Back in 2011 Stacey Bailey joined childcare provider Fennies as a nursery manager.
Seven years on she still feels excited about coming into work every morning.
We asked Stacey to tell us what it is she loves about working for the family-run nursery provider, which has 10 nurseries across Surrey and South London.
1. I feel part of a family
“At Fennies everybody knows everybody’s name,” she says. “Even though we’ve doubled in size since I’ve joined, we all still know each other whether you’re a manager, room leader or practitioner.
“Fennies is a really supportive and lovely place to work.”
2. We give children the very best start in life
“Fennies aims to give children memorable experiences by supporting them to grow and learn in a fun and enjoyable way,” says Stacey.
To do this every Fennies nursery uses the Communication-Friendly Spaces and The Curiosity Approach in their work.
Communication-Friendly Spaces are all about creating cosy areas where children can relax and communicate both with each other and their parents or carers.
The Curiosity Approach, meanwhile, is all about creating a sense of awe and wonder through learning with resources ranging from cotton reels to water mixed with sand.
3. They nurture my skills
While Stacey joined Fennies as a nursery manager she’s now a regional manager.
It’s a promotion made possible by Fennies' commitment to developing and nurturing its staff by offering them plenty of training including level 3 childcare, team leader and foundation degree courses.
Fennies is also a place where everyone can share their ideas, which they can now do through the company’s new smartphone app for its staff.
“If someone does something amazing they can upload a picture and message via the app for everyone to see,” says Stacey. “That inspires people in other nurseries.”
4. We are recognised
Fennies holds events throughout the year that bring together people from all its nurseries together.
These include an annual Day of Excellence, where staff gather for training and team-building activities, and the awards given out at the company’s Christmas Party.
And every summer there’s a sports day where the whole of Fennies' staff get to have fun and relax, whether they are taking part in the games or not.
All of that makes Fennies both a fun and professional place to work, says Stacey: “I feel recognised here. Everyone is supportive and great to work with. You can really develop your long-term career.”
Fennies’ benefits offer includes:
– Competitive pay
– Flexible working
– Up to 25 days’ holiday
– Up to 40% off childcare
– Free DBS check