Spotlight on…Katie Hayle

What was it like to be chosen to tour Number 10 Downing Street as part of National Apprenticeship Week?

It was so exciting to be picked for an outstanding contribution and really good to visit Downing Street. The security guards took us on the tour and there were meetings going on around us but we managed to see the majority of the state rooms. I was a bit afraid to touch anything though!

How did you get started in childcare?

My mum works in childcare, so was a role model to me. She ran the after-school club at my primary school and now she works at their nursery. After studying my Level 2 at college I started working at The Co-operative Childcare in July 2014. The apprenticeship is now supporting me to complete my Level 3. There are three apprentices at the nursery, which is great because we can help each other out with the work and give each other new ideas.

What do you like most about working at the nursery?

Planning activities is one of my favourite parts because everyone has always got different ideas for different children and it’s nice to explore the activities alongside the children, evaluating and changing them for the next time.

I think what I didn’t expect before I worked with children was how advanced younger children can be, how they can set out to achieve something and, if they don’t achieve it, find a different way or ask an adult for an idea. The two- to three-year-olds are so opinionated! They help plan activities with us, they really know what they like. For example, this week we are doing a dinosaur footprint printing session, and had a dinosaur hunt in the mud area, giving them magnifying glasses and little spades to find the toy dinosaurs.