Jo

I have had an affinity with children for as long as I can remember.  Straight from school I gained my diploma in Childcare from The Princess Christian College in England and later, a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Education from Leeds University.

During the 20 years I have spent working with children, I have been fortunate enough to work in a variety of settings in England, Europe and NZ.  I have been a live in nanny, an in home educator and worked in different types of centres.  I am also Mummy to 3 children aged 3, 5 and 7 and that has brought a whole new wealth of learning and understanding with it!

I emigrated to NZ with my kiwi hubby, Jamie, back in 2007 and am so proud to have called Papamoa home for all of that time.  This is such a wonderful place and we are so excited to be part of its growth as the owners and managers of The Blue Cottage as well as members of its community.

I am thrilled to now be able to gather the best bits from all my experiences to fulfill a life-long dream to open my own centre and provide excellent quality care for all the children, families and staff who become part of The Blue Cottage family.  You will see me at the cottage every day in my role as Manager and I’m always happy to have a chat and help you in any way that I can.  The Blue Cottage is so much more than a childcare centre, it’s a place of family and community and I’m privileged to be part of it.

Jamie

As a father of 3 young children I am still taking the same journey as you are.

I have done the first day at child care, done the tearful drop-offs and manic pick-ups, signed the accident diary and dropped everything at work to go and pick up my sick child. This is all a part of the road through parenthood and something you are entrusting us to help with.

Choosing child care for your child is an incredibly personal decision with so many facets to consider. The relationships between us, the staff, your child and you will ultimately determine if The Blue Cottage is the right fit for your family. That’s why we place the whole Blue Cottage community at the forefront of our childcare business. It is that important.

As the co-owner of The Blue Cottage childcare centre, I will be providing a supporting role to Jo and our staff from an operational perspective. I also take the lead in the practical side of facilities management and I’m the extra pair of hands whenever needed. I will be a part of the furniture here at the Blue Cottage and you will probably see me at drop-offs or pick-ups under a pile of children all wanting horse rides and helicopter spins.

I have recently moved out of the manufacturing industry to work with a private training establishment. I design, develop and deliver training courses into schools and the private sector. So, although I am not teaching at an early childhood education level I know I have fantastic transferable skills to support The Blue Cottage Community.