All of our staff are either NNEB (National Nursery Examination Board) or equivalent, or participating in the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Early Years and Childcare.
We have a very high qualified staff ratio which far exceeds that of OFSTED requirements. All of our staff are trained in First Aid.
Management
Paula – Nursery Owner
Paula is the owner of Monkey Puzzle Muswell Hill, which she opened in January 2018. Paula is also the owner of Monkey Puzzle East Finchley, which she opened in September 2011. Paula has 3 children of her own and has worked in childcare for over 10 years.
Ryan Phillips – Nursery Manager
Ryan is our Nursery Manager. Ryan is our Designated safeguarding officer and oversees behaviour management, health & safety and equal opportunities across the nursery. Ryan has worked in many childcare settings with over 15 years childcare experience behind him. Most recently he worked as a deputy manager for 8 years before moving over from our East Finchley site in August 2018 to take on the role of Manager.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- BA in Learning and Teaching
- Foundation Degree in Early Childhood Studies
- Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
- Designated safeguarding officer
- Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2
- Mental Health First Aider
- Awareness of Prevent Duty
- Prevent for Leaders and Managers
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing # Level 2 award in Food Safety for Catering
- Paediatric First Aid
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- Fire Warden
Liana Marenghi – Assistant Manager/
SENCO
Liana is our Assistant Manager and overseas Special Educational Needs, behaviour management and health & safety across the nursery. Liana has now completed her Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Service, Liana’s pervious role was a Playscheme, school and setting’s Co-ordinator and she worked as deputy room leader for 4 years.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Health and Social Care and Children and Young People’s Services
- Level 3 Diploma in Management
- Haringey Approved Early Years SENCO Training
- Early Years SENCO Training
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- Paediatric First Aid
- Prevent for leaders and managers
- Prevent
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (Children)
- Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2
- Level 2 award in Food Safety for Catering
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing
- Fire Marshal
- Safer Recruitment
- First Aid in Mental Health Level 1
- Manual Handling
Languages
English (fluent)
Core Team
Natalie Bryant – Pre-School Room Leader (Level 3)
Natalie has recently moved to London as Pre-School Room Leader. Natalie has a real passion for childcare with many years’ experience.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 3 Children and Young People’s Workforce
- Level 3 Diploma in Management
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering level 2
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Paediatric First Aid
- Channel General Awareness
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
Angel Platia – Nursery Teacher (QTS)
Angel is originally from Greece and since coming to the UK she has completed her qualified teacher status qualification (QTS). Using this qualification, Angel loves to provide new stimulating and exciting opportunities to help the children meet their millstones as well as preparing them for their next chapter at school. Angel is bilingual and supports the children to learn Greek as well as providing support to any families whose first language is Greek. Angel started her position in January 2021 and has already made such a positive impact to the children in her care.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Qualified Teacher Status
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Manual Handling
- Fire Awareness
- Paediatric First Aid
- Prevent
Languages:
- Greek (fluent)
- English(fluent)
Abena Antwi – Nursery Teach (Level 6)
Baby Room
Abena is currently working in our baby room after recently graduating from University. Abena has previous experience working in a range of nurseries as well as school settings supporting children with additional needs. Abena has a passion for working with children and is very caring, supportive and enthusiastic.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- BA in Early Years and Psychology
- Fire awareness
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Prevent
- Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2
Courteney Ridge – Nursery Teacher (Level 3)
Baby Room
Courteney has recently finished her Level 3 in the Children’s and Young People’s Workforce and is based in our Baby room. Courteney has taken a new career path as she previously worked as a supervisor in a shopping centre. Courteney is part of a large family and has some childcare experience. Courteney is doing extremely well in her new role working with the babies.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 3 children and young people’s workforce: Early Years Educator
- Safeguarding Children (Advanced)
- Paediatric Frist Aid
- Staying Safe Online Assessment
- Fire Awareness
- British Values Assessment
- Radicalisation and Extremism Assessment
- Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Catering
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Prevent
- Manual Handling
Languages:
English (fluent)
Rubilyn Caabay – Nursery Teacher (Level 2)
Pre-School Room
Rubilyn has recently qualified as a level 2 early years practitioner. Rubilyn is a mummy to a little boy and is a very caring and nurturing person. Rubilyn is furthering her career at the nursery by undertaking her level 3 qualification. Rubilyn enjoys working across all the rooms and is currently supporting our Pre-School Room.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- CACHE Level 2 introduction to Early Years Education and Care
- Paediatric First Aid
- Fire Awareness
- Safeguarding Children (Advanced) Level 2
- Level 2Award in Food Safety for Catering
- Channel General Awareness
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
Lisa Ridge – Nursery Teacher (Unqualified)
Lunch Time Cover in Toddler Room
Lisa is employed as a lunch cover staff and is also our wellbeing lead since completing her Mental First Aid qualification. Lisa has good knowledge of the local area and applies this when out on an outing with the children. Lisa has two older children of her own and wants to apply her motherly instinct to a role working in early years.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Mental Health First Aider
- Paediatric Frist aid
- Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Catering
- Channel General Awareness
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing
- Safeguarding Children (advanced) Level 2
Laura Blanco – Nursery Teacher (Level 4)
Toddler Room
Laura moved to London from Gran Canaria in 2018 and has been using her past experiences in Early Years here to support her role in the nursery. Laura enjoys providing new exciting opportunities to help the children meet milestones for their age and stage of development. Laura is a big asset to the Toddler room team as she is bilingual and supports the children to learn Spanish by supporting our external providers Bilingual Beats.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 4 Early Years Education
- Safeguarding Children
- Paediatric First Aid
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Channel General Awareness
- Prevent
Jessica Ronan – Nursery Teacher (Level 3)
Toddler Room
Jessica works in our toddler room and has joined our team with lots of artistic and creative ideas to support the children’s learning. Jessica is good team player and shares her knowledge and skills with her peers to ensure the best experiences for our children. Jessica has 3 children in the early years age bracket and looks after the children in her care like they are her own. Jessica is a happy and cheerful member of staff and this shines through in her role working with Toddlers. Jessica has an interest in her own personal development and wants to progress further with her career.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 3 for The Children and Young People’s Workforce
- Prevent Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Level 3 for The Children and Young People’s Workforce
- Prevent
- Behaviour Management
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Paediatric First Aid
- Manual Handling
- Fire Awareness
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
Languages:
English (fluent)
Vanessa Cietto – Nursery Teacher (Level 3)
Vanessa has recently joined Monkey puzzle, Muswell Hill as a full time perinate member in toddler room. Vanessa ha now completed her level 3 qualification in Childcare and has a real passion to support children in their development. Vanessa was born in Brazil and moved to London in 2016. Vanessa is fluent in Portuguese and can speak basic Spanish and loves to bring her culture to giving children additional experiences.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 2 CACHE For Early Years Practitioner
- Fire Awareness
- Prevent
- Manual Handling
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
Languages:
- English (fluent)
- Portuguese (fluent)
- Spanish (basic)
Khushboo Depala – Nursery Teacher (Level 3)
Cover Staff
Khushboo has recently join the Monkey Puzzle family in a cover staff position to support her working towards her level 3 qualification, which she is aiming to finish in September 2021. Khushboo is a mother of a 2-year-old boy and has loved being involved in his development, which has given her the determination to work towards her qualification. Khushboo has already thought of lots of activities and ideas that she wants to bring across all the rooms to support the different age groups.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 3 for The Children and Young People’s Workforce
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Prevent
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Paediatric First Aid
- Manual Handling
Languages:
- English (fluent)
- Gujarati (fluent)
- Hindi (fluent)
- Marathi (basic)
Susan Mohamed – Nursery Teacher (Level 2)
Cover Staff
Susan is employed as a cover member of staff across the whole nursery. Susan has worked with children in her previous roles including older children of 8-10 years. Susan has raised 4 children of her own and has shown a real passion for children.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Level 2 Certificate in Developing Skills for Working with Children and Young People
- Paediatric Frist Aid
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Channel General Awareness
- Fire Warden
Hayley Whelan – Nursery Teacher (unqualified)
Toddler Room
Hayley has joined Monkey puzzle, Muswell Hill as a part-time permanent member in Toddler room. Hayley is a mother of two and has a real passion to support children in their early stages of their life. As her children are starting to get a little older Hayley is using her time now to concentrate on her own passion as well as balancing her home life.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Prevent
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Manual Handling
Languages:
- English (fluent)
Basmah Mohamed – Nursery Teacher (unqualified)
Cover Staff
Basmah has joined Monkey puzzle as a cover staff working across all the rooms at both Muswell Hill and East Finchley. Basmah is currently at university working towards her degree in English Literature but has always had a passion for working in Early Years.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Channel General Awareness
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Sport leadership (Level 2)
- Peer mentoring (Level 2)
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
- Paediatric First Aid
- Manual Handling
- Prevent
Languages:
- English (fluent)
- Arabic (fluent)
- Spanish (fluent)
- French (basic)
- Latin (basic)
Pinar Parlayan – Nursery Teacher (unqualified)
Cover Staff
Pinar has joined the Monkey Puzzle family as a cover support staff who will be working across all of the rooms. Pinar is very passionate about early years and cannot wait to put her creative ideas into practice. Pinar can also play the piano and is able to read music which will allow her to bring new experiences for the children. Pinar also speaks Turkish and French in addition to English which we are excited for her to bring additional culture and experiences to our nursery.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Prevent
- Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM
Languages:
- English (fluent)
- Turkish (fluent)
- French (basic)
Iryna Svyripa – Nursery Teacher (unqualified)
Cover Staff
Iryna is originally from Ukraine and since coming to the UK Iryna has dedicated her time to teaching English to Russian teenagers & children. Iryna works as a cover staff supporting all rooms at the nursery as well as children with English as an additional language. Iryna has a passion for music and can play the piano and encourages the children to participate in musical activities with instruments and singing. Iryna has recently started her Level 3 qualification in childcare.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Prevent
- Safeguarding Children (Advance) Level 2
- Paediatric First Aid
Languages:
- Russian(fluent)
- Ukraine (fluent)
Rachida Chaima – Nursery Cook
Rachida has been a home maker for over 20 years and has 4 children of her own. In Rachida’s previous job she worked as part of cancer research as assistant manager supporting staff in a customer service role raising money for cancer research. Rachida is originally from Morocco and has a passion for cooking this comes across in her role at the nursery Rachida also is creative with cooking all the children thoroughly enjoy the food prepared for them by Rachida.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
- Paediatric First Aid
- Prevent
- Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering (Level 2)
- Fire Warden
Career opportunities
Monkey Puzzle is committed to providing great career opportunities for its entire staff. We are very keen to ensure that our team of staff participate in training at all levels. Our policy is always to recruit and/or promote internally if at all possible.
Please see our Current Vacancies below:
Level 3 Nursery Practitioner
Level 2 Nursery Practitioner in training
If you think you have what it takes and would like to be a part of our exciting new team, please send your CV to manager@monkeypuzzlemuswellhill.co.uk.
