Meet the Team
Our Team
As a team, we are dedicated to continually reflect and improve on our professional practice. All our staff are vigorously vetted and checked before and during their employment with us. They are first aid trained and have a wealth of knowledge and experience between them.
As an employer, we strive to support staff through continuous professional development opportunities and we exceed the minimum qualification requirements set out by Ofsted. We focus on respectful interactions which we role-model to each other and the children to promote positive behaviour.
Many of the practitioners also adopt an additional role to research and enhance the practice of our setting as a whole. The impact of these additional roles reverberates through the team to improve the service we provide.
Our manager is proud to be an Apprentice Ambassador with Exeter College and the nursery was awarded with 'Small Employer of the Year' in 2018 for the work to support apprentices.
Meet the Senior Leadership Team
Lydia Wright
MANAGING DIRECTOR - BA (HONS), EYT, BATD, DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADManaging Director and Designated Safeguarding Lead - Lydia has been working in Early Years Education for 14 years and has overseen the management side of things across 4 different early years settings over the past 11 years. She has always enjoyed working with children to watch them develop, achieve and thrive. She is also passionate about working with members of the team to offer career and training opportunities to enhance their practice. Her passion lies in continuous improvement and she is always looking for new and innovative ways to strengthen the nursery as a whole to benefit the children and families in attendance.
Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her husband and son in Exmouth where they live. On weekends you can often find her family enjoy walks, meeting friends and supporting the local community, one coffee and cake at a time.
Kim Heale
CHILDCARE MANAGER and SENDcoKim has over 15 years’ experience working in Early Years and has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience over the years. She enjoys working closely with families to get to know them and how the nursery can support them effectively. Kim has an interest in supporting children with additional needs and has focused much of her attention on getting children the right level of support.
Kim welcomed her first child, Lily, in February 2022 and has been able to use her knowledge of both a parent and professional to strengthen the bonds she has with our families. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family.
Lucy Walker
DEPUTY CHILDCARE MANAGER - LEVEL 5Lucy started working in Early Years when she was just 17 years old; starting as an apprentice and working her way up all the way to Deputy Manager. Although she works in the office, she is always in and out of all the rooms interacting with the children.
When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time exploring the area with her Husband and dog (a fluffy little cockapoo called Oscar who likes to get up to no good!). Lucy also has an interest in fitness and is keen to get the team involved in physical challenges such as the Race for Life Pretty Mudder.
Susanna Goffe
Teaching, Learning and Phonics Lead, Level 6 and Early Years TeacherSusanna started working with preschool aged children about 3 years ago; she loves working with this age group and coming up with fun and challenging activity ideas. Last year, she completed Early Years Teacher Status (EYT post-graduate qualification) which furthered her knowledge and experience across the early years age ranges. Susanna has previous experience working in schools which helps her to understand what children need for their next stage of learning.
In her spare time she enjoys running (a lot!) with Teignbridge Trotters Club in Newton. Susanna mostly functions on coffee!
Hannah Tilley
ACORN ROOM LEAD (3 - 5 YEARS) - LEVEL 5Hannah has Room Lead of Acorn room and has built a wealth of experience in Early Years since the age of 20. Hannah has already previously managed an Early Years setting but has re-joined as a Room Lead after taking some time off to be with her own children. Due to her experience and expertise, Hannah is a strong and caring leader with an interest in promoting every child’s independence.
In her spare time Hannah enjoys spending quality time with her family as well as going to the gym.
Chloe Bradshaw
DAISY ROOM LEAD (2 - 3 YEARS) - LEVEL 3Chloe started working in early years with us 5 years ago as a level 2 apprentice. She then went on to a level 3 apprenticeship, during which time she became deputy room lead due to the huge amount of skills and experience she had gained. She is now proud to have been given the opportunity to be Room Leader and is enjoying adapting the curiosity approach in Daisy Room with the support of her team. Chloe finds early years so rewarding and enjoys how every day can be so different and exciting.
In her spare time, Chloe enjoys spending time with her two house bunnies (who you may have seen visited nursery in the past) and going to the gym.
Josie Virgin
PEBBLE ROOM LEAD (BIRTH - 2 YEARS) - LEVEL 3Josie is the Room Leader in Pebble Room; the room for our youngest children to grow, explore and thrive. She has been working at Little Pearls (which used to be known as Horizon Childcare) since 2020, however all together she has 10+ years’ experience working in Early Years. She started off doing an apprenticeship at level 2, then level 3 before eventually becoming a Deputy Room Leader and now a Room Leader. She is really enjoying the opportunity of a Room Lead role and will always aim to give your child the best possible start to their education, as well as providing all the love and care they require. After doing this with her own two children, she knows that this can also be a scary time for you as the parents/carers. She will do her very best to make you feel happy and comfortable when leaving your precious baby in our care.
Josie spends a lot of my spare time with her partner and our two children. Her eldest is about to start reception and the other is a fearless toddler. Josie’s family enjoy visiting lots of different places and also enjoy spending time at home, baking or playing with toys.
Staff Deployment
Recruitment Information
As a nursery rapidly growing in popularity, we are always looking to hear from inspiring individuals looking to join and enhance our team. If your values fit our ethos and you want to provide outstanding education and care to children, please get in touch with us.
Our team has been consistently voted as our greatest asset by the parents. If you want to be part of an inclusive and welcoming environment with opportunities for further training and career progression, follow the link below to fill out an application form. We look forward to hearing from you!
Careers at Little Pearls
Passionate about childcare, continued professional growth, or interested in an apprenticeship?