Starting 2022 with a fresh approach, Back to the Garden Childcare, located on Sinderland Road in Broadheath, has appointed a new nursery manager, Ann Marie Ellison.

Ann Marie, from Bryn near Ashton-in-Makerfield, has vast experience in the childcare sector, from nursery manager and regional manager for a several nurseries to NVQ trainer and assessor and Ofsted inspector.

She joins Back to the Garden from Your Nursery Limited in Openshaw, a nursery she managed from the day it opened in 2010.

At Back to the Garden, Ann Marie hopes to transform the nursery into an amazing adventure for the children who attend, with play very much at the heart.  She wants to create a unique environment in the nursery that allows children the freedom to develop their own ideas and games, experiment and make their own conclusions and hypothesis.

Ann Marie will also develop the training offered to the staff at the nursery, enabling them to inspire the children, introduce inventive and innovative experiences and stimulate their learning journey.  She will also work closely with the parents of the children, bolstering regular communication and involvement.

On joining Back to the Garden, Ann Marie says: “I was attracted to Back to the Garden as we have the same ethos and beliefs, and the staff are as passionate as I am about childcare, wanting to provide the very best for the children who attend the nursery.

“It’s great to be part of the Back to the Garden team and I have already made a start on getting to know each and every child by listening to their interests and encouraging activities that really captivate them.  I have also started to re-design each room in the nursery to ensure I achieve the unique setting desired for the children to learn through play.”

Ann Marie is a qualified NNEB with a diploma in post qualifying studies.  She is also an award-winning nursery manager, recently picking up the Best Individual Nursery Award from Nursery Management Today, something she is striving to achieve again at Back to the Garden Children.

Away from work, Ann Marie is a keen equestrian and owns two horses, Taffie and Alfie.