We have been on our own journey ourselves; just a few years ago we did not have effective, inspirational leaders, our rooms were over-stimulating, we had unmotivated staff and unengaging environments. It took a conscious decision and fresh eyes to identify the need for change, as our appeal to work with us was low, staff turnover was high, and the nursery generally operated at a 65% occupancy. But we couldn’t work out how.
We invested in a consultant, someone who could identify our issues and lead us to success. In reality, our ex-Ofsted inspector consultant was ineffective, upsetting for the staff team and didn’t give us any long-term achievements. This experience, plus a few more ‘mocksteds’, was the spark for our Academy. How could we look at training a nursery differently?
COVID-19 hit; the Early Years sector was catapulted into unknown territory, and we realised the importance of us. With a huge demand for supporting personal, social, and emotional and promoting well-being for children, staff, and parents, we had to come up with something different.
This was our chance to create change. We took everything back to basics, staff engagement, environments and developed the vision and ethos of Abbotswood.
We re-structured roles and responsibilities, collaborating with Roxanne, who came to us with the drive to take her years of experience and implement her wisdom. Together we created:
1. A clear vision and goals that the team were involved in creating.
2. We identified what type of setting we wanted to be, and we believed in – getting to know the staff, identifying their strengths and utilising that.
3. We moved outdoors – our primary space.
4. We simplified the environment; we decluttered the loud rooms and created calm, intentional spaces to play, a space where the children and adults enjoyed being in.
5. We implemented a robust apprenticeship programme; we employ and nurture three times the number of apprentices the nursery needs.
Once we had the basics in place, it was time to build on it and we went on a journey of discovery. What happened next?
We have since built and opened a 60-place pre-school lodge, we’ve extended our nursery to accommodate over 100 children every day and employed and developed 50 staff, who are level 2 apprentices all the way up to qualified teachers. When you invest in your team, when they understand the why, when the team see their workplace as a place of opportunity – you are limitless in what you can achieve.
We want you to come on our training because it not only refreshes your knowledge, but we believe it inspires. It makes you think differently. You take something away. We don’t have all the answers, but we do have the skills to help you empower staff and parents go on their own journey of discovery about the magic of Early Years.
