Come and Meet the People in our Family – Our staff

A successful nursery is the sum of all of its people.

Staff

Our staff are chosen to maintain a balance of older and younger, experienced and recently qualified and apprentice nursery assistants. We have many long serving staff  (even one or two from the very beginning) and we’re proud to say that we have generations of families with us.

All are highly trained and knowledgeable in child development. We have people studying at level 5 and for university degrees.

All nursery staff are screened by the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) and undergo annual Staff Suitability Declaration checks.

Parents

Parents are also part of our team. Dialogue with parents is an essential tool to help us provide the most effective nursery practice. Parents are asked to contribute to the ‘parent input’ sheet, which are in every room and in each child’s file. This should include significant interests or activities so that we can include them in our day to day planning.

We have a ‘WOW’ wall where staff and parents can write their child’s achievements, for example a swimming badge, dance medal, counting objects…anything!  We have our ‘luggage label’ system which enables parents to document their child’s achievements at home.

We are happy to discuss our observations with parents and welcome feedback with observations and activities from home.

 

Management Teams

Our managers are all well qualified and very experienced in all  things childcare.

 

We were delighted to have won the category for Supporting Young people in the 2018 Oldham Business Awards.

This was to recognise the work we do our young people,  from apprentices, though level 2, level 3 and higher. Our managers work hard monitoring, supporting and developing the new staff and ‘growing’ them into Channings staff who hopefully stay with us a long time.  Amongst our managers, Janine, started with us an apprentice and Rebecca started as a college placement student. Brilliant examples of progression.

 

 

Managers

Senior management team –

Sharon Harrison

Joined us on day one

Sharon was the first person Catherine ever employed back in September 1989. At the time, Sharon promised Catherine she would give her all to the job and she has done just that! Sharon is Catherine’s right hand and Catherine would be the first to admit that Channings wouldn’t be where it is today without her help. Sharon is a qualified NNEB, ADCE and NVQ level 4 and over the years has worked in every area of the nursery business.

Diane Brooks

Joined us in 2008

Diane has managed 2 of our nurseries. She opened Chadderton Way and was very involved with the opening of Channings Rochdale. She provides continuity among all of the nurseries and the link with head office.

 

 

Our team of Nursery Managers  –

 

Janine Marsden

Janine joined us in 2010. Janine joined Channings Childcare as an apprentice and has very successfully progressed through the company. Janine has worked at Chadderton Way and Rochdale. Janine’s daughter attends nursery now. Janine has just from maternity leave and is now mummy to 2 daughters.

Laura Mooney 

Laura joined us in 2007. Laura has been based at Royton and Chadderton Way. Laura’s son attended Channings but has now left us for school

Kate Hoggard 

Kate joined us in the summer of 2019.  Kate, a qualified teacher,  left her previous teaching role to join her mum at Channings Childcare. The family line continues.

Helena Stubbings

Helena joined us in the Autumn of 2019. Helena has worked in childcare since 2004 and is an experienced nursery manager who has worked mainly in the south Manchester area.

Kathryn Cocker

Joined us in 2001, left briefly then returned in 2014. Kathryn has worked in, and managed several of our nurseries.  Kathryn also looks after our Human Resources, among many other things.

Melissa Helliwell

Joined us in 2012. Mel has progressed from a nursery assistant to baby room leader and toddler room leader, then deputy and now manager.    Mel has been based at Newhey and Rochdale. Mel recently returned from maternity leave after having her son.

 

SENCO

Janet Wright  joined us in 2008 and has worked in various roles, including managing  Royton.   Janet is now our Senior SENCO.     SENCO stands for Special Educational Needs Coordinator,  she works with all our managers to identify and plan the support required for children who need additional assistance.

 

The Backroom Team

Our head office staff keep our organisation running. Like any backroom team you will rarely come across them but they enable our managers to concentrate on the job of caring for children. Karen Warrington and Kathryn Cunliffe are our financial administrators.

We have our own building and maintenance team, who have been with us for a number of years. This means that any work that needs doing to improve or repair our nurseries, inside or out, is done by our own staff whom we know and trust. We are always updating our premises to improve the facilities for our children and staff.

 

Apprentices

Apprentices are an integral part our nursery.  It gives young people the opportunity to work within our nursery, whilst learning and gaining childcare qualifications at level 2 and 3. If you are interested in an apprenticeship please email or telephone our head office.

We work closely with the local college and also work with training agencies to recruit and train apprentices.

It is important to us that we support our staff, whether they are new to childcare, on an apprenticeship or studying for higher level qualifications.

 

Career Opportunities

We are always looking for experienced, Level 3 Childcare qualified nursery practitioners across our Channings Childcare children’s nurseries. Like our children, we are growing too.  If you are hard working, reliable and enthusiastic about working with children from 0-5, then you’re the sort of person we need.

Working with children is incredibly rewarding.   After all, you are caring for, nurturing and educating the next generation. When parents leave their children at Channings Childcare, they are leaving their most valued and treasured commodity: their child.     It is a privilege and a role which carries enormous responsibility.

If you would like to join our amazing team, please email us on    info@channingschildcare.co.uk  with a CV.