Leadership & Management
Next Generation Nursery & Schoolies Club Ltd was inherited by Rick and his brother Sam in 2017 from their mother Liz, who had opened the nursery back in 1994 with the aim to provide childcare that she felt was missing when looking for care for her sons. Many of it’s current staff have worked at Next Generation throughout the years alongside Liz as the owner and continue to do so today.
Since inheritance, Rick has taken an active role into the setting alongside his partner Zoe who is setting manager; creating a strong sense of leadership in aiming to provide high quality childcare and are continually striving to improve. They have worked together with the rest of their quality team to derive a new and current setting ethos; outlining their drive and long-term focus as a setting and as a leadership team. You can read about this on our visions and values page.
Additional to the setting vision, ethos and aims - The management team continually aim to support the mental health and well-being of their staffing team and make this a priority in ensuring that they enjoy coming to the setting each day, they are recognised, appreciated and supported ongoing and that their continuous professional development is enabled. Click the link below to read what some of the staff members, parents and carers have to say about Next Generation!
“Management are supportive to all staff ensuring we have opportunities to ‘check in’ if we need to - The introduction of ‘Employee of the Month’ has been a nice way of showcasing individuals and highlighting their strong points for other staff to see and follow as good practise.”
Nicola - Senior Room Lead
Supporting Vulnerable Children
Our manager Zoe has spent many years being our designated lead on child protection and the co-ordinator of matters of SEND; giving her a wide knowledge of such aspects of childcare as well as building up professional relationships with outside agencies. As a setting we have the safety and welfare of the children at the heart of all that we do as we have a duty to safeguard and protect. Zoe and her staffing team are all trained in aspects of safeguarding and child protection and this is something Zoe works hard to uphold; ensuring the needs of the children are recognised and supported ongoing. She regularly attends a weekly multi-agency meeting known as ‘Earliest Help drop-ins’ at which cases can be discussed anonymously to gain advice and support for any families at Earliest Help level - also giving her further opportunities to build working relationships with outside agencies.
With additional training and qualifications in being the designated lead and SENCO, attending Safeguarding webinars and being the SENCO Champion for our cluster area - Zoe is recognised within the Early Learning and Childcare Council team as having excellent practise. Zoe prides herself on being able to engage with families around such matters sensitively and aims to work with them ongoing in providing the right support. For more information on supporting children with SEND please visit our EYFS Curriculum page or follow the link below on the SEND Local Offer. For further information and support on safeguarding and child protection please follow the link to Wigan Safeguarding Children’s Board.
Wigan Safeguarding Children’s Board
Advice to parents and carers on keeping children safe from abuse and harm
Operation Encompass.
Operation Encompass is a national operation that directly connects the Police with schools and early years settings to secure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness to police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Provision of support within the school/early years environment means children are better safeguarded against the short, medium and long-term effects of domestic abuse.
Our manager Zoe and our deputy manager Tom, who both also take lead roles in all aspects of safeguarding, have both attended additional training to support such elements of early years practice, making them both key adults for Operation Encompass. This gives them further knowledge of the immediate and lasting effects of domestic violence on children and their families, how this is best supported and gives them links with external agencies that can be used for a more holistic and specific support approach.
“Being the lead role for both Child protection and Special Educational Needs for us at nursery I feel gives me a wider range of knowledge in many aspects that at times do interlink for children and families. Knowing that I play a big part in making a difference for our children and families through guiding, supporting and being that sensitive yet professional familiar face in times of need is what I strive for. ”
“Knowing that our whole team is supported ongoing by management to be kept up to date and trained in Safeguarding, Prevent Duty, FGM, County Lines and other aspects of child protection, supports us in knowing that we are a vigilant team who have the health and well-being of the children and their families at the centre of all we do. ”