Little Minnows Nursery

Hayley completed her Nursery Nurse Examining Board (NNEB) course at Weymouth College in 1993. Once qualified, her first position was as a private nanny to a family of teachers at Bryanston School near Blandford Forum. Here she cared for a newborn baby Alice and her brother Henry who was 4 (who would later play rugby for Scotland).

In 1996 a former RAF family, Sandra and Michael Slater opened Archway Nursery in the grounds of Bryanston. Hayley took the position of Baby Room Leader, helping to decorate and set up the nursery prior to its opening.
Sandra and Michael saw a passion in Hayley and told her that one day she would open her own nursery.

She has worked in childcare and education in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall ever since. 25 years later that dream has been realised with the opening of Little Minnows in Truro.

“Opening our own nursery has been a long-standing dream which began when we helped to set up Archway Nursery in Blandford in 1996. We are really excited to be opening Little Minnows Nursery in Truro.”

Hayley and Tom met whilst at school in Dorset and married in 1997. Hayley gained the NNEB qualification in 1993. She has worked in childcare and education in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall ever since.

Tom joined the Royal Marines in 1991 and retired in 2020. They have four children, one an A&E nurse, one in the Army and two in higher education.

Tom and Hayley opened Little Minnows Nursery in 2021. Tom is also a volunteer with Mevagissey Coastguard and a keen gig rower with St Goran Rowing Club.

I’ve been in childcare for 10 years and hold a Level 3 qualification in childcare and Team Leading and Supervising.

I moved to Cornwall from Brighton and Hove in 2021 where I worked in an independent, homely nursery setting for 8 years, in a senior role.

I live locally with my boyfriend and 3 cats. We love exploring Cornish beaches and spending time with friends and family.

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Hello, I am Sarah! I'm a Level 3 Practitioner and I have been in Childcare for 10 years. I have been in various roles throughout nurseries, working with all ages and abilities. I have been the Chef at Little Minnows since 2022

What I enjoy most about my job is seeing happy faces when the children have learnt something new and are proud of themselves.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and playing games! I enjoy being creative and decorating.

I have worked in childcare for more than 10 years, I am Level 3 qualified in “Children and Young People’s Workforce”.

I really enjoy working with children, watching them grow and develop in the nursery. I love setting up different activities, learning through messy play, always joining in and putting smiles on their faces.

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and going for long walks.

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I am a passionate Early Years Educator with a great love for working with young children. My favourite part of my job is that no two days are ever the same. The unpredictable magic of children makes my work so much fun! I am dedicated to providing high standards of care, boosting self-esteem, facilitating independence, and creating meaningful learning opportunities. I have 15 years of experience working in Early Years Education. I have a bachelor's degree in Primary Education and Early Childhood Studies as well as earned many certifications in healthy eating for the under 5s, health and safety, safeguarding, infection control, and fire safety awareness.

My other great passion in life is my family and friends. I spend my time with my husband, two children, and our crazy cockapoo. I enjoy following my children’s passions and watching them flourish. For me, I love live music and watching a gig with friends. I also enjoy taking long dog walks in fields, woodlands or along one of our many beautiful beaches.

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Hello, Amanda here. I have worked in childcare for 33 years. In London until I moved to Cornwall in 2003. I have worked in many roles within nursery settings. I love to see the children develop and grow, and I find their interest in the world to be amazing. I'm so happy to be a part of their journey.

My interests outside of the nursery are; meeting with friends, gardening, and growing flowers and vegetables. I love to be near the sea and combine this with my love of rambling and history.

Hello, I'm Serena. I'm just beginning my journey in Early Years. I will be starting college in September 2023 where I will be studying for a Level 3 in Early Years.

I live at home with my parents and our 3 dogs. In my spare time, I love to spend time with my friends and family. I enjoy walking the dogs with my mum, I also enjoy going for a coffee with my dad on a Saturday morning.

Hi, I’m Kelly and I’ve been working in childcare since 2014. I have a Level 3 qualification in “Children and Young People’s Workforce”.

I love working with children and making sure they get the most out of their time at nursery and are always having fun.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family and exploring new places.

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Hello there, I’m Lisa and have been working with children for eight years. My passion is connecting children with the natural world. In my free time I’m a Scout Leader and will often be seen in the woods, kayaking down the river or in the sea – I’m a year round wild swimmer!

I love the rewarding nature of seeing children be able to grow and learn while supporting them to build their own confidence.

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Hello, I qualified as a nursery practitioner in 2011 and worked in a nursery in London for 12 years. I love being a part of the whole nursery experience, helping children to explore the world.

I am currently working on gaining the next level of qualification which will allow me to further develop my underpinning knowledge.

In my spare time, I love spending time with friends and family, my secret passion is for horror films.