The thriving local nursery at Sunderland Springboard in Pallion is opening its doors to local families for a special open week, hosted by two former Springboard learners from Sunderland, who started their childcare careers as apprentices with the training company.
Jane Waggott and Gemma Dunn have risen through the ranks at Springboard to the positions of Nursery Deputy Manager and Nursery Nurse respectively. They have shown the value of Springboard’s apprenticeships in providing training and new skills to local people, leading to rewarding careers in childcare.
The dedicated staff have been integral to the success of the nursery, which for the past 11 years has catered primarily for local pre-school children aged 1-5 years. The past year has been seen many positive changes and developments, the highlight of which was the nursery receiving a very positive ‘Good’ report from an unannounced OFSTED inspection.
Jane said “Springboard gave me the opportunity to get hands on experience alongside studying. I feel it is an ideal environment for people who are unsure of their future path in life. The mentors here at Springboard provided me with great support and knowledge and it is such a rewarding and satisfying experience to provide a great environment for the early-years development of children.”
Jane, who has been working at the nursery since January, and Gemma likewise since 2013, both completed their NVQ Level 3 in Childcare whilst attending Springboard which allowed them build their skills and knowledge around all aspects of childcare and early-years learning.
Gemma added “Springboard gave me the best possible start of my career as it gave me the opportunity to secure a job as soon as I completed my studies. As we have worked together as such a close team for a long time, everyone respects and values each other and this produces a really warm and safe environment for the children. Also, now I’m working in the nursery and teaching new apprentices, it’s a great opportunity for me to share my experiences and provide them with the same excellent support and advice I received.”
Denise Wilson, Trust Secretary of Springboard Sunderland Trust added “The combination of adult and child learning is crucial in building resilience in families and creates a sense of well-being and better social interactions. Our open week gives people the perfect opportunity to meet the nursery staff, have a tour of the nursery and find out about how we plan learning for each individual child and find out about family learning.”