Meet the Expert

“In 2014, I began a BA in French and Hispanic Studies at the University of Nottingham, specialising in French, Spanish and Portuguese. I have always loved languages and still do, but although I enjoyed my degree, none of the typical career paths for language graduates ever felt quite right. What I had always known, though, was how much I loved caring for children within my own family and how fascinated I was by the way young children grow, think, communicate and make sense of the world around them. That curiosity eventually led me into Early Years and, ultimately, to KatieB Kids.

I first joined KatieB Kids in 2017 to complete my Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship, and from the beginning I was drawn to the nursery because it felt like a place that thought deeply about children. There was a clear sense that children were viewed as individuals, that relationships mattered, and that the adults around them were genuinely interested in understanding them rather than simply guiding them through a set routine. For me, that felt incredibly important.

After completing my apprenticeship, I continued working as a member of bank staff while studying Childhood and Youth Studies with the Open University, before eventually returning to KatieB Kids as part of the management team. Over time, my own role has evolved, but the things that have always motivated me have stayed the same: a fascination with child development, a strong interest in communication, and a desire to better understand what children are really telling us through their behaviour, play and interactions.

As my role has grown, so has my commitment to continuing professional development. In 2023, I completed a Level 3 SENCo qualification, which deepened my understanding of special educational needs beyond local authority training and gave me the opportunity to explore inclusion in a more meaningful way. I am always listening to podcasts, reading books and articles, exploring research and following conversations across the sector in search of new ideas, fresh perspectives and the next piece of learning that might strengthen what we do for children and families.

If I had to sum up in two words why I am specifically here at KatieB Kids, they would be communication and child voice.

I believe very strongly that every child communicates, even if they are not yet speaking. Communication is so much more than words. It is gestures, facial expressions, movement, behaviour, play and, sometimes, silence. Every child has something to say, and I feel deeply that it is our responsibility to make sure they have a way to say it.

For me, child voice is not an add-on or a nice extra. It is fundamental to what we do. It means creating environments where children can express themselves whatever their starting point, whatever language is spoken at home, whether they are pre-verbal, whether they have a speech delay, or whether they experience and process the world differently. It means recognising communication in all its forms and making sure children are surrounded by adults who are curious enough to notice it, value it and respond to it.

I believe that when children feel heard, they feel valued, and when they feel valued, they feel safe. That sense of safety is not separate from learning; it is what makes learning possible. When children know that their ideas matter, that their emotions will be responded to and that they do not have to fit neatly into someone else’s expectations in order to belong, they are far more able to explore, connect, take risks and thrive.

In many ways, this is also personal. I attended nursery full-time from the age of six months, and my own experience was very regimented and adult-led. It was structured, top-down and focused heavily on compliance, shaped in part by a time when early childhood development was not given the same level of attention or understanding that it is now. There was very little space for individuality, expression or genuine child-led exploration.

Looking back, I often think about how different that experience could have been in a communication-rich, child-centred environment like KatieB Kids; one where adults were genuinely curious about what children were thinking, not simply focused on what they were doing. That reflection has stayed with me and is a big part of why I care so much about creating something different for the children in our care.

I want children to feel that their ideas matter, that their voice matters, and that they do not have to mould themselves to fit a system. Instead, the system should adapt to them. That is why communication boards matter, why open-ended play matters, why sustained shared thinking matters and why we place such importance on being intentional in our practice. At the heart of all of those things is the same belief: that children deserve to be seen, listened to and understood as individuals.

Because ultimately, we are not simply caring for children in the here and now; we are shaping how they come to see themselves, their capabilities and their place in the world. I want every child who comes through our doors to leave with a strong sense that their voice is important and that who they are matters.

As I write this, I am also preparing for a new chapter of my own. At the end of August, I will be going on maternity leave to have my first child, a daughter, and I am incredibly excited to discover how everything I have learnt so far in my professional life translates into parenthood. I know it will bring a whole new perspective to the work I care so deeply about, and I cannot wait to begin that journey. She will, of course, be attending KatieB Kids when I return to work next summer!”