Meet The Manager: Rosie From Fennies Woking, Carlton Road

We caught up with Rosie, our fantastic Nursery Manager at Fennies Woking, Carlton Road. With over 20 years of experience in the Early Years sector, Rosie is passionate about creating a nurturing, stimulating environment where children feel secure, valued and inspired to explore.

In this blog, Rosie shares what makes our Carlton Road nursery such a special place. From the thoughtfully designed learning spaces to the joy of watching each child grow in confidence and curiosity, Rosie reflects on what she loves most about her role and the everyday moments that make it so rewarding.

• Inspiring the Local Community
• Parent Partnerships
• Early Years Curriculum 
• Team Upskilling and Atmosphere
• Childcare Passions
• Upcoming Events

Join Us At Fennies Woking, Carlton Road

With Rosie’s passionate leadership and a dedicated team supporting her, Fennies Woking, Carlton Road offers far more than just outstanding childcare. Whether you’re a parent seeking a warm, inspiring environment where your child can grow and explore, or an Early Years professional eager to develop your skills and thrive in a supportive setting, this is truly the place to be.

What’s A Fun Fact About You?

I teach and judge baton twirling! It’s a discipline that combines dance, agility and rhythm, and it has taught me a lot about composure, confidence and how to encourage young people to shine. Whether I was working with children or judging at competitions, I always focused on nurturing their self-esteem while helping them develop new skills. That background has definitely followed me into Early Years, where I use that same mindset to support our children in growing their confidence and resilience.

What Helps You Stay Connected With Your Communities?

We’re really passionate about building strong community connections at Fennies Woking. One of the ways we do that is by hosting regular seasonal fairs throughout the year. These events are a brilliant opportunity to invite local families, small businesses and other community groups into our setting. It creates a space for people to interact, share ideas and build relationships. It’s a great way for us to encourage a real sense of belonging and togetherness within our local area. We always say it’s about helping the community #ComeTogether and we mean it!

What’s Something You Have Loved About Your Early Years Career So Far?

There have been so many highlights, but one of the proudest moments was being nominated for the Nursery Manager of the Year Award at the 2024 NMT Awards. It was such a wonderful feeling to be recognised for the work we’ve done as a team here at Woking. I see it as a reflection not just of my efforts, but of every educator who brings passion and dedication into the nursery every single day. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see our hard work acknowledged on a national level, and it's inspired me to keep striving for even greater things.

What’s Your ambition To Help Improve The Early Years Sector?

One area I feel passionately about is helping people see the true value of life readiness programmes. At Fennies, we put a lot of thought and care into preparing children for the transition into primary education. I’d love to see wider recognition for how effective these programmes are, not just academically, but emotionally and socially too. When children leave our setting, they’re confident, curious and resilient, and that’s something I want to continue advocating for within the sector.

How Do You Create Parent Partnerships At Fennies Woking?

We’ve worked really hard to build strong relationships with our families, and it’s something I’m incredibly proud of. Alongside our open days, we host regular stay-and-play sessions, where parents can join their children in nursery activities and see their development first-hand. One of our favourite events is ‘Story Evening’. Families come in their pyjamas, we decorate the rooms with fairy lights, read our favourite books together and serve hot chocolate. We also host Christmas carol singing sessions, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day events and regular parents' evenings. As a management team, we maintain an open-door policy, there’s always someone available for a chat, whether it's a quick update or a deeper conversation. These initiatives help create a real sense of warmth and trust between our team and our families.

What’s One Impact You Like To Make On The Team Atmosphere?

Creating a strong, connected team culture has been a big focus for me, I wanted to bring everyone together into one united Fennies Family. We’ve introduced team-building events like summer BBQs where our amazing chef cooks for us in our beautiful garden, and it really brings everyone together in a relaxed, inclusive space. These get-togethers encourage conversation, laughter and shared memories, which has made such a difference to team morale and cohesion. We've even seen team members grow in confidence and try new roles across rooms as a result. It’s really helped with the development of the team and created a more supportive environment for everyone.

What Kind Of Leader Are You?

I’ve always seen leadership as being about listening first. When I completed my CliftonStrengths profile, my top strength was Individualisation, which means I naturally look at people as individuals with their own strengths and needs. That’s something I really bring into my role. I try to adapt my approach depending on the situation and the person I’m supporting, whether it’s a team member, a parent or a child. I want everyone to feel heard, understood and valued. By building that trust and mutual respect, we can move forward together, as a united and empowered team.

What’s One Way You Help To Upskill Your Team?

Training and development are central to what we do. We hold regular team meetings where we go beyond the basics and make training interactive and fun, for example, running our 'Dancing To Distress' session. For example, we run safeguarding quizzes where the team pull questions out of a hat and answer them on the spot. It’s a great way to keep everyone sharp and confident in their knowledge. We also have a weekly safeguarding challenge, and if you get the answer right, you win a chocolate bar, which, trust me, is a huge motivator here at Woking! It’s about making learning continuous and relevant. We also promote a culture where everyone can support each other’s growth, with open-door policies not just from the management team, but from our Room Leaders too. We’re all in this together.

Why Did You Choose To Work In Early Years Education?

My journey began in primary education. I trained as a teacher and during one of my university placements I worked in a Reception class. That experience really opened my eyes to how much of a difference you can make in those Early Years. I realised I wanted to work with younger children and help shape those crucial early stages. I went on to complete a foundation degree focused on ages 0-4, after having already studied 4-8. Since then, I’ve worked across a variety of daycare and preschool settings, and eventually became a manager across three different nurseries. One of the things I love most about Fennies is that even in a managerial role, I still get to be present in the rooms. I know all the children by name, and for me, that personal connection is everything.

What Passions Do You Have Within The Early Years Curriculum?

Supporting children with SEND is something I’m incredibly passionate about. It’s an area that doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves, but here at Fennies Woking, we place a strong focus on it. We are open to everyone and inclusivity is very important here and we work very closely with families to make sure every child gets the support they need. That includes children with medical needs, those learning English as an additional language, and those who may need extra support emotionally or developmentally. It’s about creating an inclusive environment where every child can thrive, and being completely transparent with families throughout. Parent partnerships are absolutely essential in this area, and we make sure communication is open and regular.

What Would You Like To Achieve In The Next Six Months?

In the next six months, I want to continue building on our connection to the wider world around us. We’ve recently introduced a “Under Our Feet” curriculum that encourages our preschool children to explore nature and the local environment. We’ve had visits from the police, and we’re planning more local woodland walks and park outings and hopefully introducing some new outings like a trip to the local library by bus. We’re even working on a pen pal exchange with other Fennies Nurseries, which the children are so excited about! These experiences are designed to show children how they fit into their wider community, and to build confidence and curiosity outside of the nursery setting.

What’s Your Favourite Thing About Coming To Work?

It has to be the people. Seeing the children’s smiling faces and hearing their stories as they come through the door absolutely makes my day. I love catching up with parents, hearing how their weekends went and sharing those little life moments together. It’s those everyday conversations that build trust and connection and they’re so important. One of my favourite daily routines is when a little girl in our preschool class insists on giving me a high five before she leaves, even if I’m on the phone, she’ll patiently wait until I’m free. It’s those small but meaningful interactions that really remind me why I do this job.

Do You Have Any Exciting Visits Or Upcoming Partnerships Within The Community Planned?

Yes! We have Mini Athletics visiting to run sports sessions with the children, which is a great way to introduce teamwork, movement and gross motor skills into their routine. We’ve also invited a local beekeeper to come in and teach the children about bees and nature, which ties in perfectly with our “World Beneath Our Feet” theme. On top of that, we’re planning more woodland walks and local trips to help the children connect with their environment. It’s all about creating meaningful learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.

What Events Have You Got In The Near Future At Fennies Woking?

Our next big event is our parents' evening, which is a fantastic chance for families to sit down with key workers and talk through their child’s development. It’s always a lovely atmosphere, full of pride, progress and lots of questions! We've also got our Preschool Graduation and Sports Day with Mini Athletics which will be so much fun! We’re really looking forward to hosting our Open Morning on July 12th. This event will have a fun and inspiring theme called ‘When I Grow Up,’ where children will explore their dreams and aspirations about future jobs. It’s a wonderful opportunity for children and parents to engage with the nursery, meet the team and celebrate children’s imagination and ambitions.

What’s The Best Thing About Fennies Woking?

Without a doubt, it’s our beautiful outdoor space that really sets us apart. It’s a standout feature that families always comment on, and we make the most of it all year-round, whatever the weather. The space provides endless opportunities for exploration, play and learning in nature, which is something we really value here. Since I joined in 2023, we’ve also made great progress in building a warm, positive and collaborative culture. There’s a strong sense of morale and communication across the team, and I’m incredibly proud of the environment we’ve created for both children and staff.