Meet the team
Our Teaching Team
Lisa Tray
Hi, I’m Lisa, I have been working in the early years sector for over 35 years. Over that period of time I have generated a passion for delivering the very best teaching to all my past learners, allowing them to fulfil their dreams of working in this amazing industry.
I qualified as a nursery nurse in 1984 after completing the NNEB at a local college.
After working as a nanny for several years, in 1990 I wanted to expand my experience and started working at a day nursery where I became the manager shortly after joining. I left to move to North London, where I worked as a manager of a Montessori nursery and then at a day nursery in Muswell Hill, leaving to have a career break to bring up my young children.
At my children’s nursery in 1999, I was asked to cover maternity leave for one of the class teachers and ended up staying for two years. This is where I met Suzanne and we have developed a long 24 year professional relationship involving many long lunches and gallons of coffees.
In 2001 I became a qualified assessor and started to work at a local FE college on a freelance basis quickly becoming a permanent member of their Cache team, I gained my IQA and adult teaching qualification. This is where I developed my passion for delivering high quality teaching and learning. I really enjoyed watching learners develop and grow from starting on a level 2 course to becoming nursery managers, completing degrees and some becoming assessors and teachers in the adult education centres.
In 2014 I decided to leave the FE college and I became a freelance IQA working with a variety of centres to deliver a range of level 1 – 4 Cache courses, centres including sixth form schools, colleges working in the community, private training providers as well as being the Cache coordinator for a SCITT provider.
Lockdown made Suzanne and I rethink and finally gave us the kick-start after many years talking about it to start our own training company.
Please read our testimonies from some of our many learners who we have worked with in and I hope they give you the encouragement to join us!
Suzanne Gould
Hi, I’m Suzanne, I qualified as a Primary School teacher in 1992 and I have been very fortunate to have had many different and interesting teaching posts throughout my career.
My first teaching job was in a local primary school in Watford, however, when my children were born it was harder to juggle working in school and childcare. In 2000, I then worked in a local nursery where my daughter was attending. I met Lisa at the nursery and we shared the same interests, and ideas on childcare and teaching. We had many coffees and cups of tea together and that is when Lisa encouraged me to do the Assessors Award, City & Guilds Certificate in Further Education and more recently the IQA Award.
Once I had these courses under my belt I knew it was time to leave the nursery and challenge myself. I was fortunate to get a job in a FE and Sixth Form College teaching and assessing adults – NVQs & then later on CCLD courses in early years.
After many years of teaching adults, I felt I was really missing working with Nursery and Primary School children and needed to gain more current experience so I could be a better assessor/teacher. I was fortunate again to get a part-time position in a local nursery and school. Also at that time, I had joined a Teaching Centre at which Lisa had set up an Early Years branch as a Cache coordinator for a SCITT provider.
Lockdown certainly incentivised us to set up our own early years training company as we have been talking about it for 20 years! We didn’t know we could teach our students online and we have seen how our business has grown exponentially over the last three years!
Please check out the testimonials of our previous learners. We have enjoyed teaching them all and supporting them throughout their learning journey. Seeing our learners gain confidence, achieve their awards, and further their teaching careers have been so satisfying. If you are considering doing a course please do not hesitate to get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
Cheryl Bedding
SEN Specialist & Assessor/Tutor
Hi, I’m Cheryl and I have over 25 years of experience within the childcare sector in a range of roles. After qualifying as an NNEB, I began my career as a nanny for families within London caring for children in their own homes before moving on to family support work. I was working with vulnerable children and families going through traumatic experiences including abuse, and neglect, and offering support for parents who found parenting a challenge. I then moved into a Local Authority advisory role for those wanting to register as childminders and supporting their early years career.
My teaching career then began, firstly training as an assessor and tutor before qualifying as an early years lecturer, supporting students with their qualifications ranging from level 2 to level 5. This then evolved into being an early years consultant and trainer and now includes regular invitations to deliver seminars and workshops at key sector events and conferences as well as delivering webinars that have been watched worldwide.
My passion is for quality practice for enabling environments and providing spaces that support and empower ALL children. I have 2 children, one of whom has additional needs. My aim is to share my knowledge and experience with others to ensure early years settings are inclusive; my specialism is children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Sensory Processing Disorder.
https://www.aperiontraining.co.uk/
SEND training and consultancy
Louisa Brickman
Tutor/Assessor
Hi, I’m Louisa. I qualified as a primary school teacher in 1992 at Homerton College, Cambridge and have worked in a variety of roles in education.
I began my teaching career at a Primary School in Edgware, teaching Year 3 and Year 4 classes before going on maternity leave, and then subsequently did supply work. I took an extended break from teaching to care for my two young children, during which time I volunteered in my children’s local primary school organising fundraising events.
In 2008 I had an opportunity to start working in the early years sector, initially as a nursery practitioner. The post of joint headteacher became vacant in 2010 and I ran the nursery for a further seven years. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of running the nursery with the administrative role it entailed, leading our lovely team of staff, as well as working closely with the children on an individual and whole class basis.
I was particularly passionate about ensuring that strong partnerships with parents were built and that effective communication between the nursery and home meant that information that helped in the care and education of children was easily exchanged. Children’s needs and interests were met which led to positive outcomes for their learning.
When funding from the local authority stopped, sadly forcing the nursery to close in 2017, I decided to train as an assessor. I contacted Lisa to do an assessor’s award at a Teacher’s Centre and she put me in touch with Suzanne who became my tutor and supported me through my transition into this role.
I qualified as an assessor in 2018 and started to work at the Teacher’s Centre where I had trained. I really enjoyed the new challenge of teaching adults and drawing on my past experience of working with children, particularly the early years, to support my students with their qualifications and encourage the use of best practice in their setting.
Lisa contacted me with the exciting news that they were setting up their own training company and I was delighted to join them in 2020 at Premier Early Years Training.
Penny Muka
IQA/ Independent Adviser
Hi, I’m Penny and I have two grown-up children who have both left home now. I have been teaching Cache courses since 2006. I have also been assessing and IQA on these qualifications. Prior to this I taught and assessed for the National Childminding Association and the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Before working in my current role as teacher and IQA for Childhood Studies (GCSE and Level 3 Cache), I was a department manager for Uxbridge College (Childcare) and was leading the new level 3 Technical Qualification and transition programme ensuring quality and clarity on this. I was a lead IQA, and have developed resources for both courses and designed the scheme of work ensuring they met both Education and Training Foundation and Awarding Body requirements.
I work closely with the development team at Cache and gave feedback on the issues that placement has encountered during COVID, offering advice on possible ways to accommodate learners to complete.
I have been assessed and deemed an Advanced Accredited Practitioner and have spent many years working at Stanmore College for their “Service to Business” department on the “Train to Gain” model. When this disbanded after the change of government, I moved to the Work Based Learning area of the college where I led the commercial courses for Early Years.
Prior to this, I was a childminder for 14 years. I supported the Local Authority through the transitions from Social Services to Ofsted (Foundation Stage/ Birth to Three Matters) in 1996 and then to the “Early Years Foundation Stage” transition, whereby I became a Network Childminder supporting newer members in the local area. Following this I was awarded Quality Assurance Childminder Status and then became a Quality Assured Childminder observer and assessor and supported other childminders to ensure they understood the EYFS and legislation related to this. My Industry Experience is invaluable when relating to my current role.
Georgina Lesser
Tutor/Assessor
Hi, I’m Georgina. I originally studied Fashion Design at Salford University and worked as a bridal designer and dressmaker before having my children. My children attended Gilah and as I needed to find work that fitted around my children’s childcare, I asked if there was any work available. This was in 2004 and I was given a position of a Key Worker soon after joining. In 2006 I attended Stanmore College to do an NVQ Level 3 in Childcare and Development, where I met Suzanne Gould who was my trainer and Lisa Tray my assessor.
In order to develop my training, I returned to Stanmore College in 2008 and qualified as an A1 assessor, mentored by Lisa Tray. I worked for Jemcare training assessing Level 3 childcare qualifications alongside my key worker role at Gilah.
In 2015 I was appointed Deputy Head and in 2016 I continued my training with Lisa Tray to complete my Level 4 Early Years Practitioner. During this training I spent time researching the theory behind Forest Schools and have successfully provided a Forest School experience for the Rising 4’s at Gilah for the last 7 years.
In 2019 I took the role of Head of Gilah Nursery which currently has 98 children and manage approximately 28 members of staff. I am also the Behaviour Co-ordinator, Rising 4’s Co-ordinator and responsible for Tapestry and for mentoring and supporting staff with their qualifications.
As a new head, in July 2019 I achieved an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating, and in 2020 I successfully took the nursery through the COVID pandemic, keeping it open throughout and learning to support staff and families through many changes in policy.
I have a special interest in supporting children with SEN and have implemented a Nurture Room, we have an LSA (learning support assistant) who works with all the children identified as requiring extra support.
I have been working with Premier Early Years Training to assess Level 5 Early Years Senior Practitioner and use the experience I have as a current manager to support students doing this qualification.
Keely Brand
Tutor/Assessor
Amy Brogan
IQA/Tutor/Assessor
I started my career in training back in 2018, after working in schools and nurseries and seeing staff develop within their role. I completed my own level 3 through college and completed my Early Years Teacher Status alongside an Early Childhood Studies Degree.
In my time assessing I have covered a range of courses from Level 2 to Level 5 and in subject areas including Residential Childcare, Teaching Assistants and Early Years. I have also supported my own learners within the workplace including mentoring Early Years Teachers while they work towards their qualifications. In my free time, I enjoy water sports such as kayaking and cooking especially Greek and Spanish food, there is always too much!
Rachel Crouch
Tutor/Assessor
Hi, I’m Rachel and have been working in the Early Years sector since 2010 where I started working as an Early Years Practitioner at a Preschool and got my Level 3 Childcare qualification.
I have continued to work at the same setting since 2010 and progressed from Practitioner to Deputy Leader to becoming the overall Setting Manager of the Preschool and wraparound services in 2012, which is what I still enjoy doing today.
Whilst working as a Setting Manager I trained to become an Assessor by Suzanne at Premier Early Years Training. Once I qualified I continued to work as a Manager full time but also as an Assessor for Premier EY Training teaching the Early Years and Teaching Assistant courses. I am proud to have supported many learners to achieve their qualifications and continue with many more learners today.
I feel my experience and knowledge of working in the Early Years can help me support the new learners in their training and help the new generation of practitioners working with children.
Lauren Squire
Tutor/Assessor
Hi Everyone, I’m Lauren! I’m a tutor working with Premier to support individuals to achieve their early years qualifications. I’ve been working in early years for 14 years gaining experience in a range of different settings and roles until moving into the tutor/assessor role 5 years ago!
My passion is within early years, I’ve
always enjoyed being around children and babies. I’m committed to building up
the early years sector with passionate and quality practitioners that can
support children in their crucial years, by building a strong foundation for
their future through early years education.
If
you were to ask me to describe myself then I would say.. outgoing, friendly and
fun! I prefer to be outside rather than indoors and enjoy the simple things in
life!
