Our Team
We are a team of highly trained, qualified and committed professionals.We are passionate about delivering outstanding care and education to children.We are a close knit team who work well together, providing consistency to both children and parents.
About Us
“No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship"
Our highly trained, qualified and compassionate team.
Lorraine
Nursery Manager
Hayley – MATERNITY LEAVE
Deputy Manager
Jade
Deputy Manager & Baby Room Leader (Full Time)
Adla – MATERNITY LEAVE
Early Years Practitioner (5 days a week, Term time only)
Charlotte
Early Years Practitioner (Part Time)
Chloe
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Courtney
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Dani
Early Years Practitioner (Part Time)
Joelle
Middle Room Leader (Full Time)
Katrina – Part time (Term time) Early Years Practitioner
Louise
Early Years Practitioner (Full time, 2.5 days a week)
Louise
Early Years Practitioner (2.5 Days a Week, Full Time)
Molly
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Olivia
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Rachel
Big Room Room Leader (Full Time)
Sharon
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Tammy
Early Years Practitioner (Full time)
Tara
Early Years Practitioner (Part Time)
Verica
Nursery Assistant
Kelly
Nursery Assistant
Lorraine
Nursery Manager
Lorraine has many years experience in the childcare field and has been at The Close Day Nursery since 2006, in this time she has completed her Level 3 and Early Childhood Studies Degree. Lorraine is the Lead Safeguarding Officer and is responsible for maintaining high standards within the nursery, ensuring that each member of staff adheres to policies and procedures. She creates a safe stimulating environment for all the children that attend, supporting the nursery team with implementation of the EYFS and curriculum. Lorraine encourages close partnerships between staff and parents, striving for The Close Day Nursery to be the best nursery in Oxfordshire!
Qualifications
Hayley – MATERNITY LEAVE
Deputy Manager
Hayley has many years nursery experience, joining The Close Day Nursery in 2007, she began her time with us as a student, completed her level 3 qualification and progressed to Deputy Manager, supporting the management team in all aspects of nursery. Hayley is a Safeguarding Lead, as well as a key worker in the Big Room, she provides care and development for all children, ensuring children have an enjoyable and fulfilling nursery experience.
Jade
Deputy Manager & Baby Room Leader (Full Time)
Jade has been working at The Close for nearly 8 years, within this time she has completed her Early Childhood Studies Degree and progressed to full time Deputy Manager as well as Baby Room Leader. As part of her role Jade is a Safeguarding Lead, she supports the management team in all aspects of the nursery as well as over-seeing an amazing Baby Room team, she is responsible for the daily care of our youngest children, providing a safe and enabling environment for the babies, supporting them with their well-being to ensure they feel safe and confident during their time here. She plans effective activities to support their learning development, whilst working with parents.
Skills
Adla – MATERNITY LEAVE
Early Years Practitioner (5 days a week, Term time only)
Adla has been part of the Close Day Nursery team since 2022, she began her time with us as a student completing her Level 3 Qualification. She currently works in the Middle Room as a Key Worker, where she provides a fun learning environment, planning specific activities to ensure all children are making good developmental progress whilst having lots of fun.
Qualifications
Charlotte
Early Years Practitioner (Part Time)
Charlotte has a Level 2 Qualification and has many years experience in childcare. She started at The Close Day Nursery in 2024 , she supports the Big Room . Charlotte ensures the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Skills
Chloe
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Chloe has a Level 3 qualification and has always worked in an Early Years Setting since leaving school. She has joined our Middle Room Team and is a keyworker. Chloe ensures the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Qualifications
Courtney
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Courtney has a Level 3 Qualification and has many years experience in childcare. She started at The Close Day Nursery in 2022 where her role is a Key Worker in Big Room. Courtney ensures the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Qualifications
Dani
Early Years Practitioner (Part Time)
Dani has a Level 3 Qualification and has many years experience in childcare. She started at The Close Day Nursery in 2024 where her role is a Key Worker in Big Room, she works part time, term time only. Dani ensures the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Qualifications
Joelle
Middle Room Leader (Full Time)
Jo has a Level 3 Qualification, and over 8 years nursery experience, starting her role at The Close Day Nursery in 2020. Jo is the Middle Room Leader, where she supports staff to create a stimulating environment for children to learn, she plans exciting and engaging activities ensuring that all are differentiated to take account of children’s individual interests, needs and level of learning. She ensures that positive relationships are built between all staff, parents and children, offering support, guidance and care to all.
Skills
Katrina – Part time (Term time) Early Years Practitioner
Katrina has recently joined nursery team. She has a level 3 qualification and works closely with the baby room team, covering their lunches and ensuring children’s safety and well being are a priority as well as creating a fun learning environment and supporting with learning activities.
Level 3
Louise
Early Years Practitioner (Full time, 2.5 days a week)
Louise has worked at The Close since 2011, she began as a nursery assistant, just a few hours a week, then completed her level 2 qualification and is hoping to complete her level 3 soon. Louise is a key worker in the Baby Room, she encourages learning and development through play. She offers support to all the staff and being a mum herself is able to provide much appreciated ideas and share her own experiences with parents.
Skills
Louise
Early Years Practitioner (2.5 Days a Week, Full Time)
Louise has worked at the nursery since 2015, she began as a student on placement whilst completing her Level 3 qualification. She has many years experience working in the Baby Room as a key worker, her role is to build positive relationships with the children and parents in her care, working closely with Baby Room staff to ensure children’s safety and well being are a priority, as well as creating fun learning activities for all.
Skills
Molly
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Molly has worked at The Close Day Nursery since 2021, she has a Level 3 Qualification and a Early Childhood Studies Degree. She currently works in the Middle Room as a Key Worker, where she provides a fun learning environment, planning specific activities to ensure all children are making good developmental progress whilst having lots of fun.
Qualifications
Olivia
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Olivia has a Level 3 Qualification and has many years experience working with children, she has worked at The Close Day Nursery since 2017. Olivia is a Key Worker in the Baby Room, her role within the room is to encourage learning and development through play, building relationships with children and parents, supporting transitions and giving children the independence they need to grow and develop.
Qualifications
Rachel
Big Room Room Leader (Full Time)
Rachel has worked as the Big Room Leader at The Close Day Nursery since November 2016. She has a Batchelor of Education Degree and has over 20 years teaching experience, working in 2 Banbury Primary Schools before joining our team.
As room leader Rachel oversees Big Room team, she is responsible for planning and delivering a range of enjoyable and engaging activities, whilst ensuring that all children’s needs are met, they are having fun and making good progress. Her aim is to ensure that they make the transition to primary school as happy, healthy individuals with a love for learning.
Skills
Sharon
Early Years Practitioner (Full Time)
Sharon has a Level 3 Qualification and many years experience in childcare, she started at The Close Day Nursery in 2022. Her role within the nursery is a Key Worker in the Big Room, ensuring the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Qualifications
Tammy
Early Years Practitioner (Full time)
Tammy has worked at The Close Day Nursery since 2003, gaining her Level 3 Qualification while working. She is a key worker in Big Room and thrives on ensuring the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Skills
Tara
Early Years Practitioner (Part Time)
Tara has a Level 3 Qualification and has many years experience in childcare. She started at The Close Day Nursery in 2024 where her role is a Key Worker in the Middle Room . She ensures the setting is a safe, fun and happy environment for all children to develop their confidence, friendships and learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage while building positive relationships with all children and parents.
Skills
Verica
Nursery Assistant
Verica has recently returned to us at The Close, her role within the nursery is supporting all three rooms with daily tasks, fulfilling kitchen duties such as preparing healthy snacks for all children to enjoy, and supporting children at lunchtime.
Skills
Kelly
Nursery Assistant
Kelly started with us in 2022, she currently supports children at lunchtime as well as fulfilling kitchen duties such as preparing healthy snacks for all children to enjoy.