Welcome to Bristol Childcare!
My name is Saffia and I lead our team of committed and passionate staff.
Bristol Childcare has always been part of my life. My parents opened Mornington House in 1971, one of the first nurseries in Bristol, and my unusual name was chosen from one of the first children to attend because my parents loved it so much.
This picture is me at Mornington House. The ethos my parents started out with – small, homely and flexible – is still at the heart of what we do today. Our nurseries feel like home from home with cosy rooms; the welcoming smell of meals cooked on the premises using homegrown fruit and veg; traditional arts and crafts such as sewing and knitting; a love of the outdoors and a focus on the traditional ways of doing things to reduce our environmental impact.
Having worked in our nurseries as a student, I trained as a lawyer and then travelled with my husband, Matthew, for his career. Returning to the UK we both became involved in the nursery business and as our three children (all of whom attended The Priory) have grown up, I have stepped into the role of Managing Director. My mum, Sue, an NNEB nursery nurse, is still involved; she tells us that what children enjoy doing has not changed over the years!
As well as caring for the children, we also care for our staff and a large part of my role is listening to staff and ensuring we are continuously reflecting and improving on what we do. In a care role, it’s important that we nurture our staff so that they are mentally well-resourced to care for the children. I have trained as a Mental Health First Aider and through our programme of appraisals and supervision, we ensure that our staff are learning and developing, as well as feeling safe and supported in their roles. A key part of our ethos is teamwork – in each nursery and also as a wider Bristol Childcare team; including our fantastic team at Head Office.
I am proud that all our nurseries are graded a strong, secure Good by Ofsted. I am proud that we have staff who have worked with us for 30 and 25 years. I love visiting the nurseries and seeing the children happy and engaged. There is a wonderful homely atmosphere. Please come and visit and find out for yourselves. I look forward to meeting you.
