Pujol-Mazzini meets up with Nursery World's Manager of the Year 2014 to
find out what makes her tick and the secrets of her success.
In 2013, Swineshead Pre-school Centre's 'outstanding' Ofsted report highlighted its 'highly skilled' manager. Carolynn Fletcher's 'dedication to providing the best quality childcare for all children motivates her staff team to work effectively together, to ensure children benefit from a continually improving provision,' it noted.
The Ofsted report came one year before Mrs Fletcher was named Nursery Manager of the Year at the Nursery World Awards. And this national recognition was not won overnight. Mrs Fletcher has worked at the Lincolnshire setting for more than 20 years and has been its manager for 15. During that time, she has acted as SENCO, fundraising manager, and even an assistant architect for a new purpose-built building.
Part of what impressed the awards judges was her determination to grow the setting. Between 1999 and 2014, she more than tripled the number of places from 24 to 78. To achieve this, she had to raise £300,000 for a new venue to be built, as the pre-school was set in a 1940s timber-framed building. The centre is a registered charity and she had to convince several members of the managing committee that the setting needed to grow. 'I lived for two years just thinking about the new building,' she says. 'But the old building was horrible, so I was saying to myself, "I need this."'
The Big Lottery Fund provided £250,000 - most of the cash needed for the project - while the rest was raised from local businesses with raffles and fundraising events. The application process, Mrs Fletcher says, was 'intense'.
After some time, she discovered the Revive & Thrive initiative through Lincolnshire County Council. Funded by the European Union, it aims to provide easier access to education, training and childcare to people living in rural areas, as well as attract investment. The building project was allocated a development officer and, a year later, the grant money started to come through, in staged payments. The new building opened in 2006 to accommodate 65 children, which expanded to 78 last year. Mrs Fletcher says the key to the setting's popularity lies in the relationships she and staff built in the village. 'It didn't happen overnight,' she says.
Swineshead is one of the first settings to achieve a Food for Life catering mark from the Soil Association, denoting its use of fresh ingredients free from additives and trans fats, and food that is better for animal welfare and complies with national nutrition standards. For Mrs Fletcher, this is all part of an ethos. The setting has its own cook, and the staff and children grow their own vegetables and fruit. Many mornings she spends in the gardens with the children. 'We are teaching them where their food comes from; growing it, harvesting it, eating it and enjoying it,' she says. Farms and sustainability are also discussed.
'Food is a foundation for life,' says Mrs Fletcher. 'When a child arrives at the pre-school grumpy, the first thing we ask is whether they've had breakfast. You can't function without it!'
But providing quality food for the children is expensive, so all half-term parents are asked to donate snacks to keep the cost down. They donate crackers, cheese, breadsticks and other food that can't be grown.
Special attention
Wellbeing is a priority. As special education needs co-ordinator, Mrs Fletcher says having the time and resources to support SEN children is dependent on having a good staff team.
'I don't physically work in any room at any hour so I'm a bit like a helicopter,' she adds. 'I fly in and do something and fly out again. Nobody ever knows when I'm coming in, it keeps everything fresh.'
Five years ago, Charlie, a visually impaired boy with behaviour problems, joined the pre-school. By working closely together, Mrs Fletcher and the boy's parents were able to get him diagnosed with autism. Mrs Fletcher also raised £3,500 to pay for extra resources for Charlie at home; he needed a magnifying screen at home and at the nursery.
A six-mile moonlight walk was organised, raising money and awareness. The publicity it received in the local newspaper the following day also encouraged people to donate.
Mrs Fletcher is still in contact with Charlie, who is now eight, and his brother now attends the pre-school. 'We are friends now. My kids are in their twenties and have left home, so it's always nice to hang out,' she says of her and Charlie's outings.
Staff are as much of a priority as the children, and she makes a point of running ideas past them. 'It's like driving a bus and, if everyone isn't on board, I can't go anywhere,' as she puts it. The only thing not discussed with the staff is how the projects are funded, as this is a matter for the pre-school's committee.
On a personal level, Mrs Fletcher defines herself as 'proactive' and 'big on communication'. She says that 'a trouble shared is a trouble halved' and makes herself available at all times. 'I can sense when someone isn't happy,' she adds.
The group working at Swineshead Pre-School Centre are like family, she says, and they often go out on socials. Recently, they all went to Sheffield for the weekend.
The team holds a monthly meeting to discuss ideas and challenges, and Mrs Fletcher believes projects wouldn't develop without the full support of the staff.
What are the ingredients of a good manager? 'A little bit of everything,' she says. 'You have to be able to turn your hand to anything and be there for everybody.'
Recently, she decided to go 'back to school' and is now studying for a foundation degree in applied studies in early childhood at Bishop Grosseteste University. One day a week, she studies from 1pm to 8pm. When she started working in childcare, Mrs Fletcher didn't study and decided to build experience over the years instead. But the Government is now pushing for graduate-led nurseries. She says the theory learned at university underpins the practical knowledge she has acquired throughout 20 years of experience. 'It's a really interesting journey and I'm learning differently,' she says.
'One of the main lessons I have learned while studying is how important it is to let children have a choice,' Mrs Fletcher adds. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the organisation in 1989, encourages children's participation in debates, and states the importance of listening. 'You don't only listen to the child's voice, you also do something about it.'
- The 2015 Nursery World Awards are now open for entries at www.nurseryworldawards.com.
