Early Years Strategic Lead

Gemma will collaborate with all EY settings to develop and coordinate a unified EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) strategy across the Oak Partnership Trust. In addition, she will provide support to schools in implementing the EYFS component of the Excellence Strategy, focusing on areas such as phonics development, staff training, and school improvement consultancy.

With 18 years of experience in Early Years education, Gemma brings a wealth of expertise to her role, having most recently served as the Early Years Strategic Lead for our Trust. She has recently earned her NPQEYL (National Professional Qualification in Early Years Leadership) and also works as an Early Years Specialist for County.

 

Nadia Conner

Manager 

Nadia has been an integral part of The Oak Partnership for several years, beginning her journey at our sister setting, Woodlands Nursery in Ruishton. She later joined Little Herons during the lockdown period and quickly became a valued and permanent member of the team.

Throughout her time within the Trust, Nadia has continued to develop her leadership skills and professional knowledge, progressing from practitioner to Deputy Manager and now to her current role as Nursery Manager. She brings a wealth of experience to the setting and has a strong understanding of the day-to-day operational, educational and pastoral responsibilities involved in leading a busy Early Years provision.

Nadia has completed her bachelor’s degree and is currently nearing completion of her NPQEYL (National Professional Qualification for Early Years Leadership), further strengthening her knowledge of effective leadership, curriculum development, staff development and high-quality Early Years practice.

Nadia places great importance on building positive relationships with families and ensuring that parents feel welcomed, listened to and involved in their child’s nursery experience.

Her experience, knowledge and commitment to Early Years leadership make Nadia an important part of the wider Trust Early Years team. She is passionate about ensuring that Little Herons continues to develop and that every child is provided with a safe, nurturing and inspiring environment in which they can learn, grow and thrive.

Emily Walker 

SENDco/Deputy Manager

Emily is the Deputy Manager and SENCo at Little Herons. She completed her SEND training in 2026 and uses her knowledge and experience to provide thoughtful, inclusive support for children with additional needs and their families. Emily also supports the setting as a Supporting DSL, contributing to the safeguarding and wellbeing of all children.

Emily joined Little Herons in September 2017 as an apprentice. Since then, she has successfully completed her apprenticeship and gained her NVQ Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification, becoming a valued permanent member of the team. Emily brings a passionate, nurturing, calm and caring approach to her role. She has built strong relationships with children, families and colleagues and is committed to helping every child feel safe, supported and confident. Her warm and approachable manner, alongside her growing leadership responsibilities, make her an important part of the Little Herons team.

Lucia Baker

Nursery Practitioner

Lucia joined Little Herons when it first opened in 2016 and now has over nine years of experience working with young children.

Lucia is a warm, caring and enthusiastic practitioner who brings a real sense of fun to the setting. She has developed strong skills in supporting children’s learning and development through positive interactions, play and everyday experiences, and has a natural ability to engage children and build trusting relationships with them.

Lucia is attentive to children’s individual needs and uses her experience to help them feel secure, confident and supported. She is also a very helpful and dependable member of the team, always willing to support colleagues and contribute to the smooth running of the nursery.

Her experience, nurturing approach and strong practical skills make her a valued and important member of the Little Herons team.

Roxy Depledge

Nursery Practitioner

Roxy joined Little Herons in June 2020 as an apprentice and, following the successful completion of her qualification, became a permanent member of the team.

Roxy is a warm, caring and enthusiastic practitioner who has a natural ability to connect with children and build positive, trusting relationships. She brings a vibrant and creative approach to her practice and has a particular strength in developing engaging continuous provision and learning opportunities that capture children’s interests and encourage them to explore, investigate and learn through play.

Roxy is passionate about ensuring that every child makes the most of their time at Little Herons. She uses her knowledge of the children and their individual interests to support their learning and development while helping them to feel happy, confident and secure within the setting.

Her creativity, enthusiasm and genuine commitment to the children make Roxy a valued and important member of the Little Herons team.

Mariam Bi Nursery Practitioner

Mariam  joined the Little Herons team in 2024. She is a qualified teacher and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role within Early Years. Miriam is also currently nearing completion of her Level 2 Early Years qualification, further developing her knowledge and skills within the sector.

Miriam is passionate about working with young children and has developed wonderful relationships with the children in her care. Her warm, nurturing and enthusiastic approach helps children to feel happy, secure and confident within the setting.

Miriam has a genuine love for Early Years and takes great pride in supporting children’s learning and development. She is a caring and valued member of the Little Herons team who is committed to helping every child enjoy their time with us and reach their full potential.

Rebecca Steel Nursery Practitioner 

Rebecca joined Little Herons at the end of June 2026 and has already been a lovely addition to the team.

Rebecca brings a warm, caring and enthusiastic approach to her work with the children and has quickly begun building positive relationships with both children and colleagues. She has a natural passion and interest in SEND and is particularly keen to develop her knowledge and experience in supporting children with additional needs.

From September 2026, Rebecca will begin working towards her Level 3 qualification in Child Development, giving her the opportunity to further strengthen her understanding of children’s learning, development and individual needs.

We are excited to see Rebecca continue to grow in confidence and develop her practice, we look forward to seeing where her Early Years journey takes her.

 

Jamie Hill Nursery Practitioner

Jamie joins the Little Herons team as a practitioner in September 2026, having already spent the past 12 months with us as a student on voluntary placement.

During this time, Jamie has made an extremely positive impression on the team. She has developed warm and trusting relationships with the children and has demonstrated a strong understanding of the EYFS, alongside a natural ability to support children’s learning and development through play, interaction and everyday experiences.

Jamie is currently studying towards her Level 3 Early Years qualification, which she hopes to complete at the beginning of 2027. Throughout her placement, we have been incredibly impressed by her enthusiasm, professionalism and the confidence she has developed in her practice.

We are delighted that Jamie has accepted a permanent position with us and look forward to supporting her as she continues to develop her knowledge, experience and career within Early Years.

Phoebe Osborne Nursery Practitioner 

Phoebe joins the Little Herons team in September 2026 and is beginning an exciting new journey within Early Years.

Although new to the role, Phoebe already brings a great deal of enthusiasm, confidence and a genuine passion for working with young children. She has a warm and positive approach and demonstrates a good understanding of the importance of responding to children’s individual needs and helping them to feel safe, secure and valued.

Phoebe will be working towards her Level 3 Early Years qualification, enabling her to further develop her knowledge of child development, the EYFS and high-quality Early Years practice.

We are really looking forward to supporting Phoebe as she builds her skills and experience and becomes an established member of the Little Herons team.

 

Sasha Warren

Nursery Administration Manager 

Nursery Administration Manager

Sasha joined Little Herons in December 2021 and now works across all of the nurseries within our Trust, providing essential administrative support to each setting.

With extensive experience in administration, Sasha brings a wealth of knowledge, organisation and professionalism to her role. Since joining the Early Years team, she has developed a strong understanding of nursery systems, funding requirements and the day-to-day administrative needs of busy Early Years settings.

Sasha is responsible for a wide range of important administrative duties across the nurseries, including managing funding, billing and invoicing, supporting with nursery enquiries, admissions and bookings, and helping families with questions relating to their childcare arrangements and funded entitlement. She also works closely with nursery leaders and the wider Trust team to ensure that information is accurate, systems run smoothly and families receive clear and timely support.

Sasha is often one of the first points of contact for both new and existing families and always provides a warm, friendly and welcoming presence. She takes great pride in ensuring that enquiries are dealt with efficiently and professionally and is always willing to go the extra mile to help parents, staff and colleagues.

Her knowledge, reliability and attention to detail make her an incredibly valuable part of our Early Years team. Working across all of our nursery settings, Sasha plays an important role in ensuring that the administrative side of the provision runs smoothly, allowing nursery teams to focus on providing the very best care and education for our children.