Meet the team

As well as being highly qualified in their field, the team at Farley are caring and supportive, versatile, imaginative, willing and highly motivated. They are friendly, approachable and good fun. They are also more than just a team, they are part of an extended family. Please explore the tabs below and meet some of them.

Sue Palmer – Principal

Sue is a Fully Qualified Teacher with over 18 years experience in the early years and also holds Early Years Professional Status. As well as running the Nursery School, Sue holds workshops for practitioners from all over the country on Outdoor Learning, gives lectures at Childcare Conferences Nationwide and regularly speaks to University students across the country.

Sue holds strong beliefs that happy children learn, and that the best way for them to achieve in the early years is to experience the world around them in an outdoor environment.

Helen Hurford – Deputy Manager

Helen has been an early years practitioner for fifteen years and is qualified to level 4 in Childcare, Learning and Development, as well as specialising in Special Educational Needs, First Aid and Health and Safety.

Helen is passionate about delivering the early years curriculum outside and especially enjoys taking the opportunity to cook over an open fire in our two acre field.

Sarah Dawkins – Room Supervisor, Marigold

Sarah has been a qualified practitioner for 10 years and holds a BTEC in Childcare and NVQ level 3. Sarah is the first face that the babies see when they join Farley and she loves the opportunity to work with these very special people. Being nurturing and caring in nature, Sarah is able to ensure the babies in her care are always content and she enjoys watching them grow and thrive as they move up through the Nursery.

John Murphy – Room Supervisor, Bee Garden

John has been working in the childcare sector for five years and has recently taken up his first Room Supervisor position. He is now running “Beegarden,” one of the busiest in the nursery.

It is the sense of freedom and the positive atmosphere that John likes most about working at Farley. He certainly always has a smile on his face and has a fantastic rapport with Parents and Children alike.

John loves his football and he brings the same enthusiasm to everything he does at Farley

Jade Munday – Room Leader, Merrygrove

Jade gained her Diploma Level Three in Childcare and Education three years ago, and joined a mainstream Day Nursery where the children were mainly inside. Having come to Farley Jade says she can really see the difference being outside makes to a child’s development and behaviour. Jade also enjoys sharing experiences with the children that other day care providers cannot offer, such as open fires and walking in the woods.

Lisa Humby – Room Supervisor, Top Conker

10 years BTEC National Diploma in Early Years Childcare and Education. Lisa loves everything about Farley, especially the variety of the opportunities available for learning outside and being part of an innovative Nursery. Lisa takes great pride in sending interesting and motivated individuals on to their first “proper” schools