adams explained;

“From creating a safe and stimulating learning environment to fostering a sense of curiosity and wonder, our practitioners are the heart and soul of the nursery. Their dedication and passion truly make a difference in the lives of both children and parents alike. We had a brilliant time celebrating them, as well as having important conversations on mental health.”

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Windmill Hill celebrate Early Years Wellbeing Week

Celebrations were well underway at Windmill Hill Day Nursery in Swindon as colleagues marked Early Years Wellbeing Week with the help of their generous nursery families.

At the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Windmill Hill Business Park, practitioners were delighted to be presented with a hamper of goodies from a family new to the setting, filled with food and drink gifts, as well as self-care items including lip balms, candles, shower gels and a handwritten card for the hardworking team as a token of appreciation.

Meanwhile, Windmill Hill Practitioner and resident ‘Happiness Ninja’, Emily Riordan, surprised devoted colleagues with a pick ‘n’ mix station which was enjoyed during breaks, complete with favourite sweet treats and messages of gratitude for staff to read.

Windmill Hill Day Nursery Manager, Kayleigh Blaylock explained;

“We were so touched by the incredibly kind hamper gesture from one of our nursery families. Our amazing team work tirelessly to create a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for the children and it is lovely for this to be recognised. Taking care of our staff’s wellbeing ensures they can continue to provide the highest quality of care and support to families.”

Early Years Wellbeing Week 2023 takes place from 9^th to 15^th October. The annual event is dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of the early years workforce.

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Lime Grove celebrate Afternoon Tea Week

Festivities were well underway at Lime Grove Day Nursery in Hemel Hempstead as devoted colleagues celebrated Afternoon Tea Week with sweet treats from their grateful managers.

To thank them for their hard work and dedication to the children in their care, colleagues from the Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’ Day Nursery on Park Road were delighted to indulge in stands filled with homemade finger sandwiches, cakes and fresh scones complete with clotted cream and jam as part of the occasion, as well as a selection of delicious hot drinks.

During the celebrations, pre-schoolers also enjoyed getting involved by creating their very own afternoon tea experience in their role play area, filling and emptying teacups to develop their motor skills and hand eye co-ordination, as well as discussing other British traditions.

Lime Grove Day Nursery Manager, Kelly Climpson explained;

“Our fantastic nursery colleagues work tirelessly to create a warm and nurturing environment for the children, and we decided to surprise them with a special afternoon tea treat as a token of our appreciation. We took this opportunity to reflect on the incredible bond we share as a team, supporting one another in providing the best care for our pre-schoolers.”

Afternoon Tea Week was celebrated from 7^th – 12^th August 2023.

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Devonshire mark International Men’s Day

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International Men’s Day at West Downs

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Celebrating 25 years of service at Lime Grove

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Colleague celebrations at Windermere

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Celebrating colleagues at Nursery on the Green

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National Nursery Practitioner Day at Woodlands

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Colleague celebrations at Edwinstowe

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Windmill Hill celebrate Early Years Wellbeing Week

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Lime Grove celebrate Afternoon Tea Week

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