We have an enthusiastic team of 1 manager, a deputy and 4 nursery assistants who are all qualified or working towards relevant qualifications as well as a long term volunteer.
TANIA CONSTABLE MANAGER
Hello,
I’m Tania, the newly appointed manager at Chalfont st Giles Preschool playgroup. I have lived in Buckinghamshire all my life. I grew up in Amersham with my parents and older brother.In my early teens I baby sat for a few local families.
I left school at the age of 16 and worked full time in a local hotel, where I worked in all the various roles and was promoted to management support.
I left there in 2002 to be a full-time mummy to my daughter Chantelle, now 17.
I met my husband in 2006 and had my second child in 2007, Ruby. We married in 2009 and had our third child Jake in 2013.
In 2016 I joined a preschool where I found a true passion for working with children and enabling their learning. I completed my level 3 qualification.
In 2018 I moved to a day nursery where I found I was magnetised to preschool age children. In January 2019 I was promoted to room leader and management support.
With my 12-year-old starting secondary school and my 6-year-old in year 2 I decided it was time to stop working 10-hour shifts and be more flexible for my children’s needs.
And so here we are 2020 and ready for the next chapter.
Hobbies for me are mainly exercise. Zumba, I am a qualified instructor but haven’t re started classes for a while. I like going to classes.
I attend a new Yoga, Tai chi and meditation class in Amersham.
I love music and I always find motivation in the beat.
Being with my family, cheesy but true!
SARAH ELDRIDGE ADMIN MANAGER
Hello All! My name is Sarah and I’m a proud Mother of two boys Olly and Archie.
I started my working life as an MFL teacher at Dr Challoner’s for Boys. I then went on to be a student achievement manager within the MFL department at Waddesdon C of E school. After marrying my husband Steve in Cyprus, I became the head of languages at the Cavendish School in Hemel, where I also became an associate assistant head before having my first born Olly. I have always wanted to be a teacher and whilst working at all of the schools I continued to learn how much I loved teaching children and helping them become all round young adults in the big wide world.
Through my working life, I have always had a passion for children and education and I knew that after having Olly I wanted to get back out there and support young learners. I began tutoring GCSE, primary and even toddlers. This has been great because it has kept my brain ticking whilst bringing up Olly. I also took on the role of a trustee at CSG playgroup, because I wasn’t busy enough! It is there that I got involved in fundraising and supporting the staff at playgroup. So when the role of admin manager came up it seemed perfect, even with a new-born baby!
I don’t have many hobbies these days unless you include cleaning, online shopping and meeting friends for a “quick” coffee! I used to dance and maybe one day when my boys are older I will get the ballet shoes back on!
HAYLEY SOUTHGATE ADMIN MANAGER
LISAMARIE SAUNDERS DEPUTY MANAGER – LEVEL 2 EYP – LEVEL 3 TRAINING IN PROGRESS
Hello, my name is Tracey. After leaving school at 16 I joined Royal Insurance as a Motor Insurance Underwriter. I worked there for 12 years and progressed to a Commercial Underwriter before leaving to become a full-time Mum. I met my husband when I was 18 and we have 3 lovely children, who are now 20, 21 and 22. We got married in 2005 in Vancouver.
When my youngest child finished attending the local pre-school, I was asked by the manager to join the team. I really enjoyed working with the children and decided to re-train and obtained my Level 2 & 3.
After many years I decided I would like a new challenge and worked as a receptionist, administrator and medical secretary at a local Doctor’s Surgery, however I soon realised that my passion was working with children so was delighted when I was offered a position at CSG Playgroup.
In my free time I love to go on walking breaks with my husband, and going to see live music. In the last couple of years we have discovered music festivals, and try to visit one a year.
SARAH BELL EYP – LEVEL 2 TRAINING IN PROGRESS
JANE ROBERTSON EYP LEVEL 2 TRAINING IN PROGRESS
Hi I’m Siobhan, since leaving secondary school in 2012 working with children has always been something I had wanted to do. At college I chose to do Beauty Therapy and managed to get my NVQ Level 2&3 over the 2 years I was there. No matter how much I enjoyed them 2 years I knew that when I left college in 2014 working with children was still the main thing I wanted to do.
I decided that to get involved doing what I had always wanted, I signed up to an apprenticeship at Boys and Girls Nursery in Watford. Meaning I could get my qualification, learn everything I needed to and have a job at the same time. I spent about 2 and a half years there and in that time I got my NVQ Level 2 in Children and Young People’s Workforce. I was so proud and happy when I completed this course.
In May 2016 I decided it was time for a change, I came across a breakfast, after school and holiday club in Chorleywood where I spent another 3 years working there. From May 2016-May 2019.
I completed many training courses whilst there, such as safeguarding, further child protection, prevent duty and many more. I also started working towards my NVQ Level 3 Playwork qualification which should be all completed by the summer in 2019.
I left there in May 2019 to come and join the team at CSG Playgroup.
I am also a Nanny on a Thursday and Friday for a lovely family in Chorleywood looking after their 3 girls.
Being healthy and exercise is a massive part of my life. Since 2016 I have managed to lose 6 and a half stone!!!!
Which I am very proud of!!!
I enjoying taking part in exercise classes in the evenings during the week.
On the weekends I spend time seeing family and friends, going out shopping, meals out with friends, or I’m at football watching Watford FC play, I have been a season ticket holder since I was about 5 years old!
All of our staff are very passionate about children, their development and learning and they take pride in their work. Our staff are kind practitioners and take a very gentle approach towards all children, working on the basis of promoting positive behaviour rather than focusing on negative behaviour, children seem to thrive in this environment. We use many positive rewards such as the Pre-School reward chart, stamps and stickers (you may find your child covered in stickers at the end of a Pre-School day).
We follow Ofsted’s requirement to have enhanced DBS criminal reference checks (the highest level of checks currently available) on all of our staff. All employee’s undergo a vigirous interview process to ensure we are employing the highest quality of practitioners, during this process a minimum of two references are required from their previous employers.
In order for us to support your child’s development in the best possible way, we employ people with different educational training backgrounds. They all attend regular training courses, which enables them to bring new ideas and updated practices to the setting.
All staff hold a Paediatrics first aid qualification and have attended safeguarding, Manual Handling, Allergy and food hygiene training, these are revised every three years to ensure we are up to date with all current policies and legislation. Safeguarding training is updated every 2 years.
Ratio
We are currently registered for Children aged from 2 years to 5 years old. The Ratio’s set by The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, 2014) are:
2 year olds = 1:4
3 years old plus = 1:8
Key Person System
Every child at the preschool has a member of staff who they will spend special time with and build a special bond with. This is their Key Person. The key Person knows your child really well and will ensure your child feels cared for and safe and secure.
The key Person will help with settling in to preschool and respond sensitively to your child’s needs. They will usually attend to your child’s nappy changes or toileting, development and learning and their need for cuddles or someone to talk to.
They will help your child build relationships with other staff and children in the preschool. They will usually be the person to feedback to you on how your child’s day at Pre-School has been. A key Person is also there for the family as well and we like you to build a close relationship.
The key person will also monitor your child’s progress and carry out regular observations to ensure your child’s progress is appropriate for their age and to help plan for your child based on their interests and direction of learning.
The Committee
The Pre-School Trustees and Committee have the overall responsibility for ensuring that it runs successfully in accordance with its aims. The Committee is formed at the Annual General Meeting (usually September) of parents of Pre-School children and meets once every half-term with the Pre-School Leader and Deputy.
Our Committee currently consists of:
Chairperson – Natalie Zealey
Treasurer – Tony Lord
Secretary – Sally Mclaren
Emma Farrell
Lucy Webster
