Becky Watanabe - Early Years Manager & Trainer/Consultant Expand Becky (Becky at 4-years-old) Becky is both an Early Years Manager and a very popular early years trainer and consultant. Having previously worked at one of Acorn's nurseries, we were delighted to welcome Becky back to Acorn in 2017 after several years working as a childminder and trainer/consultant. As well as supporting Acorn's nurseries and being one of Acorn's Mental Health First Aiders, Becky devises and delivers Early Years training courses across the country, and supports local settings to continually improve their early years provision. With over 5 years’ experience delivering training nationwide, Becky has a wealth of knowledge to share. If you would like an informal chat about how Becky can support your setting please get in touch.
Becky Watanabe - Trainer and Consultant Expand Becky Becky is Acorn’s Early Years Trainer and Consultant. With over 20 years’ experience in the Early Years Sector, in which she has gained experience in various roles, including Nursery Management, Chairperson of the Milton Keynes Childminding Association, and running her own childcare business that achieved two consecutive ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted grades, before closing her business to become a full-time trainer and consultant. Becky is now Acorn’s main Early Years consultant, offering her expertise to support other settings at an affordable rate. Becky also writes bespoke Early Years training courses, and delivers most of Acorn’s Early Years Training Programme. Becky has a particular passion and expertise in Enabling Environments, Heuristic Play, Loose Parts, and Risky Play.
Boosting Babies Brains Delivered by Becky Watanabe Expand Delivered by Becky Watanabe Dates & times for the face-face course: Friday 1st March 2024 (9:30am - 12:30pm) Our face to face courses are delivered at our Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE. Overview: This exciting, practical workshop explores the importance of attachment and forming secure relationships with a key person in an enabling, sensory rich and nurturing environment. Consider how to provide a safe yet stimulating environment where a baby feels confident to explore the curiosities, awe and wonder of the world through their senses. Be sure to leave inspired with new ideas, delving in and enjoying the ride as you explore first-hand developmentally appropriate activities that stimulate all the senses, including two all-important sensory systems that are often overlooked. We look forward to taking you on an adventurous journey through the senses, unlocking the potential to boosting babies’ brain development. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now'
Building Your Curriculum Delivered by Becky Watanabe Expand Delivered by Becky Watanabe Our face to face courses are delivered at our Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE. Dates & times for the online course: Wednesday 8th February 2024 (4:00pm - 6:00pm) Overview: Understanding the Intent Implementation and Impact of your Curriculum in Practice This interactive session will help you to understand what the EYFS looks like in practice and how this will be unique to all early years settings, and children. Activities and group discussions will help you to understand, and be able to articulate to others, what the intent is for the provision and how this is sequenced. We will explore the intent, implementation, and impact (the 3 I’s) of activities and experiences that help children to reach their full potential. Reflective discussions will help you to understand your pedagogy and how approaches to teaching supports connection, attachment and for children to learn most effectively. Invitations to play and opportunities to develop these in practice will equip you with new ideas of how to spark awe and wonder for children to be curious explorers. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now'
Can you tell me about the staff who work in the Club? Expand Staff working in our holiday club regularly work in our breakfast and afterschool club and have many years of experience of working with children.
Carolyn Norfolk Expand Carolyn has been a trustee of Acorn since 2017, taking on the role of Vice Chair in 2022. As an ex-parent at Acorn, Carolyn has a detailed understanding of the social impact of Acorn's work. Carolyn is a Chartered Tax advisor and Partner at EY LLP with over 20 years of advising both corporate and charity clients, so brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in matters of taxation to Acorn. Carolyn's experience advising entrepreneurial and charity clients has supported the Board of Trustees, CEO and Senior Leadership Team as the organisation has grown.
Charlotte Kent - Training and Development Manager (External) Expand Charlotte is our External Training and Development Manager looking after our apprentices and external training courses. Charlotte has worked in childcare since leaving school, completing her Level 3, working in Nurseries, then moving on as an apprenticeship assessor and teacher in a further education. Charlotte loves spending her time with family in the park for a big game of rounders accompanied by the sunshine!
Childminders Training and Networking Hub with Becky Watanabe £5 per childminder and £2.50 per accompanying assistant. Expand Upcoming dates: Wednesday 25th September 2019, 19.00 - 20.30 The Early Years Inspection Handbook Tuesday 22nd October 2019, 19.00 - 20.30 Cultural Capital Tuesday 26th November 2019, 19.00 - 20.30 Observation and Assessment Wednesday 26th January 2020, 19.00 - 20.30 Sensory Play on a Budget Wednesday 26th February 2020 19.00 - 20.30 Marketing Your Business Tuesday 24th March 2020 19.00 - 20.30 Working with Assistants - What You Need to Know To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now' Location: Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimbourne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE
Completed Fundraising Projects Expand Tree house development at Stony Stratford Description: Our nursery at Stony Stratford has a lovely woodland garden which is located in a conservation area. In 2019, with the support of donations and volunteers from local businesses, we developed this area to provide an engaging and educational natural area that children at the nursery could access throughout the day. This included developing it further by building a tree house in a spectacular Yew tree situated in the woodland garden. The nursery worked with Ian Freemantle, a carpenter local to Stony Stratford, to develop this tree house, which complements a wide range of activities and resources, including a small campfire, bird hide, large bug hotel, den building area, small stream, an area for growing plants and fruit/veg, among many others. Acorn believes that, by engaging children in nature at a young age, we will be nurturing them to form a caring and respectful relationship with it, which will in turn have long lasting benefits on the child’s wellbeing and on the natural world. Target amount: £1,750 (Acorn matched all donations made) Amount raised: £2,422.07 - a huge thank you to everybody who was able to contribute their kind donations and for your continued support throughout this fundraising project. And thank you to Ian, the craftsman behind the beautiful build! Completion date: December 2021 Garden development at Burton Latimer Description: Our nursery at Burton Latimer has a wonderful and large outdoor space, and in June 2018, they decided that they would like to develop this space to maximise its potential and provide continuous opportunities for the children who have free flow access to the garden at all times. The project was completed in phases, with each phase developing something new in the garden area for each age group. We have now built an outdoor shelter, created a large 'woodland fort', climbing area, mud slide, and bought a bus, which allows us to take the younger children on walks in groups of six. Target Amount: £14,500 Amount raised: £12,385.22 (For every £2.50 fundraised, Acorn contributed a further £1 to this project) Completion date: 2021
Compliance In the Baby Room Delivered by Kim Langstaff Expand Delivered by Kim Langstaff Dates & times for the face-face course: Tuesday 30th January 2024 (9:30am - 12:30pm) Tuesday 19th March 2024 (9:30am - 12:30pm) Our face to face courses are delivered at our Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE. Who is this course aimed at? This is a mandatory training course for practitioners working with babies, covering in the baby room or with responsibility for the baby room. Overview: This PowerPoint training offers a supportive approach to all practitioners working with babies, whether you are based in the baby room, or help in there on occasions. Reflective discussions, through a mixture of role play and scenarios, will enable practitioners to develop their understanding of the statutory elements of the baby room and how this is embedded within day-to-day practice. Learning Outcomes: • To develop an understanding of compliance and how this works, specifically in the baby room. • To understand what our roles and responsibilities are in relation to safeguarding. • Explore the criteria of qualification in relation to statutory framework. • To explore mealtimes, sleep times and intimate care routines and how they can be managed safely and effectively to prove a safe environment for babies. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now'
Covid 19 - Update Expand Please see below a message from the Department for Education in relation to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. We would appreciate any help you can offer in promoting this via your channels and sharing it as appropriate with your staff, settings, members and providers. “There is a new variant of COVID-19 - Omicron - which is highly infectious and spreading fast. Every adult in the country now needs to get a Covid-19 booster vaccine, because two doses of the vaccine are not enough to give the level of protection against infection we all need. Boosters give you the best possible protection against the virus and should significantly reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalisation. “It is more important than ever to get vaccinated. Get your Covid-19 booster vaccine today to strengthen your protection. Get boosted now. Visit nhs.uk/covidvaccination.” If useful, communications and promotional assets about the Covid-19 vaccine and booster drive will be available via the Coronavirus Resource Centre. Keep checking the ‘Vaccine’ section for the latest resources to help you promote key messages. This employer toolkit might also be useful e.g. for larger providers.
Covid 19 - Update December 2021 Expand Please see below a message from the Department for Education in relation to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. We would appreciate any help you can offer in promoting this via your channels and sharing it as appropriate with your staff, settings, members and providers. “There is a new variant of COVID-19 - Omicron - which is highly infectious and spreading fast. Every adult in the country now needs to get a Covid-19 booster vaccine, because two doses of the vaccine are not enough to give the level of protection against infection we all need. Boosters give you the best possible protection against the virus and should significantly reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalisation. “It is more important than ever to get vaccinated. Get your Covid-19 booster vaccine today to strengthen your protection. Get boosted now. Visit nhs.uk/covidvaccination.” If useful, communications and promotional assets about the Covid-19 vaccine and booster drive will be available via the Coronavirus Resource Centre. Keep checking the ‘Vaccine’ section for the latest resources to help you promote key messages. This employer toolkit might also be useful e.g. for larger providers.
Damien Beedham Expand Damien joined Acorn in February 2020 as a parent trustee with a child at Stanwick nursery. He studied film at university and worked in TV and video for over a decade, before pivoting and beginning a career in Tax. He is now a qualified Chartered Tax Advisor specialising in Property and Real Estate.
'Designated Safeguarding Lead' Delivered by Tammie Redman. £55 for online and face to face courses. Expand Delivered by Tammie Redman Dates & times for the face-face course: Thursday 18th January 2024 (9:30am - 4:30pm) Tuesday 12th March 2024 (9:30am - 4:30pm) Our face to face courses are delivered at our Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE. Dates & times for the online course: Wednesday 7th February 2024 (9:30am - 4:30pm) Monday & Tuesday 4th & 5th March (6:30pm - 9:30pm) 2 part evening course Our online courses are delivered by Microsoft Teams. Joining instructions for all online courses will be sent 1-2 days prior to the course start date. You will then have ongoing access to the system with the course materials after the course has finished. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now' When booking please inform Acorn of the areas the children you work with live. Aim: To ensure that designated leads understand their safeguarding responsibilities in relation to the organisation and their colleagues. Learning Outcomes:- Describe the role of the designated lead State key areas of responsibility Describe key legislation & guidance that underpins the role Identify the steps your organisation need to take to ensure the safety of children Detail barriers to staff reporting concerns about children and how to overcome them Make appropriate decisions about action to be taken Understand the importance of recording, storing & sharing information Understand emotional wellbeing of staff Participants will be able to:- Describe the role of the designated lead State key areas of responsibility Describe key legislation & guidance that underpins the role Identify the steps your organisation need to take to ensure the safety of children Detail barriers to staff reporting concerns about children and how to overcome them Make appropriate decisions about action to be taken Understand the importance of recording, storing & sharing information Understand emotional wellbeing of staff Who Should Attend? All staff who have a responsibility for designated safeguarding lead, deputy or part of a safeguarding team Location: Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE Or, online via Microsoft Teams
'Designated Safeguarding Lead - Annual Knowledge & Skills Update' Delivered by Tammie Redman. £35 for online and face to face courses. Expand Delivered by Tammie Redman Dates & times for the online version of the course: Wednesday 13th March 2024 (6:30pm - 9:30pm) Our online courses are delivered by Microsoft Teams. Joining instructions for all online courses will be sent 1-2 days prior to the course start date. You will then have ongoing access to the system with the course materials after the course has finished. Dates for the face to face version of the course: Wednesday 31st January 2024 (9:30am - 1:00pm) Our face to face courses are delivered at our Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now' When booking please inform Acorn of the areas the children in your setting live in. Aim: To ensure that designated leads have been updated on all changes to safeguarding requirements and that their knowledge is refreshed annually, as required by the Inspecting Safeguarding in Early Years guidance. Attendees must have previously completed the DSL full day course in the last 18 months. Location: Acorn Training Centre, 6 Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, MK4 4DE Or, online via Microsoft Teams
Designated Safeguarding Lead for Childminders Delivered by Tammie Redman. £40 for Face to Face course Expand Delivered by Tammie Redman This course supports childminders to understand the role of DSL in addition to their normal safeguarding responsibilities. Date & time available for the course: Monday & Tuesday 15th & 16th January (6:30pm - 9:30pm) 2 part evening course This course supports childminders to understand the role of DSL in addition to their normal safeguarding responsibilities. Describe the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) State key areas of responsibility & explore how to undertake them Describe key legislation & guidance that underpins the role Identify the steps childminders need to take to ensure the safety of children Understand how to address an allegation against the childminder Make appropriate decisions about action to be taken Understand the importance of recording, storing & sharing information Explore record keeping and how long they need to be kept Update on current safeguarding priorities and concerns
Digging Deeper Into Sustained Shared Thinking Delivered by: Becky Watanabe Expand Overview: This course will provide you with a deeper understanding of Sustained Shared Thinking, what this is and how you can apply it to your practice. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now'
Do you offer a siblings discount? Expand Yes, as long as the sessions are the same, we offer a 15% discount!
Does my child need to bring anything with them? Expand We ask for all children attending the holiday club to bring a labelled water bottle with them so it can be refilled throughout the day. Parents with younger children attending the club should provide a bag with a spare clothing inside. All food and snacks are provided, please let us know if your child has any allergies.
Domestic Abuse Delivered by Laura Tingey Expand Delivered by Laura Tingey Dates & times for the online course: Friday 29th March 2024 (9:30am - 12:00pm) Overview This training is designed to support those who work with children to understand what is meant by domestic abuse and the most common components of abuse. It will demonstrate how abuse may begin and who perpetrates and abuse and how to identify when abuse may be happening. The impact on children and families will be demonstrated and how this can be supported through local agencies. The course will give examples of how to respond appropriately to concerns about children and their families in relation to domestic abuse. To book a course, please find the date you desire on our booking page and select 'book now'
Donna Glendenning - Senior Forest School Leader and Trainer Expand Donna With over 12 years’ of experience in the Early Years, and almost a decade of delivering different forest school programmes, Donna is now one of Acorn’s Senior Forest School Leaders and Trainers. Alongside Gemma, Donna delivers Acorn’s accredited forest school qualifications, most of Acorn’s short courses and workshops relating to forest school and outdoor learning, and is one of Acorn’s Forest School Consultants. In addition to her training and consultancy work, Donna continues to deliver many forest school sessions and programmes for Acorn to ensure keeps up to date with current practice.
Donna Glendenning (Senior Forest School Leader & Trainer) Donna helped establish Acorn Forest Schools in 2009 and is now one of Acorn's Senor Forest School Leaders and Trainers. Expand Donna is Acorn Forest School's fire expert and master chef. After completing her degree in History, Donna started working at Acorn in 2006 and we have been lucky enough to keep hold of her ever since. She completed her Level 6 Childcare qualification whilst at Acorn before helping Gemma establish Acorn Forest Schools in 2009. Since 2009, Donna has spent most of her time delivering or training Forest School. Like Gemma, she has a L3 Certificate in Forest School Programme Leadership and a L4 PTLLS Award. Donna is also a Safeguarding Lead, SENDCo, and is fully trained in Paediatric and Outdoor Activity First Aid.
DSL for Charities/Voluntary Groups (Non Ofsted inspected) Delivered by Tammie Redman - £45 for face to face. Expand Delivered by Tammie Redman Date & Time available for the face to face course: Wednesday 14th February 2024 (9:30am - 2:00pm) DSL for Charities/voluntary groups (non Ofsted inspected)- This course supports organisations who are not ofsted inspected to understand the referral process Describe the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) State key areas of responsibility & explore how to undertake them Describe key legislation & guidance that underpins the role Identify the steps your organisation need to take to ensure the safety of children and adults at risk Detail barriers to staff reporting concerns and how to overcome them Make appropriate decisions about action to be taken Understand the importance of recording, storing & sharing information Understand emotional wellbeing of staff Explore record keeping and how long they need to be kept Update on current safeguarding priorities and concerns
Elaine Linnie - Health & Safety Manager Expand (Elaine at 6-months-old) Elaine is our Health and Safety Manager. She has worked in childcare for over 19 years and is qualified to Level 4 in Early Years. Elaine joined Acorn in 2014 as a Practitioner and Health and Safety Rep at our Burton Latimer Nursery, progressing to Senior Practitioner in the same year and then Deputy Manager from 2015 to 2021. From August 2020 to August 2021, Elaine joined our Central Support Office as Health and Safety Officer on a part-time basis, working alongside Steve before taking on the role full time from September 2021. Elaine has undertaken her IOSH Managing Safely qualification and recently passed her NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety with distinction. Elaine works closely with staff at all our sites, ensuring high standards of Health and Safety is embedded into everyday practice.