At Tadpoles we only choose the most highly qualified and experienced staff.  All of our staff have Early Years Degrees/Qualified Teacher Status and 1 is currently studying for their Masters Degree in Early Childhood Studies.   We ensure that every member of staff is trained in Speech and Language development.  We ensure that we have enough permanent staff so that we do not have the need to rely on and use ‘supply’ staff.  All members of staff are trained in Paediatric First Aid.  We have a very low turnover of staff.

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Our Principal, Claire, has a wide and varied range of teaching experience and is very much involved with other aspects of education within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the Parliamentary Review for Early Years.  Claire was invited to write a first article for the Parliamentary Review publication – the first to focus on education in the Early Years and has since been given the honour of becoming a member of the Parliamentary Review Leadership Council, her thoughts are now featured in many articles and she is also able to help with questions and regulations put forward by parliament. You can hear some of her thoughts voiced in interviews [Podcasts] with the review – focusing on the shaping of today’s philosophy behind learning through play and exploration and the brain development of a child pre 5 years.

 

Claire teaches at Kensington regularly to ensure that she gets to know every child in the school and is available to answer any questions and discuss any concerns that may arise.  Claire is a child, Play Therapist and will take children who are having difficulties and help them explore and work through these.

 

Claire’s links with the ‘next schools’ within this and surrounding boroughs is invaluable and she is always available to give help and advice on future schools for all of the children in her care.

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Our head, Natalie, has been working in the Tadpoles Nursery Group for 15 years and as a manager [at our Chelsea school] for 9 of these.  We are very proud that she will enter her 16th year with us as the lead at our Kensington school.  Her experience, knowledge and passion for early years education are apparent in every aspect of her teaching and working life.  Natalie has been a huge part of the development of the Tadpoles Nursery schools over the years and will take on the headship of Kensington in her stride.  She has a well respected career within Kensington and Chelsea and the surrounding boroughs and is known well by the heads and registrars of the 'next schools.

 

Our Administrator & Registrar is Francesca [also Claire’s eldest daughter]. Francesca is in charge of the school lists, admissions and also runs the main administration and business end of the school. She tried spends time in every classroom and keeps up to date with each child's tracking to make certain that she gets to know every child within the school.  Francesca is your first 'port of call' should you have any questions or wish to make an enquiry regarding a place at [either of] the school[s].

 

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