Gemma Froude has worked at Smart Tots since 2000, has worked in all the rooms and used to be room senior in the Foundation Centre.

    Gemma has been the Nursery Manager for five years and has never looked back! "Childcare is my passion and to give all the children the best possible start."

    Gemma has attended various training courses in her time at the nursery and is very knowledgable in the childcare field. She is currently studying her Foundation Degree in Early Years with Oxford Brookes University.

    Gemma is supported by Laura Thomas her Deputy Manager who has been with us since 2004. Laura has worked in all of the rooms and been Room Senior of our 1-2’s room and 2-3’s room. Laura is passionate about working with children and strives for excellence in everything she does. She is well organised and has good relationships with staff, children and parents alike. Currentl Laura is working in our baby room.

Baby Room Birth – 1 Year
The Baby Room is spacious and homely and sitting at the back of the nursery offers a quiet yet stimulating place for babies to learn and develop. It has capacity for 12 babies from birth to 1 year on a ratio of care 1:3, with a Room Senior leading the team of staff.

All toys provided are appropriate to the age and development of your baby. The Garden has undergone a transformation and now has safety flooring suitable for crawling children and a range of Little Tykes play equipment to encourage the development of motor skills, balance and spatial awareness.

Cubs 1 – 2 Years
The Cubs Area has capacity for 15 young toddlers from the age of 1-2years on a ratio of care 1:3, with a Room Senior leading the team of staff. There is a large and homely room in which your toddler can play with its own home corner and sleep area and a spacious messy room dedicated for their own use for art, crafts, sand and water play and meal times.

All toys provided are appropriate to the age and development of your little Toddler. The Cubs room has access to a stairway to the Garden that it shares with the baby room, meaning that fresh air is always part of the daily routine, even in inclement weather.

Bears 2 – 3 Years
The Bears Room has capacity for 24 developing toddlers from the age of 2-3 years with a ratio of 1:4.

The Bears room is bright and spacious, creating a stimulating environment for play and learning. Bears have two roomy areas, one homely with role play and reading areas and one large messy room for art, crafts and meal times. The Play Garden is equipped with activity play equipment secured on a safety surface, for exploration and adventure, plus many ride-on's to choose from! There is a separate baby changing facility and more grown up dedicated toilet facilities for the developing toddler.

Foundation Centre 3 – 5 Years
The Foundation Centre has capacity for 32 maturing children from the age of 3 to 5 years on a ratio of care 1:8, with a Room Senior leading the team of staff.

The Foundation Centre enjoys a network of indoor spaces, which are bright and spacious, creating a stimulating environment for play, activity and learning. The main room provides a homely area for reading, general play, role play and home play to encourage the use of imagination; it adjoins a dedicated and large messy room for general play, art and crafts and music & movement to encourage creativity. The children also have the benefit of a light and airy Art Workshop that promotes creativity. The Foundation Centre also have access to 2 computers all equipped with educational programmes that support the Early Years framework.

We also have external activites for our 3-5's including Great Little movers and French lessons with Madame.