Jesters Day Nursery & Pre-School Bicknacre

My name is Jennie and I am the Under 3’s Nursery Manager at Bicknacre and the Servicewide Designated Safeguarding Lead. I have over 20 years of experience in the early years sector and most of this has been in a leadership role. I have a Level 4 Early Years qualification and a Level 3 qualification in Management.

I originally started at Jesters when we first opened our early years service at Bicknacre and Danbury in 2017. I launched the service with the Directors and have been instrumental in its development since then. I also then went on to open our Beaulieu Nursery & Pre-School setting in 2018 before transitioning into a role to support the whole Jesters service, working with, and supporting our setting Managers until 2023. I am really excited to come back ‘home’ to our beautiful Bicknacre setting as the Under 3’s Nursery Manager and have the opportunity to shape this new targeted offer for Jesters.

80% of a brain is developed by the time a child is 3 years old. This is the best opportunity for a child’s brain to develop the connections they need to be healthy, capable, successful adults. The connections needed for many important higher-level abilities like motivation, self-regulation, problem-solving and communication are formed in these early years. It’s much harder for these essential brain connections to be formed in later life. This really shows the importance of these early years and getting those foundations right for our babies and toddlers.

Hello, I’m Charlotte and I returned to Jesters after having some time out to pursue other interests. I am looking forward to progressing here at Jesters and fulfilling my passion for working with children.

I have progressed my career within Jesters from Early Years Assistant to Deputy Manager here at Bicknacre Nursery & Pre-School and Fawns Room Leader working in the lovely Baby Cottage.

Working at Jesters gives me a very homely feel and a sense of family which I wouldn’t change for the world.

Hello, I’m Rachel, Head of Education at Jesters. I have over 12 years of experience in childcare and education and have taught in both nursery and school settings. I am passionate about child development and will always go above and beyond to ensure that all children are provided with exceptional learning and care opportunities.

I am part of the leadership teams at all Jester's settings. My role is to shape education and the curriculum across the service. I have Early Years Professional status.

I love helping children develop and grow and often seek inspiration from one of my favourite quotes “Do not compare your child to others, there’s no comparison between the sun and the moon. They shine when it’s their time” – I look forward to helping the children shine.

Hello, I am Hollie, the Servicewide Nursery School & Curriculum Lead developing and nurturing our Jesters pre-schoolers. I have always had an immense passion for helping others and making a difference, and because of this, I always knew I wanted to work with children, positively impacting their lives and helping them thrive and learn.

Growing up, I always admired my teachers and couldn’t wait until I could inspire other young children too. I completed my University Degree in Early Years and Primary Education and QTS Qualifications, and have been working in childcare and education since 2014. I have loved every minute and continue to do so here at Jesters.