Our Team

After giving birth to my eldest daughter, Poppy, I decided to leave my career in the music business and prepare for parenthood by becoming a Montessori Teacher. Over 20 years ago and two more daughters later, Jemima and Sophie, I have never looked back! The sheer joy of being able to nurture a child’s natural inquisitiveness and expand his/her horizons is so rewarding. In my spare time I enjoy relaxing with my family, going to the theatre, music, walking the family dog and looking after our two horses.

I set up Jelly Beans in 2004 and today I am delighted that we have grown the Jelly Beans family into a busy and popular Nursery

The Montessori Method has been a part of my life since I was born. My Mum, Sarah, started her Montessori Journey when I was a baby, before starting a small preschool in her living room. She taught my sisters and me using the Montessori method, and began what was to be an amazing journey for Jelly Beans Montessori and Sarah’s Montessori Nursery. I have always loved working with children, either helping out at Jelly beans while I was at school, or working as a nanny at Uni, and finally joining Jelly Beans permanently. In 2024, Sarah and I worked together to open Sarah’s Montessori Nursery, which has been the highlight of my career! I have a degree in philosophy, and a degree in Early Childhood Education as well as holding Early Years Teacher Status. Finding a deeper interest child development and learning, I chose to change direction and completed my masters in Developmental Psychology. I am also Montessori trained. My next academic endeavor will be a doctorate in Montessori, although my current focus is my son, who I love teaching using the Montessori Method and who loves attending Sarah’s as well!

I discovered Montessori as a teenager working in London as a Nanny. Everything about her philosophy and teaching methods made sense and I knew that this was the path that I wanted to follow. Having been lucky enough to study at Montessori St Nicholas, I went on to complete my Montessori NFTD, Montessori International, Montessori Primary advanced and lectured up and coming Montessori students at RMTC. I started at Alleyn Court School, nurturing and guiding children as a Montessori teacher and SENCo, and remained there for 28 years, until joining Sarah’s in January 2025. I have a passion for inspiring young minds and seeing their personal development over the years. As a mother to Henry and Amelia (both adults now) I fully understand that every child is an individual and no child’s journey is the same. Sarah’s Montessori defines this perfectly and I am extremely happy to be managing the Nursery, embracing all that it has to offer the children

Hi, I’m Mia! I am the Deputy Manager and Room Leader at Sarah’s Montessori, and I have been part of the Sarah’s Montessori family since July 2024. During my time here, I have achieved my Level 4 qualification and my Montessori Diploma, enabling me to provide high-quality care and education in line with the Montessori ethos.

I am dedicated to nurturing each child in our care, fostering their natural curiosity and encouraging them to become confident, independent learners. I strongly believe in creating an environment where children feel secure, respected, and inspired to explore and develop at their own pace.

My calm and attentive approach helps maintain the peaceful, structured environment fundamental to the Montessori philosophy. I am committed to ensuring every child receives a positive and enriching experience, allowing them to thrive both academically and personally.

I have worked in childcare for 18 years and have had the pleasure of spending many of those years working alongside Miss Louise at Alleyn Court. I have worked within the Montessori Method for most of that time, and love everything it has to offer for children. I particularly love working with the babies, and supporting parents to separate from their little ones gently and mindfully, sometimes for the first time! I am so proud of our extensive settling in process, which leaves babies happy and secure with a team that truly cares for them. I truly enjoy coming into the nursery each day and being greeted by happy, smiling faces. 

In my spare time, I enjoy running and have taken part in several adventurous treks.

Hello, my name is Clíona, and I have worked in childcare for 16 years. I began my career after earning my Level 3 qualification in Early Years Education in Ireland, where I worked for two and a half years. Since then, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in early years education in Australia and, most recently, in London, where I spent the past 10 years, including 4.5 years as a kindergarten teacher. I am new to Southend-on-Sea and very excited to be settling into my new role at Sarah’s Montessori. I look forward to bringing my experience, passion, and love for Early Childhood Education to the team. I strongly believe in creating a warm, nurturing environment where children feel safe, valued, and confident to explore and learn.  I am also close to completing my Bachelor’s degree in Early Years Education, which I have been studying part-time for the past five years, an achievement I am very proud of. In my free time, I love reading, and running is a big passion of mine.

I am a passionate Early Years practitioner at Sarah’s, having pursued my love for childcare since leaving school. I have previously worked as an Early Years Room Leader and SENCo, gaining valuable experience supporting children with a wide range of needs.

Following this, I developed a further interest in supporting children within different areas of the National Health Service. Through this experience, I worked as part of multi-agency teams in rehabilitation settings and gained a strong appreciation for hospital play therapy. In this role, I supported both short- and long-term patients using therapeutic play techniques, focusing not only on the individual child but also on supporting their families.

I strongly believe in following children’s interests, promoting learning through play, and creating inspiring provocations that encourage curiosity and development. My aim is to ensure every child feels valued, supported, and able to reach their full potential.

I am excited to bring my broad range of childcare knowledge and experience to Sarah’s in my role as Room Leader of the preschool room, Jeremy Fisher.

Hi, my name is Sophie. I am the Accounts Manager for Jelly Beans Montessori, where I manage spaces, availability, and enquiries, ensuring everything runs smoothly for our families.

I have a background in wildlife conservation, which has given me a real appreciation for the natural world, and I am currently studying towards my Forest School Level 3. I enjoy bringing this knowledge into my role and supporting a connection with nature wherever possible. My mum, Sarah, instilled in me a love for the Montessori Method and a deep respect for the child and their process. Joining Forest School Principles with the Montessori Ethos is a truly rewarding experience.

Away from work, I enjoy horse riding, spending time with my dogs, and making the most of time with friends.

Hello, I’m Brooke and I am so proud to be part of the team here at Sarah’s Montessori as Montessori Ambassador. I completed my Level 3 Child Development in 2019 and began working at Jelly Beans Montessori soon after. There, I instantly fell in love with early years education and the joy, curiosity and pure wonder children bring to each day. I later became Room Leader and completed my Level 5 Diploma in Primary Education, briefly exploring primary teaching before realising my heart truly belongs with the younger ages and the Montessori approach. I became a Mum in 2024 and returned to Jelly Beans as Manager after maternity leave. Becoming a mum in 2024 deepened my passion even further, allowing me to bring Montessori principles into my own home from birth. I love being outdoors, baking, travelling and making special memories with my little girl. I feel incredibly lucky to work in such a beautiful, light-filled setting with a team who are as passionate as I am about giving children the very best start.

I graduated from the Royal College of Art with a Master’s degree in Illustration and Printmaking. Since completing my studies, I have established myself as a practicing artist, exhibiting and selling my work at art fairs across the country alongside undertaking freelance creative projects. Alongside my personal practice, I have been delivering workshops within the local community, teaching printmaking and a range of creative techniques. This work has deepened my interest in accessible, hands-on art experiences and the value of creativity in everyday life. I am particularly interested in working with natural and sustainable materials, often incorporating found, recycled, and organic elements into both my own work and my teaching. This approach encourages a thoughtful connection to the environment and invites experimentation through texture, process, and material exploration. This journey led me to my current role as Artist in Residence at Sarah’s Montessori. Working within this environment has been incredibly rewarding; it is a privilege to support and witness the children’s natural creativity as they explore materials, experiment freely, and express themselves through art. Seeing their confidence and imagination grow through the creative process continues to be a constant source of inspiration in my practice.

Both my children have attended Jelly Beans and we instantly found a love for the Montessori approach. I could see how they excelled on a daily basis. I come from a Special Educational Needs school of 12 years starting here after qualifying with my Level 3 in childcare. I then decided to do my higher learning teaching assistant (HLTA) and studied for my Bachelor of Arts Open Degree studying courses all around childcare. I also have makaton sign language training which I have started using at Jelly Beans to teach to the children how to do some sign language. I was so excited to join the Sarah’s team as SENCO this year! I love spending time with my family and going on lots of different adventures . Family days are my favourite. I have worked with children from the age of 16 and strive to improve my learning along the way with lots of different opportunities.