Orchard Family

Shauna

Director

Hello, I am Shauna. I opened Orchard in 1991 and have had the privilege of caring for and teaching so many wonderful children in the Hanover and Queens Park community. We love to provide opportunities for children to learn and grow with the support of our amazing, nurturing, diverse staff team. I live locally and I am here every day which is especially important to me. I love hearing the laughter and chattering and seeing the children’s smiling faces every day. We are extremely lucky to be in such a fantastic community full of different experiences which the children benefit from.

Sam

Manager

Hi, I am Sam and I have been at Orchard since 2012. I have 26 years of childcare experience and also have 3 children and 6 grandchildren who keep me busy outside of work. It is incredibly inspiring and rewarding to see children grow and develop and watching them gain independence and skills to last a lifetime. I love to meet new families and welcome them into Orchard. I feel that creating trusting relationships with families is key and here at Orchard, we pride ourselves on a warm, homely setting.

Zoe

Deputy Manager

Hi, I am Zoe I started working at Orchard in June 2021. I am new to Brighton and love the vibrancy of the city, exploring the beaches and Laines. I’m a huge family person and love spending time with my young nieces and nephews. I am passionate about child development and inputting new ideas which help the children to flourish and learn. It is such a rewarding part of my job to see the children through their years with us go from little babies to big children ready for school knowing I have been a part of their journey. It’s so important to build trusting relationships with the children and parent’s and this is such a fantastic part of my job also.

Jay

Third in charge

Hello, I’m Jay, and have been at Orchard since 2020. I really love working with children and exploring new activities with them. I’m passionate about art and being creative with children. I have a large family and spend a lot of time with them outside of work.

Alice

Outdoor & Curriculum Leader

Hi, I’m Alice and I have been working in early years since 2016, completing my master’s in early Years Education in 2018. I am very passionate about developing the skills children need to become competent and enthusiastic learners. I believe that the outdoor areas are critical in early childhood development. In my spare time I enjoy reading and going for walks.

Lydia

Room Leader

Hi I am Lydia, I have worked at Orchard since 2018. I take great enjoyment in working with young children and helping them to develop and grow. In my spare time I like to get stuck into a good book, delve into one of my favourite series or spend time with my family.

Amber

Room Leader

Hi I’m Amber, I have worked at Orchard since 2021. I see everyday working with children as a learning experience for everybody involved, and therefore I love my job. When I’m not at work I love spending time with my pets, I have a bearded dragon, 3 snakes and 3 cats.

Maisy

Practitioner

Hello, I'm Maisy and I recently qualified as a level 2 practitioner. I joined Orchard in October 2021. I thoroughly enjoy working with children and helping them develop their skills. I really enjoy reading stories to the children and feel they gain a lot of knowledge and experiences from this.

Vera

Practitioner

Hi, I am Vera. I have worked at Orchard since 2016. I enjoy being outdoors and creating learning through nature. The garden is such an amazing place for the babies to explore and learn. We love watering the plants and playing in our mud kitchen. I am a mum of two and love spending time with my family.

Nancy

Apprentice

Hi, I am Nancy, I joined Orchard in 2023, I am originally from South Africa, but have also live in Portugal before moving to the UK. I have previously worked within care homes but have always wanted to make the leap into early years. I really enjoy spending time with children and watching them grow and develop under my care. I am looking forward to starting my apprenticeship and adding depth to my knowledge of child development.

Sophie

Room Leader

Sophie has worked in nurseries in the area since 2016. She loves reading stories and introducing exciting aspects to these such as voiced characters, actions, and an array of different facial expressions! Outside of nursery life Sophie loves to craft at home, caring for her pets, and spending time with her family.

Isabell

Deputy Room Leader

Hello I am Isabell and I have been at Orchard since 2020 after travelling a lot and living in Amsterdam. I am originally from Germany and like to teach the children about different cultures. I love learning from the children as much as the children learn from me and it’s wonderful watching them flourish into little people full of joy and confidence.

Karen

Practitioner

Hello, I am Karen. I have been at Orchard since 2009. I absolutely love being a part of Orchard. Each child is unique and being able to teach so many amazing children is wonderful. At home, I have my own art studio so I enjoy creating lots of different art activities with the children using all sorts of resources.

Anne-Marie

Practitioner

Hi, I’m Anne-Marie, I have lived in Brighton for the last 10 years, but I originate from Romania. I love to spend my spare time with family and friends, as well as painting and reading. I still visit my Romanian family when I have the opportunity and spend a lot of time with my partner’s family too. I am very enthusiastic about working with children and love to do activities that focus on their wellbeing and developing their self-regulation skills.

Chrisann

Senior Practitioner

Hello, I am Chrisann. Working with children is so rewarding and I feel a tremendous sense of pride watching the children learn new skills. One of the best things about working for Orchard is being able to extend the classroom and learn in the wider community whether that is at the beach, zoo, farm, or library. I have a large family as I am one of seven children and I also really enjoy puzzles.

Abby

Deputy Room Leader

Hello, I'm Abby and I am a level 3 qualified practitioner. I have worked at two other nurseries previously before joining Orchard in October 2021. I am excited about teaching the children and I thoroughly enjoy any messy activities the messier the better.

James

Practitioner

Hi, I’m James and I have been at Orchard since 2016. I really love creating exciting stories and teaching the children through books. I also relish our wonderful garden full of exciting areas to explore. In my spare time, I read a lot and enjoy the Theatre.

Becs

Room Leader

Becs is joining our team having gained 7 years experiences in a multitude of different settings. She is incredibly enthusiastic about outdoor play and constructing magnificent models alongside the children. Becs is an avid knitter and enjoys doing this and sewing in her spare time. She has a large family in the local area and enjoys spending time with her younger siblings.

Kyler

Deputy Room Leader

Hey I’m Kyler and I have worked at Orchard since 2015. Listening to the children’s ideas and creating fun experiences is one of the things I love about working with children. I have two younger sisters who keep me busy at home.

Lesley

Practitioner

Hey, I am Lesley and I have been at Orchard since September 2019. Being able to follow the children’s ideas and take them on a learning journey is something that I love about working with Group 3. They are so expressive and want to learn. Outside of nursery I spend a lot of time outdoors with my dogs and photographing nature.

CJ

Chef

CJ is our chef, she has a real passion for creating tasty and nutritionally balanced meals for the children! She has been in the catering trade for more than 15 years working in different environments along the way. When CJ is not working, she enjoys being outdoors, exploring different areas on foot and on bicycle. She also likes to go to the gym when she has the time!

Grace

Lunchtime Assistant

Hi, I’m Grace and I returned to working at Orchard in 2023, I had previously worked at the setting, but took a break to spend time with my son. I am very interested in Harry Potter and Disney, and love to crochet in my spare time!

Laura

Bank Staff / Play Assistant

Alistair

Lunch Cover

Hi, my name is Alistair. I have worked in a couple of different setting across Brighton, and I am very enthusiastic about the early years and the impact of reading on young children. I am an avid fan of attending performances at the theatre and cinema, and I like to visit heritage railways and museums.

Contact Us

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Opening Hours

Nursery

Monday – Friday
8am – 6pm

Nursery Office

Monday – Friday
7am – 6pm

Visit Us

Address

Orchard Day Nursery
Queens Park Road
Brighton
BN2 0GL

Contact

orchardday@yahoo.co.uk
Orchard Main Site: 01273 622883
Orchard St Luke's: 01273 894565