Staff bios

Natasha

Director & Early Years Manager (Letchworth and Hitchin), Level 3

• Designated Safeguarding Lead

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Designated Safeguarding Person Trained

Natasha joined Early Bird In 2010 and at pre-school enjoys being creative and introducing new activities and experiences.

Favourite book: Monkey and Me 

Favourite Rhyme/song: Sleeping Bunnies

Denisse

Director & Early Years Manager (Wheathampstead and Hitchin), Level 6

• Designated Safeguarding Lead

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Designated Safeguarding Person Trained

Denisse joined Early Bird In 2006 and at pre-school enjoys reading stories to the children and supporting children to become independent. She is passionate about children learning through play and each child having a voice and their individual needs being met at Early Bird.

Favourite book: The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Favourite Rhyme/song: Tommy Thumb

Ebony

Director & Early Years Leader (Letchworth), Level 6

• Designated Safeguarding Lead

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Designated Safeguarding Person Trained

Ebony joined Early Bird in 2007. At pre-school she loves reading stories, singing and being creative.

Favourite book: The Colour Monster

Favourite Rhyme/song: Jelly Man

Ella

Early Years Leader (Wheathampstead), Level 6 QTS

• Designated Safeguarding Officer

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Designated Safeguarding Person Trained

• Health & Safety Officer

Ella joined Early Bird in 2023. She is an experienced early years teacher with a wealth of experience from Reception to Day Nurseries. She really enjoys spending time with each individual child who attends the setting adding challenge and teaching to every interaction. Ella spends the majority of her time with the Fledgling children but also spends time as her role of setting leader in the Nest.

Favourite book: We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Favourite rhyme / song: The Wheels on the Bus

Becky

Early Years Leader (Strathmore), Level 6

• Designated Safeguarding Officer

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

Becky joined Early Bird In 2024

Favourite book:  

Favourite Rhyme/song:

Katherine

Finance Manager

Level 3 Business & Administration

• Child Protection trained

• Paediatric First Aider

Katherine joined Early Birds in 2019. She loves listening to children play the piano outside the office window while she is working!

Favourite book: Little Rabbit Foo Foo

Favourite Rhyme/song: Dingle Dangle Scarecrow

Syreta

Early Years Deputy Leader (Letchworth), Level 3

• Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SenCo)

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection trained

• SenCo trained

Syreta joined Early Bird in 2007. At pre-school Syreta’s favourite things are reading stories and small world/imaginative play .

Favourite book: The Three Little Pigs

 Favourite Rhyme/song: Wind the Bobbin Up 

Dawn

Early Years Deputy Leader (Wheathampstead), Level 3

• Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (CERTSEY Level 3)

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

• Woodwork and Fire Safety Trained

Dawn joined Early Bird in 2022. At pre-school she loves being outdoors teaching children to develop lifelong skills using real resources - camp fires, woodwork and gardening are just a few of the strings to her bow. Dawn loves evaluating the risk/benefit for children and providing them with opportunities to explore new activities. Dawn works mainly with our Fledgling children but supports the children in our Nest with forest school activties.

Favourite book: Colour Monster

Favourite Rhyme/song: Wind the bobbin up

Charlotte

Early Years Deputy Leader (Strathmore), Level 3

Charlotte joined Early Bird in 2024.

Hayley

Nest Room Leader (Letchworth), Level 3

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection trained

Hayley joined the Early Birds team after Easter 2023. She loves outdoor play and craft activities.

Favourite book: The Tiger Who Came to Tea

Favourite song/rhyme: Sticky Kids

Juanita

Nest Room Leader (Wheathampstead), Level 3

• Designated Safeguarding Officer

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

Juanita joined Early Bird In 2024. She enjoys helping our littlest early bird's settle into, what is for most, their first time being away from their parents in an early years setting. She enjoys sharing books and introducing new activities and experiences for the children to explore.

Favourite book: A Squash and a Squeeze

Favourite Rhyme/song: Little Green Frog

Jessica

Nest Room Leader (Strathmore), Level 3

Jess joined Early Bird in 2024.

Kirstie

Level 3 Senior Early Years Practitioner (Letchworth)

• Health & Safety Officer

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Kirstie joined Early Bird’s in 2012 and her favourite activities at pre-school are playing outside and getting involved in lots of messy activities.

Favourite book: The Gingerbread Man

Favourite Rhyme/song: Tommy Thumb

Lyndsey

Senior Early Years Practitioner (Wheathampstead), Level 3

• Home Learning Coordinator

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Lyndsey joined Early Bird in 2022. She is our resident STEM enthusiast and loves challenging and demonstrating different experiments with the children. Lyndsey is based in our Fledgling room.

Favourite book: Supertato

Favourite rhyme / song: Wind the bobbin

Kerry

Level 3 Early Years Practitoner (Letchworth)

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Kerry joined Early Bird’s in 2012 and at pre-school enjoys making playdough with the children and exploring the water tray.  

Favourite book: The Gruffalo

Favourite Rhyme/song: Signing Baa Baa Black Sheep

Sarah

Level 3 Early Years Practitioner (Letchworth)

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Sarah joined Early Bird’s in 2019 and her favourite activities at pre-school are singing and messy play.

Favourite book: The Gruffalo

Favourite Rhyme/song: Little Peter Rabbit

Nick

Level 4 Early Years Practitioner (Letchworth)

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Nick joined Early Bird’s in 2018 and at pre-school likes having fun in the mud kitchen.

Favourite book: Room on the Broom

Favourite Rhyme/song: Go Bananas

Caitlin

Early Years Helper (Letchworth), Level 3 Apprentice

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection trained

Caitlin joined us in the summer term of 2023. In September 2024 Caitlin started her Level 3 early years qualification and became a key person in our Nest room. She enjoys messy play and craft activities.

Favourite book: The Colour Monster

Favourite rhyme/song: Pass the Lemon

Maisie

Early Years Educator (Letchworth), Level 3 Apprentice

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection trained

Maisie has been with us since March 2023. In September 2024 she started her level 3 early years qualification and became a key person in our Fledgling room. She enjoys creative play and sharing stories.

Favourite book: What the Ladybird Heard

Favourite rhyme/song: Dinosaur Rumpus

Emma

Early Years Practitioner (Wheathampstead), Level 3

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Emma joined Early Bird in 2022. At pre-school she enjoys being creative and making playdoh, experimenting with colours and smells. Emma loves watching the children grow in confidence and independence. Emma is based in our Nest.

Favourite book: The Smeds and Smoods

Favourite Rhyme/song: Tiny Turtle

Lershay Rodgers

Early Years Educator (Strathmore), Level 3

Shay joined Early Bird in 2024.

Sarah

Early Years Helper (Wheathampstead), Level 2

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Sarah joined Early Bird in 2022. At pre-school she loves to bring energy and fun, in particular singing and dancing. She loves bringing stories to life through using the children's senses and adding props. Sarah spends time with both the Nest and Fledgling children.

Favourite book: We're Going on a Bear Hunt

Favourite Rhyme/song: Sandy Girl

Mary

Early Years Helper (Wheathampstead), Level 3

• Paediatric First Aider

• Food Hygiene Certificate

• Child Protection Trained

Mary joined Early Bird in 2022 and had been at playgroup for many years. She loves sharing books with the children and supporting their independence. Mary works with both our Nest and Fledgling children.

Favourite book: The Blue Balloon

Favourite rhyme / song: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Le'oshe

Early Years Helper (Wheathampstead), Level 2

• Child Protection Trained

Le'oshe joined Early Bird in 2024. At pre-school she loves to spend time on the carpet supporting children in their play. Le'oshe is based in the Fledgling room.

Favourite book: The Lion Inside

Favourite Rhyme/song: Peter Rabbit