Staff Profiles
Children's House
Winnie Cao Sharples
Manager / Leader of the Childrens HouseQualification: MBA / AMI Montessori Diplomas (0 to 3 & 3 to 6) / NVQ Level 3
Winnie has been the manager of the school since 2003. She is efficient, well organised and supportive of the staff, the children and their parents. Winnie enjoys helping children to achieve their full potential, particularly with mathematics and when learning to write and read. Winnie ensures that all Montessori materials are used as well as they can be to promote children’s learning.
Mariya Ivanova
Practitioner of Children’s HouseQualification: AMI Montessori Assistant Certificate (3 to 6)
Mariya has been a vital part of the Montessori school team since 2011. As with all of the staff, Mariya is very caring and loving with the children and their families. She is very skilled at using Montessori materials to help children to gain practical life skills and physical development, which help them becoming independent and confident in life.
Venera Berisha
Practitioner of Children’s HouseQualification: NVQ Level 3
Venera joined the school in 2016. She is a very calm person and develops caring and loving relationships with the children. Venera is good at planning and teaching art activities and projects centred around food and healthy eating.
Sandhya Arun
Practitioner of Children’s HouseQualification: AMI Montessori Assistant Certificate (3 to 6) / Qualified pre-school teacher in India
Sandhya joined the school in 2019. She has a calm and caring nature and supports the children through all aspects of the curriculum. She enjoys introducing them to songs and stories from her own culture.
Toddler Community
Monica Rossetto
Deputy Manager/ Leader of Toddler CommunityQualification: BA in Early Years / AMI Montessori Diploma (0 to 3)
Monica joined the school in 2003. She is very efficient in her work and also very caring with the toddlers. She establishes supportive relationships with both the children and their parents and is able to support parents with routines such as establishing healthy eating habits and potty training. Monica is particularly good at leading music and story groups with the children and in promoting their language skills.
Layla Talib
Practitioner of Toddler CommunityQualification: AMI Montessori Diplomas (0 to 3 & 3 to 6)/ NVQ Level 3
Layla has worked in the setting since 2013. She is very popular with the children and their parents. Layla is very good at supporting children in all areas of the curriculum, but is particularly good at telling stories.
Havushe Shehu
Practitioner of Toddler CommunityQualification: NVQ Level 3
Havushe joined the school in 2015. Her calm and caring manner enables her to establish close relationships with the children and their families. She plans exciting activities around food and healthy eating and very creative art activities for the children. While Havushe mainly supports the children’s house, she is able to support each classroom as needed. She is very popular with all of the children, who remember their experiences with her, wherever she works with them.
Dongdong Wong
Early Years Practitioner
Dongdong joined us in 2020. She is very calm and patient and supports the children of all ages in their learning and development.
Ayshe Mustafa
Practitioner of Toddler CommunityQualification: NVQ Level 2
Ayshe joined us in 2018 as a student and returned to work with us in 2021. She is very gentle and has developed caring relationships with the children, who love having her in the classroom. Ayshe is very flexible about where she works and is happy to work with toddlers and the children’s house.
Infant Community
Maryann Goddard
Infants’ Room LeaderQualification: AMI Assistant Certificate / NVQ Level 3
Maryann has been working in the school since 2010. She is a very positive and caring person and although she works mainly with the infants, Maryann’s skills enable her to work across all age groups when needed. Maryann is particularly good in planning and carrying out art and music activities with the babies. She is very popular with all children.
Luljeta Hoxha
Practitioner of Infant CommunityQualification: NVQ Level 2
Luljeta has been a member of the school since 2012. Luljeta’s strengths are working with the youngest children. She has quickly establishes loving and caring relationships with the babies, due to her calm and patient nature.
Theodora Arthur
Early Years PractitionerQualification: Studying NVQ Level 2
Theodora joined us in 2018. She establishes caring and loving relationships with children of all ages and is able to support in all classrooms when needed.
Maike Franz
Practitioner of Infant’s CommunityQualification: State Approved Kindergarten Teacher
Maike Joined us in October 2021. She trained in Germany and has more than 10 years’ experience and knowledge of working with children under 2. She is calm, kind and caring and is an asset to the infants’ room team.
Office
Carlene Bremner
Early Years ConsultantQualification: BA (hons) QTS / Early Years Profession
Carlene is an early years teacher with over 30 years experience. She worked for some years as an Ofsted Inspector and Early Years Consultant. Carlene supports Winnie in the office and oversees the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. She also provides training for staff and helps in the classrooms when needed.
Kitchen
Ivanka Voynyagovska
CookQualification: Food Safety in Catering - Level 3
Ivanka joined the school in 2010. She is an excellent and very efficient cook, providing children with fresh, nutritious and tasty food every day. Ivanka’s menu’s meet the requirements of the “Healthy Early Years” programme and national guidelines for children’s nutrition. She incorporates all dietary needs and preferences into her menus. Children remember Ivanka’s meals, long after they leave the school!