willow tree - About Us

Rachel and Jamie play a very active role in nursery life and work hard to make sure every family and child has the best experience at Willowtree. 

Before reopening the nursery, Rachel worked in safeguarding, bringing extensive knowledge and a deep commitment to children’s wellbeing. Jamie runs his own home improvements business, using his practical expertise to help create safe, nurturing, and thoughtfully designed spaces. Together, they combine care, experience, and hands-on dedication to provide a warm and secure environment where children can thrive.

Deborah has managed Willowtree since day 1, when we first opened in 2023. She brings a wealth of experience from a wide range of roles across the early years sector and has even been a nanny to some of our (now) parents!!

Alongside her early years experience, Deborah has a strong background in safeguarding. On a day-to-day basis, she oversees nursery operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that children, families, and staff feel supported, safe, and well cared for.

Liz has been part of the Willowtree team since August 2024. She is a qualified teacher with experience in Reception and Year 1, and has held management roles across several early years settings. Liz brings strong expertise in SEND, safeguarding, and high-quality practice.

As our lead for quality of education, Liz supports both children and staff to ensure the very best experiences at Willowtree. She’s also our social media manager and self-appointed influencer, capturing nursery life and sharing our fantastic nursery life with the world.

Hi, I’m Janet, I started at Willowtree in December 2024.  I am Level 3 qualified and have dedicated the past 27 years to working with children, alongside raising my own family. Throughout my career, I have held a wide range of roles within childcare, gaining valuable experience in supporting children at different stages of their development. I have also successfully run my own out-of-school club, which strengthened my leadership skills and deepened my understanding of creating a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment for children.

I feel incredibly privileged to be part of a child’s journey, supporting them as they learn, develop, and grow. One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is watching children progress from babies into confident little individuals, each with their own personality and strengths. I am passionate about providing care that is warm, supportive, and tailored to each child’s needs.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time gardening and being with my family. I am a proud parent to three children of my own, which has further shaped my understanding of the importance of patience, encouragement, and consistency in childcare.

Hi, I'm Lily, I started at Willowtree in October 2024 as an apprentice and I’m so happy to be part of the team. I have just achieved a distinction in my Level 2 qualification and I am now working towards my Level 3. I’ve always loved being around children and I love watching (and helping!) them learn, grow, and have fun every day.

I have a big passion for arts and crafts, and I love bringing creative ideas into the setting, whether that’s messy painting, nature-inspired crafts, or anything that lets children explore their imagination! At college, I really enjoy sharing ideas with my classmates and bringing fresh inspiration back to use here with the children.

Hi I'm Justine and I started at Willowtree in February 2025. I am a qualified level 3 with a vast amount of experience with children of all ages. In my career I have been a nanny, run my own child-minding business, worked in schools, run a dance school where I was a dance teacher and most recently worked in private day nurseries. I have also raised my own children, who at the blink of an eye have turned into adults!

Hi, I’m Beth, I started at Willowtree in September 2025! I’ve been working in childcare for 13 years, taking on lots of different roles in a variety of settings, indoors and out. I found my happy place was outdoors and worked towards my Forest School qualification, securing a level 3. I love helping children learn through exploring the world around them, whether that’s building dens, finding bugs, or getting joyfully muddy. Watching their confidence grow outside is one of the best parts of what I do.

Hi, I’m Sally, I started at Willowtree in September 2025! I came into early years education a little later in life, after discovering how much I loved supporting and nurturing children when I helped set up a local Beaver and Scout group. That experience sparked a real passion, and I’ve since gained my qualification and gone on to work in both private nurseries and school nurseries, gaining a wide range of experience along the way. I also specialise in SEND, which is something I care deeply about, I love helping every child feel understood, included and confident.

Hi, I’m Sarah, I started at Willowtree in November 2025! I’ve spent over 20 years working with children in schools and private day nurseries, and I truly couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I’m incredibly passionate about children’s mental health and wellbeing and on top of my qualification, I also hold a Level 3 in Therapeutic Counselling, which helps me support children with care, empathy, and understanding.

I’m full of energy and very much a child at heart, I love laughing, playing, and exploring alongside the children. Nothing brings me more joy than being surrounded by happy, giggling children

Hi, I'm Molly, I've been working at Willowtree since September 2024 and hold a degree in Early Childhood Studies. I am currently completing a Master’s degree in Physiotherapy while continuing my role at Willowtree. My background has given me a strong understanding of child development, which I am now building on through my physiotherapy training, with a focus on supporting children’s physical development, wellbeing, and overall functional outcomes.