Nursery News

Thursday April 9, 2009 Sharon Hobbs (31), of Whiteleas, South Shields, has been appointed manager of the town’s Stanhope Road nursery, one of three on Tyneside owned and operated by South Shields-based Ashfield Nurseries and Early Learning Centres Ltd. She succeeds former manager Angela Thomas, who has moved further up the Tyne to be manager of a sister nursery at Low Fell.  Sharon began her career as a nursery nurse in 1996 and has a number of qualifications for child care, food hygiene, and administration. She started at Stanhope Road nursery before moving on to the Ashfield Court nursery in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital where she later became deputy manager. She made a brief but unsatisfactory attempt at a career change, and swiftly returned to her first love of nursery nursing by re-joining former colleagues at Stanhope Road.	“This is my first post as a manager and it is exciting and challenging,” says Sharon, whose husband Chris is a draughtsman.  “I have a first-class team around me and I’m looking forward to my new role with eager anticipation.” New manger Sharon Hobbs gets down to some administration work at Ashfield Nursery.
ANGELA MOVES ON A well-known and popular figure at Ashfield Nursery in Stanhope Road, South Shields, 30-year-old Angela Thomas (pictured) has been appointed manager of the sister nursery at Low Fell. Angela, mum to two youngsters aged 8 and 5 years, spent six years at Stanhope Road, the last three as manager. She leaves South Shields with a measure of sadness tinged with pride. “I was very happy at Stanhope Road but any regrets at leaving have been softened by the many messages of thanks and good luck from parents and others,” she says.
Monday March 16, 2009 Leanne Howden (31), of South Shields, manager of Ashfield Court Nursery and ELC in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital, has become the first member of the team at the company’s three nurseries to qualify as a graduate leader. The Government stipulates that every private nursery should have one graduate in place by 2015 but Ashfield Court is exceeding that expectation with a further six of its employees also starting studies to achieve graduate leadership status.  Another member of the staff, Emma Hughes, is working towards her foundation degree.  Leanne will act as guide and mentor to those seeking to follow her example. Leanne, who has worked at Ashfield Court nursery since it opened in 2002, studied for her degree at Sunderland University. It took three years of part-time study. Brian Powell, a director of Ashfield Nurseries and Early Learning Centres Ltd which has two other nurseries, one at Stanhope Road, South Shields and at Low Fell, Gateshead, says: “The training of our nursery staff to graduate level is deserving of their commitment to their vocation, and it will improve even further the quality of the care of the children in our charge.”
Thursday December 18, 2008 Toddlers at Ashfield Nursery in Stanhope Road, South Shields, had a surprise visit from Santa at their Christmas concert. After entertaining the audience of family and friends with renditions of ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer’, ‘When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney’, and ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’… in he walked, much to their surprise and delight.
Wednesday November 12, 2008 - NAUGHTY PUDSEY BEAR!
Pudsey Bear found himself admonished by toddlers at Ashfield Court nursery, South Shields, when he joined them to help bake cakes to be sold in aid of Children in Need. Pudsey spilled the flour and chocolate contents of his mixing bowl, then mischievously spread them all over the table.  This shocked his three and four-year-old fellow “bakers” who told him off for being “very naughty”. But when they learned the “naughtiness” was for the benefit of the BBC television cameras covering the event, the children joined in the fun.  Nursery manager Leanne Howden said afterwards:  “Keeping everything neat and tidy is a feature of activities at the nursery and the children were truly shocked when Pudsey deliberately upset his mixing bowl.  They joined in the mayhem which followed, however, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.  Now we will have to start all over again to bake the cakes.” The cakes will be sold to parents to raise cash for Children in Need.	Three-year-olds Joseph Hunter and Jack Turk are horrified by Pudsey Bear spilling his cake mix. Kairon McKie (right) thinks it’s funny but Gabe Miller couldn’t care less as he carries on stirring his mix.
Tuesday November 11, 2008 Three-year-old toddlers at Ashfield Nursery, South Shields, are so determined to look right for Children in Need they held an impromptu rehearsal of their Pudsey Bear outfits. Pictured left to right are Riley Ramsey, Faith O’Hara, Mohak Dhakal, and Sophie Stephenson. Pudsey Bear didn’t need to rehearse but insisted on being photographed in the arms of Faith. The nursery, at Stanhope Road is carrying out a number of fundraising events for the charity.

Monday November 3, 2008 - ALL GHOUL FUN!

More than 40 youngsters at Ashfield Court Nursery in South Shields joined in the spooky fun of their Halloween party and had a whale of a time… as these pictures clearly show.

Three-year-old Jack Turk was determined to scare our photographer.		“I think there’s something behind us.” Three-year-old Jessica Berry (left) seems to be telling her friend Sally Allison. Putting in an Oscar-winning performance in the skeleton suit is Luke Duffy (4).
Getting ready for a spooky story.		Everyone joined in the fun, even the nursery staff.

Friday August 22, 2008

"Hissing Sid" the Madagascan cockroach… "Rosie" the South American tarantula… "Brian" the land snail from Africa… "Twiggy" the Australian stick insect… and "Jasper" the North American corn snake were among an unusual array of visitors who completely grabbed the attention of a group of three to six-year-olds at Ashfield Nursery, Low Fell.

Paul Fenwick of Zoo Lab, helps Eloise Crang (4), Stephen Dawson (4), his brother, Thomas (6), and three-year-old Aidan Charlesworth to get to know "Jasper" the corn snake.

Ellie McDonell (5) makes friends with "Brian" the land snail.

"The visit was to give the children a chance to see and to handle a range of creatures they may never otherwise encounter at such close quarters," says nursery manager Joanna Brown. "We weren't sure how the children would react but we know from past experience there would be more fascination than fear. But to make sure, we offered the children a choice of making cakes, or meeting the visitors. Every one of the group chose to meet the animals. Not only that, some of them opted to touch and hold them, even to have them crawl on their hand or arm."

The event was "The Wiggly Road Show", and Paul Fenwick of Zoo Lab who staged it, had the children on up-close-and-personal terms with a 7cm long cockroach, a young land snail which will eventually grow to the size of a football, a stick insect that resembles leaves blowing in the wind, a flying tree frog, a giant millipede from Africa, and Rosie the tarantula, who, unlike most of the other creatures, stayed securely inside her see-through box.

After the visit Joanna said: "The children had a fabulous time, even those we thought would be apprehensive couldn't resist having a look. It's been a real journey of discovery for them today, and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience."

Thursday August 21, 2008

Twenty-three toddlers found it magic in more ways than one when their "graduation" at Ashfield Court Nursery in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital, South Shields, was linked to a garden party attended by scores of parents and grandparents.

One of the entertainment attractions on offer was a performance by a professional magician, an experience most of the four-year-olds sampled for the first time in their lives.

"Bringing the two events together involved a lot of organisation and hard work for the nursery team but it was all worthwhile and a huge success," said nursery manager Leanne Howden afterwards. "Everyone… children and grown-ups… thoroughly enjoyed themselves."

Monday July 21, 2008

Four-year-old Zavier Battour, who played Captain Hook in his nursery's production of Peter Pan, came face-to-face with the "real" Captain Hook when he made a surprise visit to present graduation certificates to Zavier and 25 fellow toddlers at Ashfield Nursery and ELC, Low Fell.

Harry Ely, manager of Springs health club which is adjacent to the nursery, and where the graduation took place, volunteered to dress up for the role. He was met with stunned silence from the children when he made his entrance. They soon recovered, however, and young Zavier, who was intrigued by Harry’s costume and real beard, introduced himself with a hookshake!

The children's performance of Peter Pan was part of the graduation celebrations marking the youngsters' progression from nursery to full-time education. Nursery manager Joanna Brown told the audience of parents, relatives and friends of the children: "The performance only lasts 15 minutes but we've been rehearsing for almost four months. I think we can all be very proud of the remarkably high standard of performance the children have achieved."

After being presented with their graduation certificate each child, dressed in cap and gown, posed for an individual souvenir photograph with Captain Hook.

Put it there! Four-year-old Zavier introduces himself to Captain Hook with a hookshake.

Captain Hook with all the youngsters who graduated at Ashfield Nursery.

Monday July 14, 2008

Identical twins Madeleine and Arwen King were among 16 South Tyneside four-year-olds who "graduated" at a special ceremony at Ashfield Nursery and Early Learning Centre, South Shields.

Watched by a large gathering of parents and friends, the youngsters each received a diploma signifying they had completed their early training at the nursery and would soon be attending school.

After the ceremony they entertained everyone with songs specially learned for the occasion.

Twin joy! Identical sisters Madeleine and Arwen King with their graduation diplomas.

The 16-strong group of Ashfield Nursery four-year-olds who graduated.

Wednesday July 9, 2008

Scrumptious goodies! Two-year-old Skyler Hopper can’t resist the cake stall offerings.

Showers of rain didn't dampen the spirits of toddlers and parents when Ashfield Nursery and Early Learning Centre at Stanhope Road, South Shields, held its annual Summer Fayre at the weekend.

The nursery staff simply moved all the stalls and amusement amenities indoors where the fun and games went ahead as planned.

"It was a pity the weather was against us but once we got under way indoors no-one seemed to mind," said nursery manager Angela Thomas afterwards. "Only the bouncy castle remained outdoors and that, too, was popular between showers."

The prize winners! Eve Dryden (5) and her brother Joseph (3) show off their raffle prize.		This will frighten Mum! Four-year-old Reece Patterson receives a face paint.		The ever-popular bouncy castle.

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