NURSERY MANAGER

Remi has over 15 years of experience in early years education, including many years as a nursery manager where she oversaw her settings with care, dedication, and a strong focus on safeguarding and inclusion. Alongside her managerial expertise, she has worked as a SENCo and safeguarding officer, supporting both children and staff to flourish. Remi brings warmth, reliability, and excellent communication skills to every role, and her wealth of experience ensures that children and families feel nurtured and supported. With a background in both childcare and wider community care services, Remi believes in creating safe, engaging, and loving environments where children can thrive.

Remi is the heart and soul of our nursery team. She is both an excellent practitioner, able to manage all of our complex nursery admin with aplumb, and an expert leader for our nursery staff.

DEPUTY MANAGER, EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER

Zeljka is a qualified early years practitioner with over 20 years of experience of caring for children in the early years and primary sector, alongside experience of working with children with complex needs. Having grown up in rural Yugoslavia Zeljka spent much of her own childhood gardening together with her family and playing in nature. This strong connection with nature and the happiness it brought left a lasting impression on her and has formed part of her approach to supporting children in their own education.

She joined Collingham Gardens Nursery in 2020 after being entranced by its hidden, magical garden and unique educational ethos of learning through outdoor and meaningful play, which she believes is the cornerstone of children’s learning and development.  

THIRD IN CHARGE, EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER

Shamsia is a qualified early year practitioner and childcare worker with a broad experience of working in nurseries, crèches, primary schools and drop-in centres, all of which have provided a high standard of care to children and their families. She also has experience as a community outreach worker to support and encourage local families to access provisions and services independently. Shamsia has undertaken her Level 2 Forest School training and is currently completing her Level 3 Forest School Leader programme.

Shamsia is always looking for new ideas to support the children’s interests in the nursery and delights in building a loving rapport with the children and their families.

EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER

Fatema is an Early Years Practitioner with a Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education. She is dedicated to supporting children’s early development through creative, safe, and engaging learning environments. Passionate about fostering strong relationships, Fatema enjoys connecting with children and their families, ensuring every child feels nurtured and valued.

Fatema is warm-hearted and playful, and well-loved by our children.

FORMER MANAGER, PART-TIME ASSISTANT MANAGER AND TEACHER

Nicole is a passionate and dedicated teacher with experience across nurseries, primary schools, and specialist educational settings. She has taken on roles ranging from Room Leader and SENCo to Nursery Manager, bringing creativity, patience, and strong leadership to every aspect of her work. Nicole is deeply committed to inclusive education and is currently completing her Master’s in Inclusive Education alongside her NASENCo qualification. She delights in creating nurturing, play-based environments where every child feels supported to thrive and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Nicole is a long-standing and beloved member of our nursery team. She continues to work with us periodically, both in the classroom and the nursery office.

NURSERY CHEF

Albina is our wonderful chef, seamlessly cooking healthy, fresh food so delicious that even our picky eaters ask for seconds. She’s expert in the kitchen both in terms of preparing food and has a level 3 in food hygiene. She is kind and warm, and the children love her.

EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER

Sarah is a highly experienced and qualified nursery practitioner with an NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Early Years and 21 years of experience working in childcare. She has worked with children from 3 months to 4 years across various nurseries, including a Montessori setting, where she enjoyed fostering children’s growth and confidence.

Sarah has Forest School training and is passionate about connecting children with nature, nurturing their creativity, independence, and well-being. She is dedicated to creating meaningful learning experiences for children and building positive relationships with families.

EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER

Toni is a highly experienced childcare professional with a background in nannying, childminding, and nursery work. She began her career as a nanny in Spain before moving to London, where she worked as an au pair and later as a nanny for families with young children. Toni pursued her passion for early childhood education by completing a diploma, foundation degree, and degree in Early Years Studies at Metropolitan University in London.

Toni’s experience includes working as a childminder assistant and nursery nurse, where she creatively supported children’s development by teaching Spanish and introducing tai chi and yoga for physical growth. Toni is passionate about fostering children’s creativity and independence through the forest school approach, providing meaningful connections with nature to nurture their development.