The People Who Make the Magic Happen
Choosing a nursery is choosing people.
The people who will comfort your child. Encourage them. Notice their milestones. Support their feelings.
At Dream Big Little One, our team is carefully selected not only for qualifications — but for warmth, integrity and emotional intelligence.
Every practitioner is qualified in the area they lead. All team members maintain up-to-date Paediatric First Aid certification and complete annual safeguarding training, as well as on-going monthly continued professional development.
Because safety isn’t assumed here. It’s actively protected.
A Culture of Safety, Growth & Wellbeing
What truly sets us apart is our culture: We invest deeply in professional development — because supported adults create secure children.
Our training is led by our nursery consultant, Katie Malley, an NSPCC Associate and Accredited Safer Recruitment Trainer. Katie brings extensive expertise in safeguarding and organisational safety.
As a qualified Trauma Informed Practitioner and trainer with Trauma Informed Schools UK, she supports us in embedding a trauma-informed approach throughout the nursery — ensuring children feel emotionally safe, understood and valued.
Katie is also a certified Yoga and Meditation Teacher and a Massage in Schools Programme (MISP) Instructor, strengthening our focus on regulation, calm and wellbeing for both children and staff.
Learn more about KatieAlongside this, Liz from Grow Your Mindset is an integral part of our wider team.
Liz works closely with staff on a one-to-one basis and in group sessions, supporting reflective practice, emotional resilience and professional confidence. Her work ensures our team feels supported, steady and empowered.
And that matters.
Because when adults feel regulated and valued, children feel secure.
When children feel secure, they explore.
When they explore, they grow.
Learn more about LizOur Leadership Team
Sonja
BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education, QTS, NPQH, SLE, JP
- Advanced Safeguarding
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Paediatric First Aid
Sonja is the Owner of Dream Big Little One and brings a wealth of experience across teaching, school leadership and education improvement.
Her career has included roles as class teacher, SENCO, deputy head, adviser and Executive Principal. Her belief is simple: if we get the early years right, everything else builds from there.
Sonja works closely with Pam and the management team to oversee standards, curriculum direction and long-term vision — ensuring the nursery remains nurturing, ambitious and professionally strong.
Pam
Level 3 Childcare
- Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Paediatric First Aid
- SENCO Diploma
Pam is our highly experienced Nursery Manager and has been part of the Dream Big Little One journey for over 30 years.
She leads with consistency, care and high expectations. Pam oversees the day-to-day running of the nursery, ensuring safeguarding, teaching and care standards remain exceptional.
Families often describe Pam as the steady heart of the nursery — someone who truly knows the children and takes pride in helping them thrive.
Hannah
Level 6 Childcare • Level 5 Management
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Paediatric First Aid
Hannah is our Deputy Manager and a true champion of children.
Level 6 qualified, she leads on curriculum development and staff development across the nursery, ensuring our provision remains ambitious, reflective and rooted in best practice. Hannah supports the team to continually strengthen their teaching, interactions and understanding of child development.
She is deeply passionate about giving children a voice — championing communication, confidence and curiosity in everything she does. As our Communication Champion, she ensures language-rich environments are embedded throughout the nursery.
Hannah is very involved with Pre-School and works closely with local primary schools to ensure transitions are smooth, positive and reassuring for both children and parents.
Her leadership ensures children are not only prepared academically — but emotionally ready, resilient and confident as they move on to their next chapter.
Christine
Legal Accounts Diploma
- Paediatric First Aid
Christine leads finance and compliance for the nursery, bringing years of experience in legal practice management.
But beyond the numbers, Christine brings heart.
She is passionate about reading and can often be found in the library corner sharing stories and nurturing a love of books.
More Than Staff
A Community
Many of our team members have children of their own. The care, patience and attention they give every day reflect what they would want for their own families.
Children here are:
Celebrated for who they are
Known by name and nature
Understood as individuals
Gently guided through challenges
We work in close partnership with parents, building relationships based on trust, communication and shared ambition for every child.
Because at Dream Big Little One, we are not just caring for children.
We are helping them become confident, capable and ready to dream big.
Key Room Leaders
Behind every room is a skilled, consistent leader who truly understands that stage of development.
Elle
Room Leader – Pre-School
Elle is a qualified Early Years Teacher and leads our Pre-School provision, guiding children through their final nursery year with care and ambition.
She runs the Instagram account @thecuriouseyt, and her page has lots of top tips and inspiration for parents and other Early Years staff.
At this stage, children are developing deeper thinking, early literacy and numeracy skills, and stronger friendships. Elle ensures learning is purposeful, engaging and rooted in children’s interests.
Her focus is on building confidence, independence and school readiness — not just academically, but socially and emotionally too.
Because being ready for school means feeling capable, curious and secure.
Caroline
Senior Room Leader – Ages 2–3
Caroline leads our 2–3 year old provision across Little Explorers and Explorers.
This is a stage of huge growth — language expands rapidly, friendships begin to form and independence blossoms. Caroline has a deep understanding of this developmental phase and creates environments that balance structure with freedom.
She supports children as they learn to express emotions, ask questions, build relationships and make sense of the world around them. Under Caroline’s leadership, curiosity is encouraged, communication is nurtured and confidence grows daily.
Kirsty & Hannah
Room Leaders – Baby Room
Kirsty and Hannah lead our Baby Room with warmth, sensitivity and expert knowledge of early development.
In these earliest years, secure attachments are everything. Kirsty and Hannah prioritise calm routines, gentle communication and responsive care, ensuring babies feel safe and deeply understood.
They carefully support sensory exploration, early movement, language beginnings and emotional regulation — laying the strongest possible foundations for future learning.
Tiny steps here lead to big milestones later.
Grace
Room Leader – Toddler Room
Grace leads our Toddler Room — a vibrant space where children are finding their voice and discovering their independence.
Toddlers are learning to test boundaries, solve problems and express big feelings. Grace creates an environment that provides reassurance while encouraging exploration.
She expertly balances structure and play, supporting children to develop resilience, confidence and early social skills — helping them move from “I need help” to “I can do it!”
