PINOCCHIOS HERIOT WATT - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Practitioner - Baby Room
Brooke gained her SVQ 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development in 2020. She is now our Baby room senior. Brooke is known for her kind and caring nature and is a fantastic in her role.
Brooke's caring nature enables her to form close attachments and to all the children and enables her to meet all the individual needs of the children in her care.
Job Titles:
- Senior Practitioner Early Learning Room
Hi I'm Chloe I work in the early learning room. I have worked at Pinocchio's for 3 and a half years, I started when I left school at 17. I am now a qualified practitioner and first aid trained I have been on lots of training courses over the years and always keen to learn new things. I have always wanted to work in childcare from a young age I love helping children to learn, care for them and seeing them happy. In my spare time I like to go out with my friends and see family.
I have worked in childcare for 15 years and I started my journey as an apprentice with Pinocchio's. I am now the Early Year Coordinator overseeing the Adventure room. This is a 51 place play room for children aged 3-5 years old.
I am SVQ Level 3 qualified and hold my First Aid, Food hygiene, Child Protection and Manual Handling.
I am Winner 2017 NMT Personality of the year and also Winner 2018 NMT Room leader of the year.
I am nursery champion for our garden and literacy. I aim to increase literacy opportunities for all children in our setting.
My name is Gemma Clark and I have 15 years experience in working with children, 9 and a half of those have been with Pinocchios. I have an HNC in childcare and education and up to date with both First Aid and Child Protection. I chose to work in childcare as I love to see the children forming their own personalities whilst learning new skills, it's rewarding to watch them grow and develop.
I live at home with my daughter Abbi, who is 11 and my husband Euan. I am looking forward to taking on the role of Junior room senior while Lisa is on maternity leave.
Job Titles:
- Senior Practitioner Junior Room
I have been working in childcare for over thirteen years, I started when I was 16 years old. I had always wanted to work with children from a young age and I still absolutely love it 13 years later. My life is full of children as many of my family and friends have young children.
In my social life I love to spend time with my niece Emma who is 16 and my nephew Jamie who is 14. I also like to go on long walks in my spare time, especially to the beach or the Pentland Hills.
I am qualified with an SVQ level 3 and I also have child protection, first aid and food hygiene training.
Qualifications:
SVQ 3 + SVQ 4 - Childcare and Education
D32 + D33 Assessor
PDA Level 9 - Childhood Practice
Child Protection - Level 4
First Aid
Childcare Management and Leadership Degree, Stirling university
Froebel in childhood practice Degree level, Edinburgh University.
Work history:
I have over 25 year's childcare experience. I have gained invaluable skills and knowledge on child development and management.
My passion is to provide the highest possible levels of care ensuring better outcomes for children. I believe that continuous professional development is paramount for all staff, to ensure that they are knowledgeable and skilled to provide high levels of care.
Job Titles:
- Nursery Manager
- on Maternity Leave - Heriot - Watt Nursery Manager
Job Titles:
- Nursery Manager
- Nursery Manager and Our Dedicated and Highly Qualified Team Ensure That Every Day Is Fun, Interesting and Rewarding at Heriot Watt Nursery
Keri Palmer the Nursery Manager and our dedicated and highly qualified team ensure that every day is fun, interesting and rewarding at Heriot Watt Nursery.
Kirsty started her childcare journey in 2014. She left school and she joined Pinocchio's as a apprentice practitioner.
Kirsty is SVQ 3 childcare and social studies with over 9 years experience working in the Early Learning room. Kirsty is the senior practitioner for the Adventure room.
In 2017 Kirsty won Nursery Nurse of the year at the NMT awards and has recently been promoted to Early Learning Room Senior Practitioner while Emma Edwards is on maternity leave.
Kirsty is a very caring, passionate and enthusiastic practitioner who provides high quality experiences for the children in her care. She particularly enjoys being outdoors, bringing the indoors outside.
Job Titles:
- NURSERY MANAGER
- Lasswade Nursery Manager
I have worked in childcare for 25 years, after completing my NC qualification in 1996. I then began work as an apprentice in a private setting, completing my SVQ 3 in Social Services. I then progressed from a qualified practitioner to a Deputy Manager for over 12 years. I started work at Pinocchio's Eskbank as a senior practitioner and then transferred to Pinocchio's Lasswade initially as a senior practitioner. In October 2021 I became the nursery manager.
I am a mum to two girls and enjoy spending time with them when not at work.
I am professional, organised and have a good understanding of child development; continually updating my knowledge and understanding of all aspects of childcare. I have completed Child Protection for managers and designated persons. I am passionate about ensuring that I get it right for each child in my care.
Lynn Baxter Nursery Manager, heads our team of Senior Practitioners and Practitioners. Our Senior Practitioners and practitioners are either HNC or SVQ 3 qualified. Our Baby room supervisor is currently undergoing her PDA Level 8 in Childhood Practice.
Over the past 27 years I have dedicated my working life to children and their families. For the past 17 years of my career, I have been a Deputy Manager in a busy children's nursery.
I have gained valuable leadership qualities which I use on a daily basis to encourage the team I work with to focus on tasks and produce good quality work. I have learned about the main principles of the " Getting it right for every child" agenda and I am familiar with the wellbeing indicators.
I am used to working in a key person system making good quality observations providing depth and balance to children's learning. I believe in a pedagogical approach of open-ended resources in a rich natural learning environment.
I am very confident in planning, organising challenging play experiences underpinned by the pre-birth to three and curriculum for excellence guidelines.
Job Titles:
- Head Chef
- Head Chef for Pinocchios, Cooking for Eskbank, Lasswade and Gilmerton
Nicky has worked for the Pinocchio's family for 20 years. She is a qualified chef for over 30 years; who is fully dedicated and passionate about her role. Nicky's food hygiene standards are exceptionally high; this is acknowledged by the Environmental Health who praise her knowledge , skills and standards and who are responsible for assessing and providing her with annual Food Hygiene Pass certificates. Nicky cooks for two of our other nurseries and maintains the same high standards of hygiene and service to these children. She is a mentor to the other Pinocchio's chef's, supporting them with menu ideas, hygiene, paper work and stock ordering.
She prepares healthy and nutritious meals using our fruit and vegetables from our nursery garden. When the fruit or vegetables are ready to be harvested, she consults with the children what they would like her to make with them. This can vary from beetroot soup to carrot cake. Nicky is very passionate about ensuring that she involves the children in planning the monthly menus. Each month she will ask the children, staff and their carers for any requests. The rooms highly if they would like a theme of food from another country IE Chinese new year or Burns days etc..
Nicky caters for children who have allergies, our families are really thankful for her dedication to ensuring their children have their dietary requirements acknowledge and supported.
Job Titles:
- Senior Practitioner Baby / Toddler Room
I have worked for Pinocchios for 11 years. I started off as a practitioner in baby room then went onto become the room leader.
I gained my HNC in childcare & education prior to me starting with Pinocchio's. Over the years I have completed various courses such as first aid, nature nurture, and autism awareness.
I am nursery champion for Health and Wellbeing. Outside of nursery I am busy with my 3 year old daughter who is also in our Early Learning room.
Job Titles:
- Nursery Manager
- Eskbank Nursery Manager
Job Titles:
- Senior Practitioner Early Learning Room
I studied at college after high school and gained a National Progression Award and a National Certificate in Childcare. I joined Pinocchio's in 2012 and since then have worked in all playrooms gaining valuable experience and knowledge. I then qualified with an SVQ Level 3 in Childcare while working in the Early Learning Room. I am now the room leader with a keen interest in story telling and providing interactive story telling for all children.
Wendy has two children. She is caring, fun and passionate about providing high quality care to the children she looks after.
Wendy began her journey with Pinocchio's as a college student. She came to Heriot-Watt on placement and once she gained her SVQ3 qualification applied for a position as a practitioner in 2020.
Wendy enjoys spending time outdoors with the children.