Smiles Preschool Hinckley Parks

Kelly – Director

With more than 23 years of experience in childcare, Kelly is the visionary founder and Director of Smiles. Her journey into early years began following a successful career in nursing, where her passion for caring for others inspired her to pursue a new direction in childcare. After achieving her Level 3 Early Years qualification, she established her own childminding business and quickly recognised a growing need for high-quality wraparound childcare for local families.

Determined to make a difference, Kelly founded the first Smiles Breakfast and After School Club at Manorfield Primary School in 2006. Driven by her ambition to continually improve outcomes for children, she went on to study Child Psychology at the University of Warwick before expanding Smiles with additional settings at Gilmorton, Holliers Walk (now Hinckley Parks) and St Margaret's, building a trusted reputation for outstanding childcare across the local community.

In 2016, Kelly fulfilled a lifelong ambition by opening Smiles Day Nursery in Sapcote, creating a nurturing environment where children could learn, grow and thrive from their earliest years. This was followed by the opening of Smiles Pre-School at Hinckley Parks, further strengthening the Smiles family and providing a seamless childcare journey from babyhood through to school age.

Working alongside her husband, Simon, Kelly has transformed Smiles from a single school club into a thriving family of childcare settings built on shared values of kindness, quality and community. Together, they remain passionate about continually investing in their settings, their team and the experiences they provide for every child and family.

Despite leading a growing organisation, Kelly's greatest passion has never changed. She loves spending time in the settings, interacting with the children, supporting her teams and seeing first-hand the confidence, friendships and lifelong love of learning that develop through the Smiles experience.

Family has always been at the heart of Smiles. Kelly and Simon's four children have grown up alongside the business, either attending the settings or becoming valued members of the team while gaining their own childcare qualifications. This family ethos continues to shape the warm, welcoming culture that defines Smiles today.

Outside of work, Kelly enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, travelling, hosting family dinners and games nights, and keeping active through running, the gym and her latest passion, paddleboarding.

Simon – Finance Director

With over 30 years of experience in banking, finance and business management, Simon brings a wealth of commercial expertise and strategic leadership to Smiles. Having joined the organisation in 2014, he has played a pivotal role in its continued growth, helping transform Smiles into one of the region's leading childcare providers while ensuring the highest standards of financial governance and sustainability.

Before joining Smiles, Simon enjoyed a successful corporate career, holding senior management positions with Alliance & Leicester, including Retail Savings Manager and Support Services Manager, before moving to PCMS Group as Help Desk Manager. There, he led teams providing hardware and software support to some of the UK's largest retailers, including PC World, Currys, The Link and the Midlands Co-operative Group, developing extensive expertise in financial management, operational leadership, customer service and business strategy.

As Finance Director, Simon oversees every aspect of the organisation's financial operations, including strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, funding, payroll, compliance and investment. Working closely with the leadership team, he ensures Smiles remains financially strong and forward-thinking, allowing continual investment in outstanding environments, innovative resources and exceptional experiences for children and families.

Alongside his work in finance, Simon is also the inventor of the Mondo therapeutic product, developed to support children's development and wellbeing, reflecting his passion for innovation and improving outcomes for young people.

Simon is married to Kelly, Co-Director of Smiles, and together they have four children. As both parents and business owners, they share a commitment to creating the same safe, nurturing and inspiring environments for every child that they would want for their own family. Their shared vision and dedication have been at the heart of Smiles' continued growth and success.

Outside of work, Simon is a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter and enjoys keeping active through golf and regular visits to the gym.

Zoe – Nursery Manager

Zoe is a highly experienced and passionate early years professional with over 20 years of experience in childcare. In May 2025, she made the exciting decision to relocate from the north of England to join the Smiles family as Nursery Manager, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge, expertise and a shared vision for delivering exceptional early years education.

Holding a Level 6 Degree in Early Childhood Studies, alongside an extensive portfolio of specialist professional training, Zoe has dedicated her career to helping children achieve the very best start in life. She is a passionate advocate for high-quality, play-based learning, believing that carefully planned, enabling environments inspire curiosity, creativity, confidence and a lifelong love of learning. Her child-centred approach ensures every child is valued as an individual and supported to flourish at their own pace.

As General Manager, Zoe leads with warmth, integrity and ambition. She is committed to creating an inspiring culture where children, families and practitioners feel supported, valued and empowered. A strong believer in continuous improvement, she takes great pride in mentoring her team, nurturing future talent and encouraging professional development, ensuring the highest standards of care, education and safeguarding are consistently achieved throughout the nursery.

Outside of work, Zoe enjoys leading an active lifestyle through sport and outdoor activities and values spending quality time with her family. Her enthusiasm, experience and dedication make her an invaluable leader and an integral part of the Smiles family.

Nic – Pre-School Manager

Nic has been a valued member of the Smiles family since 2017 and has proudly led Smiles Pre-School as Manager since 2021. Passionate about early years education, she is currently working towards her Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management, continually developing her knowledge and leadership skills to ensure the very best outcomes for children, families and her team.

Nic is dedicated to providing every child with the very best start to their educational journey. She believes that the early years lay the foundations for lifelong learning and takes great pride in creating a warm, nurturing and inspiring environment where children can grow in confidence, develop independence and thrive through play.

As Pre-School Manager, Nic is committed to maintaining the highest standards of care and education while supporting and mentoring her team to deliver outstanding experiences every day. She enjoys building strong relationships with families and feels privileged to play a part in such an important stage of each child's development.

Outside of work, Nic is a proud mum to two sons and loves spending quality time with her family. Together they enjoy exploring new places, visiting theme parks and creating special memories, with Disney being a particular favourite.

Hollie – Deputy Pre-School Manager

Hollie is a Level 3 qualified Early Years Practitioner with over 13 years of experience working with children. As Deputy Pre-School Manager, she plays a key role in supporting the day-to-day running of the setting while helping to create an inspiring, nurturing environment where every child can flourish. Committed to her own professional development, Hollie is currently working towards her Level 5 qualification in Leadership and Management.

Passionate about early years education, Hollie finds great joy in supporting children's learning and development, helping them build confidence, independence and a lifelong love of learning. She believes every child is unique and takes pride in creating engaging experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity and achievement through play.

Alongside supporting the children, Hollie enjoys mentoring colleagues and working closely with families to ensure every child receives the very best start to their educational journey.

Outside of work, Hollie is a proud mum to two children and enjoys spending quality time with her family. She also loves baking and gaming, making the most of every opportunity to relax and be creative.

Sally – Advanced Early Years Practitioner

Sally is a Level 4 Advanced Early Years Practitioner with over 25 years of experience working with children. Her passion for early years education, combined with her wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm, has helped inspire and support countless children as they prepare for their transition to school.

She has a particular love for working with three and four-year-olds, believing this stage of a child's development is one of the most exciting and rewarding. She enjoys watching their confidence, independence and curiosity grow as they develop the skills they need for their next big adventure. Whether she's role-playing in a doctor's surgery one moment or sailing the high seas on an imaginary adventure the next, Sally embraces every opportunity to spark children's imaginations and encourage learning through play.

Her warmth, creativity and infectious enthusiasm create an environment where children feel confident to explore, ask questions and discover the world around them. Sally believes there is no better job than helping young children build the foundations for a happy and successful future.

Outside of work, Sally enjoys spending time with family and friends and continues to bring the same energy, humour and positivity to everything she does.

Janet – Early Years Practitioner

Janet joined the Smiles Pre-School team in 2024 and is passionate about inspiring young children through creativity, exploration and play. She loves helping children express themselves, build confidence and develop new skills through imaginative, hands-on learning experiences.

With a particular passion for arts, crafts and sensory play, Janet enjoys planning and delivering engaging creative activities that encourage curiosity and self-expression. From painting and model making to exploring different textures and messy play, she believes some of the very best learning happens when children are free to explore, experiment and have fun.

Janet is dedicated to creating a warm, nurturing environment where every child feels valued, supported and encouraged to reach their full potential.

Outside of work, Janet loves spending quality time with her children and wider family, making special memories together and enjoying everything family life has to offer.

Sydney – Early Years Apprentice

Sydney is an enthusiastic Early Years Apprentice who is currently working towards her Level 3 Early Years qualification. Passionate about supporting children's learning and development, she is committed to building her knowledge and skills while gaining valuable hands-on experience within the caring and supportive Smiles Pre-School team.

Sydney finds great satisfaction in helping children develop confidence, independence and a love of learning. She is dedicated to ensuring every child feels safe, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential, creating positive relationships that help children flourish both socially and emotionally.

Eager to learn and continually develop as a practitioner, Sydney embraces every opportunity to expand her knowledge and contribute to the nurturing environment that makes Smiles such a special place for children and families.

Outside of work, Sydney enjoys spending quality time with her two children, creating lasting memories together. Being a parent has given her an even greater understanding of the importance of providing children with a warm, supportive and inspiring environment where they can thrive.

Ellie – Early Years Apprentice

Ellie is a dedicated Early Years Apprentice who is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification in Childcare and Education. She has a particular passion for working with two- and three-year-olds, finding great joy in supporting children through this exciting stage of their development as they gain confidence, independence and reach important milestones.

Patient, caring and enthusiastic, Ellie is committed to building strong relationships with every child, ensuring they feel safe, valued and supported as they learn through play. She enjoys helping each child develop at their own pace and takes pride in celebrating their individual achievements, no matter how big or small.

Coming from a family with a passion for childcare, Ellie's mum is also a valued member of the Smiles team at Sapcote Day Nursery. Growing up around the Smiles family has further strengthened Ellie's commitment to providing exceptional care and education, and she is proud to be following in her mum's footsteps.

As she continues to develop her knowledge and skills, Ellie embraces every opportunity to learn from her colleagues and contribute to the warm, nurturing environment that makes Smiles such a special place for children and families.

Outside of work, Ellie enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, going for countryside walks and catching up over coffee.

Tahlia – Early Years Apprentice

Tahlia is a dedicated Early Years Apprentice who is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification. From a young age, she knew she wanted to build a career working with children and is passionate about making a positive difference during the most important stages of their development.

Tahlia is committed to creating a safe, nurturing and supportive environment where every child feels valued, confident and encouraged to explore the world around them. She loves helping children discover new skills, celebrate their achievements and develop the confidence to reach their full potential through play and positive relationships.

As she continues to develop her knowledge and experience, Tahlia embraces every opportunity to learn from her colleagues and grow as an Early Years Practitioner, bringing enthusiasm, kindness and positivity to the Smiles team every day.

Outside of work, Tahlia enjoys singing, acting, spending time with friends and continuing her studies, all of which reflect her creative and enthusiastic personality.

Grace – Early Years Apprentice

Grace is an enthusiastic Early Years Apprentice who is currently working towards her Level 3 qualification in Childcare. She has always aspired to work with young children and has quickly discovered just how rewarding it is to support their learning, development and wellbeing during the early years.

Grace is passionate about nurturing children's confidence and celebrating every milestone they achieve. She loves watching each child grow as an individual and finds great fulfilment in helping them develop the skills they need to flourish both now and in the future. Her caring nature, enthusiasm and willingness to learn make her a valued member of the Smiles team.

As she continues her Early Years journey, Grace embraces every opportunity to expand her knowledge and develop her skills, ensuring she provides the highest standard of care and education for every child.

Outside of work, Grace enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going for countryside walks and shopping, making the most of every opportunity to create lasting memories.