A new Operations Manager has been taken on by The Old Station Nursery to oversee work across six counties.
Rachel Attwood has been brought in by Managing Director Sarah Steel and is now in charge of 11 day nurseries, one out-of-school club and a crèche. The sites are spread across Oxfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Buckinghamshire.
Rachel (47) started her career in childcare when she was just 18 years old, giving her more than 25 years of experience in the sector.
“The main reason for taking me on is to consolidate the business under one manager,” she said. “Previously there were operations managers for the north and the south but they were very much separated and the idea now is to develop a strong brand identity and make the whole business a little more cohesive.
“We want to ensure that every one of our 13 sites has the same quality, ethos and atmosphere, so people will always know what to expect.
“The care, education and emotional stability provided by The Old Station Nursery help support parents in their transition back to work or working parents, through a collaborative and cohesive partnership with families.”
Rachel started her career at the prestigious childcare training centre, Norland College. She completed a Nursery Nurse Examination Board (NNEB) diploma and spent six years working as a Norland nanny before moving into the day care sector.
She has been in senior management roles for 12 years, having worked for The Teddies Nurseries Group, Bright Horizons Family Solutions and York Childcare.
“The experience and knowledge I can bring having been in the sector for so many years will hopefully help Sarah,” added Rachel, who has two sons aged 17 and 20. “I’ve been around all of the centres now, which has been great and very helpful for moving forward.
“The last couple of weeks have been quite a whirlwind but it’s been extremely enjoyable and I’ve found the teams and all the managers to be very welcoming. Sarah has been fantastic as well and I am really pleased to have the chance to be part of the company.”
Sarah Steel said: “Rachel has exactly what I was looking for: a strong background in childcare, good training, years of experience and most importantly, enthusiasm and passion for working with children. I feel confident I have taken on the right person and she will help us to achieve our goals.”
