Our working relationship: ‘We really do have be Jacks of all trades'

Becky Watanbe: ‘There’s always lots of sharing of ideas, with the amount of support depending on the situation’

What does your role involve?

‘My main area of focus in the nurseries is quality of care for both children and staff and looking at areas such as supporting staff with observations, EYFS curriculum planning – really anywhere support is needed. I am also one of Acorn’s mental health first-aiders, as well as devising and delivering early years training courses across the country.

How we work together…

‘I work alongside Kim and Laura Tingey, our head of early years, with each of us working to our strengths to benefit specific situations.

‘Kim joined Acorn a year and a half ago, before that it was just Laura and me. Having Kim on board has brought a new dynamic to our team. Kim fitted in straight away, bringing her own experience to the role.

‘We work on a week-by-week basis, concentrating on four or five nurseries each, but working across each other’s nurseries if called in specifically for support within our particular specialism.

‘The three of us meet up every Monday, going through our plans, talking about what’s been happening in our nurseries during the week and looking forward to the week ahead. There’s always lots of phone calls and sharing of ideas, with the amount of support given depending on the situation; for example, if we have a new manager start at one of our nurseries, we will provide extra support while they get used to our way of running things.

Challenges we’ve faced…

‘The biggest spanner in the works is always recruitment. Me, Kim and Laura all have to provide cover when the ratios call for it. We are going to stick to our 1:4 ratio at Acorn Early Years, rather than go to 1:5, so we can be sure we’re providing the best care for children, while protecting the wellbeing of our staff. We don’t want to water down quality, and in my opinion, it shouldn’t have been introduced. They’ve moved the goalposts – we know it’s not the right thing to do.

‘We really do have be Jacks of all trades, but it’s a good thing as it shows staff there is no hierarchy here. We are all very much hands on, which is also the best way of demonstrating where we are coming from with our approach to best practice. And with children too, modelling the behaviour we want to promote in our nurseries, such as how to behave during meal times, sharing and taking turns, etc.

How do you overcomethese challenges?

‘Me and Kim help each other as much as we can. If I go into one of Kim’s nurseries and notice something that I feel needs attention, I’ll go in and provide support and vice versa.

‘Working co-operatively works best when you bounce ideas around, being prepared to try each other’s suggestions and always pulling together to get the best results.

‘One day I’ll go into a nursery and implement changes to make sure our compliance standards are being met. When Kim visits, she’ll follow this up, and we’ll have a chat about it at the end of the day to check things are heading in the right direction, and that staff understand why we want to change certain things; the pedagogy that’s driving the changes, and that there is real benefit for children. Making sure staff understand the thinking behind it all makes a big difference.

‘There have been times when I’ve gone into a nursery and seen, for example, too many plastic toys with no real play value, where Acorn Early Years promotes a reflective environment with opportunities to problem-solve, such as providing paints in the three primary colours so children can mix and create their own secondary colours through experimentation and practice.

‘Sometimes you have to have difficult conversations, and if you feel you need to mention something that might not go down well, you make sure you talk to that person privately, using it as an opportunity for professional dialogue – talking to others as you would expect to be spoken to yourself. This is also where collaborative practice is important, as I’ll inform Kim of any concerns and we’ll work together on a site report.

Why it works

‘When thinking about what makes a good working relationship, I’d say it’s having the same level of emotional intelligence as your colleagues, to be respectful, and to treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. I’m lucky that I have this with Kim, and that our working relationship is built on mutual values and a love of early years.’

Kim Langstaff: ‘We share the same ethos, but we’re also always learning and are open to new ideas’

What does your role involve?

‘My role as compliance manager involves all areas of recruitment, making sure all staff are employed appropriately, supporting staff inductions, making sure staff are given the support to move up the professional ladder with regard to training, etc. I hold an A1 assessor award, which enables me to deliver qualifications, and I also take on safeguarding responsibilities.

How we work together…

‘A lot of our work involves looking at ways to inspire staff, and Becky is really good at this. It’s so important because our pedagogy is to see babies and young children as primarily social learners, they depend on the people around them, both adults and other children. The emotional wellbeing of staff is another priority for us.

Challenges we’ve faced…

‘Some of our nurseries are settings we have acquired. When you go into a nursery that is established, there’s more work to do, as staff are used to doing things in a certain way. Becky is good at leading through example and modelling our approach.

‘We are currently supporting a nursery to make some changes and the challenge is to bring these about as quickly as possible. Having staff already in place when you take a nursery over does help with transition, but there is always going to be the need for a change of approach – some take this on board easier than others.

‘The big challenge is always recruitment. Level 3s in particular are hard to find. We need to think about our ratios, but also employing the right people with the right skillset. We like our staff to embed our ethos as quickly as possible.

‘We have a three-month induction period for new nurseries and provide lots of support during this time. Something I thought was amazing was when I saw our chief executive visit one of our new nurseries, followed by our health and safety team and our early years team.

Why it works

‘The secret to a good working relationship is mutual respect, collaboration and being ready to hear each other’s ideas. Becky and I are on the same page. We share the same early years ethos, but we’re also always learning and are open to new ideas. I know Becky will always put our children first.’