Throughout her 25 year leadership, Helen has been the recipient of many accolades from parents, staff and beyond and recognised by Ofsted four times as an outstanding childcare provider.
To cap it all, she has now been awarded an MBE in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Helen is the owner-manager of three settings across West Bridgford – two WBOOSC kids clubs and the Playroom Nursery and plays a very active hands on role with her team.
The result of her passion to do the absolute best for everyone – children, team, families, has given success at the highest ‘outstanding’ level from Ofsted across all three settings.
In a personal letter, Her Majesty’s chief inspector said “The judgement of outstanding means you are exceptional and significant elements of your work are exemplary.
An MBE – Member of the Order of the British Empire, is awarded to individuals who make life better for other people or are outstanding at what they do.
Helen achieves on both levels. Her inspiring leadership and compassion, helps ensure that children’s voices are heard, their individual care is second to none, families are supported to a very high level and her dynamic enthusiastic approach encourages all members of her team to work to an extraordinarily high level.
Helen believes that to get the best out of your team, they have to enjoy their jobs and her motivation is for everyone to do so by supporting them inside and outside the workplace, regular treats and being a listening ear.
Covid restrictions are making things hard for nursery life currently, but at WBOOSC and The Playroom, the whole management team are doing their best to find unique ways to move forward.
Helen kept the childcare doors flexibly open for some 31 children of keyworker families throughout the whole of ‘lockdown’ and re-opened The Playroom on the 1st June with 88% occupancy.
Helen said: “It was lovely to know that families felt so safe in returning and had obviously such a high level of trust in me.
“Whilst most of the team were on furlough, they were passionate to keep in touch with the children which helped keep me inspired too. I am not going to pretend that the ‘lockdown’ was easy in any way – it was terrifying and continues to be as we make absolutely every effort to keep our team and children safe.
“Our highlight of lockdown however, was being able to help so many keyworker families with the flexible arrangements that were often needed and engaging in zoom conferences with up to 25 three and four-year-olds and families at a time, helping everyone to keep in touch, playing games together and continuing the children’s desire to learn”.
Parents united in their recognition of the hard work that Helen was putting in to keep in touch with regular emails of support. M’s mum said: “Thank you so much for your response, it was really considerate and detailed.
“You’ve been so fantastic throughout this whole lockdown period. I couldn’t be any happier knowing M has a place at the Playroom because you’ve handled it so brilliantly” and “Thank you for all the detailed and clearly set out information you have been providing. It must be incredibly difficult thinking of ways to implement and manage the changes needed when you reopen.
“We feel so happy to know M has a place at such a brilliant and safe nursery, the fact that you are closing down your summer holiday provision to make space for the nursery children to spread out safely, at a financial loss to yourselves, just goes to show that”.
F’s mum said: “Thanks for reaching out to take into consideration requests for the children to ensure they settle back in as speedily as possible. We very much appreciate the mammoth task you and the team have ahead and are really pleased with the plans you will have in place to ensure the safety of everyone”.
As other nurseries closed, children of keyworkers moved across to the Playroom with doctors stating “I’d just like to say thank you for the amazing help you have been and the flexibility you have shown us, L&A.
“We are very grateful for you helping us out in such a difficult time. J’s dad said: “I know that the childcare service you provide is of exceptional quality and I would never put your business in-line with other nurseries as the quality of childcare you provide is truly outstanding and A’s mum backed this further with “Thank you so much, you really are being brilliant and doing a fantastic job. We really do appreciate how accommodating and helpful you’re being through all of this, it’s been such a relief to us to have consistent and excellent childcare available”.
Helen tells us that she is absolutely delighted to receive this exceptional award from the Queen.
“My focus over the past goodness knows how many years, has been to ensure as adults, that we listen to our young children and help them enjoy and achieve through providing a very safe and secure environment both physically and emotionally, create a wide variety of exciting and challenging play and to work closely with families to focus on this goal.
“To achieve this level of recognition is unbelievable and I am completely overwhelmed. My dad was always a good role model to me teaching me right from wrong and that hard-work and careful financial planning gets good results. He was so proud of his Auntie who had achieved an MBE.
“Sadly he has now passed away but I know he would have been so proud of this moment, so proud of me. So a big thank you to him for all his guidance over the years and an even bigger thank you to every member of staff that has ever worked with me, every one of the thousands of children that we have ever cared for and the amazing families that put their trust in me. I am so proud of you all and without this amazing team effort and so many special people, I would not be in this position now. I am truly humbled and grateful.”
