Meet Our Team

Miss Charlotte : Nursery Manager

Miss Charlotte is room leader for the Owlets and our Forest School Lead. Miss Charlotte has worked in Early Years for over 20 years and holds a Level 4 certificate for the Early Years Advanced Practitioner and Level 3 in Forest School Leader, Health and Safety and Special Educational Needs (SEND). 

Miss Charlotte is the nursery’s Designated Safeguarding lead. Miss Charlotte is also trained in Makaton and loves teaching everyone the signs! Miss Charlotte is very passionate about Forest School and believes children should be outdoors in all weathers! Miss Charlotte also spends time in Wise Owls and at The Nest.

Miss Charlotte has two children who attended Ripe Nursery and loves to go to see musical’s, read and go running.

Miss Katherine : Deputy Manager At Wise Owls

Miss Katherine is room leader in Wise Owls. Miss Katherine has been at Ripe Nursery since 2003. She holds a B'tec National Diploma in Nursery Nursing and also holds a level 2 in Speech and Language support for 3 -5-year-olds. Miss Katherine has 2 children who also attended the nursery and lives on a farm.

Miss Katherine enjoys sharing her stories from the farm with the children and loves to hear about their experiences from home.

Miss Mel K : Deputy Manager At The Nest

After training at Norland College Miss Mel worked as a nanny for 18 years before moving to nurseries when she had her own children. Miss Mel absolutely loves working with babies and enjoys working with parents to ensure the transition from home to nursery is as smooth as possible for both parents and children.

Miss Mel holds a CACHE level 3.

Miss Mel has 3 children, 2 of which went to Ripe Nursery and in her spare time enjoys walking her dog.

Miss Jazz : Wise Owls Room Deputy and SENCo

Miss Jazz joined Ripe in September 2024 and has been qualified for the past 2 years with a Master’s degree in Early Years Education.

Miss Jazz is always keen to expand her knowledge around Early Years and is often doing additional courses to learn more.

Miss Jazz is trained in Makaton and is currently undertaking her Level 3 Leadership in Forest School. She enjoys all things messy play and loves spending time outdoors.

In Miss Jazz’s spare time, she can be found on a rugby pitch or on a run with Miss Charlotte! Miss Jazz also enjoys playing lots of different sports and spending time with her family.

Miss Sarah : Deputy Manager at Owlets

Miss Sarah holds a Level 3 Childcare and Education Diploma and has 18 years’ experience in early years. Miss Sarah loves making relationships with the families and children and enjoys being outside, crafting and singing with the children.

Miss Sarah lives on a farm with her husband and daughter, who also attended the nursery.

Miss Tracey : The Nest

Miss Tracey joined Ripe Nursery in January 2019. Miss Tracey started her working career as a First Choice Representative in Turkey supporting families on holiday before coming back to England to retrain as a Nursery Practitioner gaining her NVQ Level 3 in Early Years.

Miss Tracey finds working in early years very rewarding, by helping the children develop and achieve their mile stones before going off to their next big adventure primary school.

Miss Isabel : Owlets

Miss Isabel holds a Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification. Before joining Ripe to start her apprenticeship she completed an Art, design and fashion course at East Sussex college, Eastbourne detaining a distinction.

Miss Isabel attended the Nursery when she was little as did her older brother, and loves being back helping shape children’s learning and development bringing her creative skills to make exciting opportunities for the children to explore.

Miss Isabel is always keen to develop her skills and understanding and has a keen interest in SEN. Miss Isabel loves insects, animals and being outside. Spending her free time gardening , looking after her many house plants, and occasionally painting or taking a trip to London visiting museums.

Miss Mel G : The Nest

Miss Mel started working at Ripe Nursery in 2006 when her daughter left to start school, she also has a son. Miss Mel moved to The Nest in Laughton when it opened for our under two’s, and she really loves working with the babies, watching them grow in confidence and become independent little people.

Miss Mel holds a Level 2 qualification in childcare. Miss Mel loves nature, our wild birds, insects, creatures, and plants. Miss Mel spends a lot of her spare time growing plants, gardening, walking in the woods or watching the different birds at the Reservoir.

Miss Jas : The Nest

Miss Jas is currently undertaking a Level 3 in Early Years Educator. Before joining Ripe Nursery School, Miss Jas worked as a teaching assistant in a primary school. Miss Jas has two children, who both attended the nursery. In her free time Miss Jas likes to ride her horse and walk her 3 dogs.

Miss Rolanda : Wise Owls and Owlets

Lunch assistant and bank staff.

Miss Rolanda holds an NVQ 2 in Early Years Care and Education and has worked part time in many settings over the past 15 years. Both younger boys have SEN, therefore Miss Rolanda has undertaken many recent training courses on ASD, ADHD, Epilepsy and FASD, which assisted her personal development.

Miss Rolanda uses her knowledge to volunteer within her son’s primary school, reading, phonics and running their library. Early Years is Miss Rolanda’s passion, as it is such a wonderful and enriching experience to be part of a child’s development in these early years.

Miss Rolanda is a mum to 2 grown up adult children, who have given her 4 wonderful grandchildren. Miss Rolanda also has 2 younger school aged, adopted boys.

Miss Nicki : The Nest

Miss Nicki has worked with children her whole working life and holds a BTEc National Diploma in Childhood Studies ( Nursery Nursing).

Miss Nicki has worked across a variety of settings and has a special interest in SEN. Miss Nicki absolutely loves working in early years , especially building relationships with the children and their families and loves to learn about, and help develop, whatever sparks joy in the children.

Miss Nicki shares her life with her husband and 2 grown up children. In her spare time Miss Nicki loves cooking, going for country walks and eating out!

Miss Adele : The Nest

Our apprentice for Level 3 Early Years Educator.

Miss Adele started working with children as a volunteer for Lewes Swimming Club as a Level 1 coach followed by LEVEL 1 &2 swimming teacher.

Miss Adele has worked in schools since 2016 with children of all different learning abilities and has loved teaching children how to grow their own vegetables.

She is also trained in Makaton and loves to watch children to develop in confidence and become independent.

Miss Adele has a child who attends Ripe Nursery and enjoys spending her free time with family and friends.

Miss Angela : Wise Owls

Miss Angela joined Ripe...

Miss Claudia : Nursery Assistant

Miss Claudia has worked as a Nursery Assistant for the past 3 years and previously spent 7 years as a private nanny.

As a parent of two children who attended the nursery, she understands the importance of creating a warm, nurturing, and engaging environment for young children.

Outside of work, Miss Claudia enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, walking her cocker spaniel, being at the stables, holidays, strength training at the gym, meeting friends and eating out.

Miss Ruth : Owlets

Miss Ruth studied Early Years and Education at Lewes College where she did 2 years placement in a nursery. This lead to her achieving her Level 3 certificate. She has further experience of working full time in a previous nursery with ages from 10 months to 4 years.

Miss Ruth enjoys spending time with the children and helping them explore the world through play.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends and crocheting gifts.