All of our staff are either NNEB (National Nursery Examination Board) or equivalent, or participating in the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in Early Years and Childcare.
We have a very high qualified staff ratio which far exceeds that of OFSTED requirements. All of our staff are trained in First Aid.
Monkey Puzzle Golders Green is owned and operated by Sana and Oliver Foss-Smith – a couple with two nursery age children and a personal experience based understanding of what busy families need from a provider who they put so much trust in during some of the most formative years of a child’s life.
Sana and Oliver’s children have both attended another Monkey Puzzle setting from a young age so they have first hand experience of the quality associated with the brand, the ethos behind it and the sanctity of the trust between a childcare provider and a parent.
My name is Sana and I am first and foremost the proud mother of two beautiful children aged 4 and 2. Working in a nursery setting is something I became very passionate about after my kids started their own day care journeys when I went back to work. Being involved in their experiences at nursery made me realise how much I enjoyed this atmosphere and how together with the right team of qualified professionals, I could use my diverse Public Relations/Communications experience to create an outstanding space where every single child matters and is equipped with the key developmental skills they need to take on the world.
I have worked in Communications across the multinational, charitable and local government sectors in for over 15 years both in the UK and abroad. I have also been a School Governor for the last four years which gives me a sound understanding of safeguarding, health and safety and compliance issues. I am extremely community spirited and have always been involved in charitable work whether it was in the press team for a major cancer charity or on the committee for a group of children’s play centres.
The one thing I promise all parents who entrust us with their children is that I will personally be involved in creating a home away from home for their families so that they can rest assured that their little ones are getting the best of care, cuddles and comfort.
Oliver – I have had a successful 20 year career as a Quantity Surveyor, delivering a number of high profile projects such as Wembley Stadium and several of London’s Olympic venues. But I have always felt deeply passionate about education having watched my parents and grandparents enjoy fulfilling careers as teachers. It was eventually fatherhood that gave me the confidence to grab the opportunity to retrain as a primary school teacher, completing my Post Graduate Certificate of Education and gaining valuable experience as a Key Stage 1 teacher.
The skills acquired during the two distinct phases of my career have been extremely valuable in the development of Monkey Puzzle Golders Green. I have personally project managed the fit-out of our nursery- from hand picking quality materials to the design of a well thought out layout completed by quality workmanship. I have made every endeavour to ensure that the requirements of an outstanding early years childcare facility are achieved, applying my in-depth knowledge and experience across both sectors to get the environment perfect for the early years development of children.
Sonia Bell
My name is Sonia Bell and I am the Nursery Manager of Monkey Puzzle Golders Green.
I have worked in childcare for over 33 years and have worked my way up to area management from nursery practitioner so my experience is hands on and strategic.
I enjoy working in partnership with parents and building strong relationships with them. I have a passion for seeing children develop through education and learning and I make sure to spend as much time as possible in the rooms, observing children and staff at play. I pride myself on excellence and have achieved Outstanding inspections for three nurseries.
- Early Years Foundation Degree
- NVQ Level 5 in communications
- NVQ Level 3 in Childcare
- Safer Recruitment
- Paediatric First Aid
- Advanced Safeguarding
Fatema Gulamali – Deputy Manager
I am Fatema. I live in Harrow with my parents, sisters and cat. I got interested in Childcare around the age of 14 when I started helping out at a local school. I then decided to get into Early Years and completed my Level 3 in 2015. So in a short space of time, I have worked up to Deputy Manager level and hope to complete a degree in Education and become a Nursery Manager one day. My favourite thing about working in a nursery is watching children grow and develop. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family in my spare time.
- Level 5 Working with Children and Young People
- Advanced Safeguarding
- Paediatric First Aid
- SENDCO
- English and Gujrati
Andrea Letch
My name is Andrea and I am the Nursery Third in Charge. I am originally from Blackpool but moved to London about 10 years ago. I have two cats and three children. I started working in childcare after volunteering in my children’s schools when they were little and carried on from then. My first role was as a meal supervisor which gives me good insight into healthy eating. I oove working in Early Years as I feel I can contribute to giving children a strong foundation for their future lives. It is a very important job and now that my own kids are now 18, 25 and 26 – I feel I have had lots of practice. In my spare time, I enjoy learning, reading, swimming, walking and doing puzzles. I also enjoy doing embroidery.
- NVQ Level 3
- Effective Safeguarding Practice
- Paediatric First Aid
Stephanie Bitherman
My name is Stephanie and I am the
I was looking for a new challenge after so long in one place so I started working for nurseries in 2014 and its such a lovely experience cooking for children. There is great variety and a chance to talk to the children about healthy eating and fun baking. In my spare time I like trying out new recipes and spending time with my granddaughter.
- Catering Degree
- Level 2 Food and Hygiene
Career opportunities
Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries are committed to providing great career opportunities for its entire staff. We are very keen to ensure the majority of staff participate in training at all levels. Monkey Puzzle Golders Green is a rapidly expanding business and we are often looking for quality staff. See our Current Vacancies below:
Level 2 Nursery Practitioners with at least 2 years in a nursery setting
Level 3 Nursery Practitioners with at least 5 years experience in a nursery setting
Unqualified staff/volunteers and student placements (subject to availability)
If you are looking to work temporarily in the childcare sector, give us a call to discuss the options as we could always do with some extra help as long as you have all the necessary checks in place.
See the job descriptions here and send your CV with a covering note to manager@monkeypuzzlegoldersgreen.co.uk