nurturing caterpillars into butterflies through play and education
Ullswater Avenue | Leamington Spa | CV32 6NH
01926 885492
Our Team
The Caterpillars Nursery team is made up of a super bunch of people who genuinely love their jobs. They have all the necessary statutory requirements for working with children (paediatric first aid training; child protection training; DBS checks – please ask if you’d like more information about any of these) and so much more besides.
One of these lovely people will be your family's key person, which means they’re the one who will spend the most time getting to know your child, settling them in, observing and supporting their journey through the Early Years. However, everybody works so closely together than you’ll find any one of them ready and willing to chat to you about your child or about any aspect of nursery life.
Julie Byrne
Nursery Manager
Julie is the manager of Caterpillar Nursery and has worked here (in two different stints) for 11 of her 18 years in childcare. She is a mother of two and a grandmother of three and she also enjoys sewing, reading and foreign travel. Her favourite thing about working with children is nurturing them and making a difference in their lives, watching them grow and develop into confident children. Julie not only manages the nursery, but is constantly looking for ways that she and her staff can learn and grow themselves. As such, she holds Foundation Early Years degree in Childcare and she is an advanced practitioner of the ‘Time to Talk’ programme (and the nursery holds an enhanced certificate for speech and language specialist training)
Michelle Hardy
Acting Manager & SENCO
Michelle took on the role of Deputy Manager at Caterpillar Nursery in September 2019. She brought with her 18 years of experience and her enthusiasm for helping children to learn and progress through sustained shared thinking. Michelle has her own areas of responsibility within the nursery, such as parent partnership. Michelle has a BA in Early Years Education & Care plus holds Early Year Teacher status and uses her expertise and knowledge to inform different approaches of learning. Michelle is our Early Years Special Needs Coordinator and is extremely passionatte about making sure each child is accessing the right services. Michelle recently gained her EYSENCo qualification and as the Mum of a SEN child herself, she has a unique perspective on intervention and the impact of outcomes.
Tash
Acting Deputy & Curriculum Coordinator
Meng
Nursery Officer
Promilla
Nursery Assistant
Tash initially joined us as a student for some work placement experience in May 2021, and we couldn't let her go! Tash is recently completed her BA Hons in Early Years Childhood & Education.
Tash is our Curriculum Coordinator bringing so many creative ideas to Caterpillar's, you'll often find her constructing something Blue Peter Badge worthy.
Tash is a Mum of two primary girls & infant son.
Meng joined us in January 2022 and is a level three qualified practitioner.
Meng loves all things nature and will use this to implement our curriculum. Meng takes lead in outdoor classroom, providing a vibrant learning experience for children, whatever the weather.
Meng is the Mum of twin teens and was a Caterpillar Parent when her children attended before they started school.
Promilla joined our family in March 2023, coming with a wealth of experience and knowledge from different backgrounds. Promilla is an expeirenced practitioner and has previously worked at Brookhurst Primary School as well as other Early Year settings. Promila primarily works as a 1:1 support for our high level need children.