Our Staff

The Management Team

Jess
Operations Manager and DSL

I started working with children in 2010 and have worked in a variety of settings, including as a nanny, child minder and in nurseries. I have also worked at PGL as an Activity Instructor and Group Leader, and at Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club as a Football Coach. I have an NVQ level 3. I joined the Amberley team in 2016.  I became a Deputy in 2018 and am now the Operations Manager.

I enjoy working with babies and toddlers and love messy play.

Lisa
Manager and DSL

I have worked at Amberley since 2001 in many roles, from a school student on placement to now being a Manager. I gained NVQs Level 2 and 3 in Early Years Care and Education whilst working as an apprentice back in the mid-2000s, later completing a foundation degree, and most recently, a first-class honours degree in Early Years Care and Education.

I am passionate about working with families to support children in learning and developing at their own pace in a happy and safe environment.

Nyree
Deputy Manager and Deputy DSL

I have worked at Amberley since 2021, from being a college work placement student to leading the toddler and preschool rooms, and now being the deputy manager. I graduated from university in 2025, achieving First Class Honours in a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Early Childhood.

I am passionate about scaffolding children's learning experiences to enable their understanding of early learning concepts, helping them to achieve milestones and enjoy learning. I love using Pinterest to create vision boards on activities and set-ups we can do with the children to make their play as fun and engaging as possible.

Mia
Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo)

I have a degree in clinical psychology and am the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator at Amberley. I have been with Amberley for over 5 years now; working as a support worker, giving additional support for children with SEN who require an extra helping hand at nursery and working my way up to becoming the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo).

I am responsible for liaising with key workers about children’s development and organising and reviewing the support we offer at Amberley. Ensuring that all children have access to the resources and opportunities that will help them succeed is very important to me, so every child can thrive.

I also love plants, if you are short on time please do not ask me about them!

The Baby Room Team

Tia
Section Leader of Babies

I joined the Amberley team in 2022 as an apprentice, and now hold my Level 3 in Early Years. I love looking after the babies, they are so cute and give the best cuddles!

My favourite thing to do at nursery is sing and dance with the children. We love singing time in the baby class, where we get out the musical instruments and practice the actions to our favourite songs.

Mirei
Early Years Educator - Baby Room

I have over 25 years of experience working in multicultural settings, embracing diverse cultural backgrounds and family dynamics. I hold an NVQ Level 2 in Early Years Care and Education, and a CACHE Level 3 Certificate of Professional Development in Working with Children and Young People.  I also have a Foundation Degree in Psychology for Education Professionals and a Bachelor of Arts in Education.

I am passionate about working with children and supporting children's learning and development through education and nurture. I am always proud to see how children develop and become confident and independent learners.

Sara
Early Years Educator - Baby Room

I’ve always been a creative person and qualified in Painting and Decorating at college, but I realised quickly that my real passion was working with children. I am currently working towards my Level 3 in Early Years. I’ve cared for a child with special educational needs since a young age, which has made me especially passionate about creating a kind and supportive environment where every child can grow and feel at ease.

I love to bring my creative energy to the little ones. I enjoy singing, painting, and engaging in various sensory activities. It’s always a joy to see how children react to new textures with paint or the sounds of splashing water—it’s those little moments that make me smile.

Bethany
Early Years Educator - Baby Room

I'm an NVQ Level 3 childcare practitioner. I have over 8 years of experience working in early years, including nurseries, schools, and private nannying.

A lot of my experience has been working with the babies, seeing their little characters develop is such a lovely thing to be a part of. I love exploring music with the children, both with voice, instruments and movement, watching them have fun and express themselves is so lovely!

Emily
Early Years Educator - Baby Room

In 2017, I graduated from the University of Bedfordshire with a First-Class Honours degree in Event Management. However, during the holidays, I began working at a small nursery in Battle, where I discovered my real love and passion for supporting children in their early years of development. Following on from this, I went on to gain my Master's in Early Years Education, with EYTS, at the University of Sussex.

I have years of experience working in nurseries, caring for babies and pre-schoolers. I have been a live-in nanny both in the UK and Australia, and I have worked very closely with children with SEND. I am a very proud mummy to my little boy Charlie who has just turned 3.
I am so excited for both of us to join the Amberley family, in particular to enjoy the amazing outdoor areas on offer!

The Toddler Room Team

Daisy
Section Leader of Toddlers

I joined the Amberley team in 2022 as an apprentice, and now hold my Level 3 in Early Years. I have lots of experience babysitting my brother's 8 children, which is never boring!

My favourite thing to do at nursery is encourage the children to get messy, especially through lots of water play and water fights to keep them cool in the summer!

Clara
Early Years Educator - Toddler Room

I studied Level 3 Health & Social Care at College, then went on to Canterbury Christ Church University to study Early Childhood Studies. I’ve previously worked at Bexhill College, assessing childcare students on placement, and then worked in a residential care home, supporting young children. I also have experience working in nurseries.

I love encouraging the children to explore messy tuff trays and the garden – they create so many opportunities for learning.

Jake
Early Years Educator - Toddler Room

I’ve been working in Early Years now for over 10 years, and recently achieved my Level 6 in Early Years!

I love engaging with the children and playing an important role in their play experiences. Circle time activities with reading or singing are a firm favourite!

Shima
Early Years Educator - Toddler Room

I have worked in both schools and nurseries for over 10 years now, joining Amberley in 2021. I was a teacher back in India, where my interest in working with children really grew.

I enjoy working with children of all ages; they bring me so much happiness. Throughout the day at the nursery, I enjoy reading stories and engaging in mark-making activities with the children. In my free time, I love cooking and often bring treats from my holidays in India for my colleagues and the children to try.

The Pre-School Room Team

Emma
Section Leader of Pre-school

I have worked in Early Years settings since I was 19. I hold my Level 3 in Early Years.

I am an auntie to 5 beautiful children, and I love spending time with them on my days off. I love reading stories and planning fun art activities for the children!

Olivia
Early Years Educator - Pre-school Room

I completed my Level 3 at college in 2019 and worked in a preschool setting until 2022. Then, I transitioned into retail, but I missed working with children so much that I just had to return to it!

My favourite thing to do at nursery is exploring the garden! This is where the real imagination comes to life!

Ruby
Early Years Educator - Pre-school Room

I joined Amberley as an apprentice in 2024 and achieved my Level 3 at the start of 2026!

I love messy play (especially when it involves paint) and enjoy exploring tuff trays with the children.

Megan
Early Years Educator - Pre-school Room

I have been working in nurseries for over 2 years now, and I have experience with all age groups. I am a Level 2 qualified Early Years Practitioner.

I love working with children, watching them grow and helping them develop. My favourite thing to do with the children is all things arts and crafty!

Apprentices & Trainees

Freya
Early Years Apprentice

I'm so happy to be at Amberley as an apprentice. I recently left college to pursue further education in childcare and am excited to see where my career in childcare takes me.

I love sporty activities and enjoy role-playing with the children.

Forest School Leader

Mark
Forest School Leader

Mark is our Forest School leader, passing his NVQ3 with the Sussex Wildlife Trust in 2013. Mark is passionate about supporting children's learning and development in a woodland environment, nurturing an understanding and respect for natural places through play and a series of engaging, achievable tasks such as woodcraft, fire-lighting, tree-climbing, nature hunts, pond-dipping, and, of course, muddy puddle jumping!

Maintenance & Groundskeeping

Julian
Maintenance / Groundskeeping

I am up for creating all the wonderful ideas the staff have and turning them into reality! I help fix, repair, and decorate the nursery, ensuring it is functional, safe, and maintained to the highest standards. The children are always curious about what I'm doing, and love asking me to fix and make them toys!

Bank Staff

Phoebe
Bank Staff

I previously worked at Amberley as a Level 3 Early Years Educator, based in the toddler room. I am currently at university studying to become a paediatric nurse. When I am back from university during the holidays, I love coming back to Amberley to work with the children!

I love singing time with the children, and I have my own song bag. The children love using the props to accompany the nursery rhymes we sing. I also love art activities - especially when there is glitter!

All our staff are trained in Paediatric First Aid and Food Safety!