Meet the Senior Manager: Polly from Fennies Beckenham, Kings Hall Road

We had the chance to speak with Polly, Senior Manager for our new Fennies Beckenham, Kings Hall Road nursery. With a passion for making a positive difference in children’s early years, Polly is equally committed to supporting the people around her. Her empathetic approach to leadership means taking the time to understand each team member and helping them feel confident in their role.

For Polly, creating a great nursery starts with building a supportive team culture. She believes in leading by example, helping educators to develop their practice and ensure everyone understands the positive impact they can have on children’s lives. She is also passionate about building strong relationships with families, creating a nursery where parents feel reassured and know they have a team they can turn to for support.

In this blog, Polly shares more about her Early Years career, her approach to leadership and her vision for the new Beckenham nursery. By helping educators grow in confidence and creating a welcoming hub for the local community, she explains how the incoming nursery will quickly become a special place to work and learn.  

What’s a fun fact about you?

I take the idea of a family-run business to a whole new level, as both my sister and my daughter work alongside me at Fennies! Having family members as part of the same organisation makes my connection to Fennies even more special. For me, relationships are such an important part of what makes a nursery a great place to be, and I love being part of a wider team that shares that same sense of connection.

What helps you stay connected with your communities?

For me, it starts with creating a transparent and supportive environment where families feel connected to the nursery and know they are an important part of our community. I want parents to feel comfortable approaching me, sharing their thoughts and asking for support whenever they need it. Building these relationships takes time and open communication. I believe that when families feel listened to and understand what is happening in their child’s nursery, it helps build trust and a stronger partnership. My aim is to create an environment where every family feels welcome and knows they have a team around them who genuinely cares about their child’s experience.

What’s something you have loved about your Early Years Career so far?

One of the things I have loved most about my Early Years career is the positive impact I have had as part of the senior management team. Working across the Fennies network has given me invaluable experience and the chance to learn from different teams. I want to bring that experience to Beckenham, supporting our educators to grow in confidence and helping us build a team where everyone feels they can make a real difference to children’s lives.

What’s your ambition to help improve the Early Years Sector?

My ambition is to make sure every child has opportunities that reflect who they are and the world they are growing up in. I want to embed children’s cultural capital into our nursery, helping educators understand each child’s experiences and use these to shape their learning. I believe this approach also gives our team opportunities to keep learning from the children and families they work with, creating an environment where everyone can develop their understanding and make a meaningful difference.

How do you create parent partnerships at Fennies Beckenham, Kings Hall Road?

For me, strong parent partnerships start with taking the time to understand each family as an individual. I want to know what matters most to parents and what they hope for their child, so we can work together to provide the right support. This includes arranging one-to-one meetings during the transition period so I can listen to their priorities and maintain open communication. As the manager, I also believe it's important to manage expectations and be clear about what we can offer. By building trust from the beginning, I hope to create a nursery where families feel heard, and our educators feel confident working in partnership with them.

What’s one impact you like to make on the team atmosphere?

I would describe myself as a very empathetic person who takes a holistic approach to supporting my team. I like to understand each person as an individual, recognising that everyone has different strengths and may need different types of support to feel confident in their role. For me, creating a positive team atmosphere means making sure people feel listened to and know they can come to me when they need guidance. I want our educators to share ideas and ask questions, knowing that their wellbeing matters just as much as the work they do.

What’s one way you help to upskill your team?

I believe one of the best ways to support my team’s development is to lead by example and role model best practice in everyday situations. I make time to offer guidance and share my experience, helping educators understand not only what we do, but the difference it makes to the children in our care. For me, professional development is about putting learning into practice and reflecting on the impact it has, so everyone can continue building their confidence and delivering high-quality Early Years experiences.

Why did you choose to work in Early Years Education?

I chose to work in Early Years because I wanted to make a positive impact on children during such an important stage of their lives. Those early experiences can shape how children see themselves and the world around them, and I feel privileged to play a part in that. I also wanted to create a support network for families who might need a little extra help along the way. For me, being part of Early Years means making a difference beyond the nursery room, and that's something that continues to motivate me throughout my career.

What passions do you have within the Early Years Curriculum?

I'm passionate about helping children become confident individuals who are tolerant and understanding of the world around them. I want children to feel comfortable expressing themselves while learning to appreciate that everyone has different experiences and perspectives. I believe our educators play an important role in creating these opportunities through everyday interactions and experiences. It's something I want to encourage within our team at Beckenham, making sure we create an environment where children feel confident to explore their interests and develop their understanding of others.

What kind of leader are you?

I would describe myself as an empathetic and supportive leader. I often joke that I'm a bit like a mother hen, as I genuinely care about my team and want everyone to feel looked after. I believe good leadership starts with understanding people, recognising when they need encouragement and making sure they know they have someone to turn to. I want to create a culture at Beckenham where our educators feel valued and supported, giving them the confidence to do their best work and make a positive difference to the children in their care.

What would you like to achieve in the first six months?

My priority is to establish high standards from day one and build a secure foundation for the nursery to grow. I want to create a strong team culture where everyone is committed to giving children the best possible start in life and feels proud of the work they do. Building positive relationships with families will be just as important, with open communication and a commitment to delivering on what we promise. Ultimately, I want Beckenham to become a place where our team feels supported and families know they are part of a community they can trust.

What’s your favourite thing about coming to work?

What I love most is knowing that I can make a positive difference to someone’s day, whether that's a child, a parent or a member of my team. Sometimes, all it takes is a little extra reassurance at the right moment to help someone feel more confident or supported. I find that incredibly rewarding, especially when it's something they weren't expecting. If I can come into work and make a positive impact on even one person, then I've had a good day.

What’s going to be the best thing about Fennies Beckenham, Kings Hall Road?

I think the culture we build together will be what makes Beckenham so special. I want us to become a real hub for the local community, where families feel welcome and have opportunities to connect with one another. Creating that sense of belonging starts with the team, so it's important to me that our educators feel supported and share a passion for making a difference. I'm excited to bring everyone together to create a nursery where children can thrive and families know they have a community around them.