About the The Ark Child Okeford
We open from 8.00 until 6.00 for 51 weeks per year, closing for one week at Christmas. We are a community group with charitable status. Our aims are:
- To enhance the development and education of children in a parent-involving, community-based group.
- To offer good quality, affordable childcare
- To provide a caring, safe, secure and stimulating environment for children from 0-11 years
- To work within a framework that ensures equality of opportunity for all children and families.
Staff
We are proud of the high ratio of adults to children in our group. This ensures individual attention to the needs and development of each child.
| Pauline Pinkney | Manager | NNEB; BA Hons in Early Years & Early Years Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Anne Gunning | Deputy Manager a.m. | Diploma in Pre-school Practice |
| Fiona Farman | Deputy Manager p.m. 2-3 Room Leader | Diploma in Pre-school Practice |
| Heather Nye | Early Years Professional 3 – 5 Room Leader |
BA Hons in Education & Early Years Professional |
| Helen O’Sullivan | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ III |
| Rachel Tucker | Childcare Practitioner | Diploma in Nursery Nursing |
| Susan Olds | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ III |
| Zoe House | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ III |
| Sarah White | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ III |
| Sarah Beck | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ III |
| Jackie Netherway | Childcare Practitioner 0-2’s Joint Room Leader | NVQ III |
| Josie House | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ III |
| Carly Ricketts | 5 – 10s Leader 3 – 5s Childcare Practitioner |
NVQ III in Early Years Care & Education NVQ III in Playwork |
| Lauren Olds | Childcare Practitioner | NVQ II in Youthwork, working towards NVQ III in Early Years |
| Rita Revell | Childcare Practitioner | |
| Louise Addley-Samuel | Cook | |
| Maggie Vine | Administrator | BSc in Management Sciences |
The Ark Child Okeford – History
The Ark started in 1967 as Child Okeford Playgroup, and was run by a committee of parents at Child Okeford Village Hall for 3+ year olds. In May 1994, it became registered as a charity and later that same year moved into St. Nicholas Primary School.
Over the years the group expanded its hours and changed its name to Child Okeford Pre-school, but it was not until 2006 that a major change took place. After five years of fundraising, an extension was built to the school to accommodate a full day nursery, and in January 2007 the Preschool became The Ark, taking children from 0 - 11 years of age and incorporating Breakfast, After-school and Holiday Clubs.
In 2008 The Ark became a company registered by guarantee with the official title of The Ark Child Okeford. However, it remains a registered charity, run by parents, and any excess of income over expenditure is ploughed back into the group.