Bridie S

My Summary

My Experience

Childcare Worker - Isiphephelo (“Place of Safety”) children’s home, Winterton, South Africa.
Feb 2015 - July 2015

I am currently volunteering in a Zulu community in South Africa, working in a home for children who have nowhere else to go – orphans, children exposed to violence, sexual abuse or simple homelessness through poverty. The centre provides a temporary solution until permanent homes are found. It can accommodate up to 15 children aged between 0-12 years. All the staff and children speak Zulu with limited English.

My core responsibility is to look after the babies and toddlers during the day time with a further requirement to work as a “house mum” – providing evening and night-time supervision and getting the children ready for school the next morning. Regular tasks involve:

• Bathing, feeding and clothing the babies
• Developing and implementing a programme of stimulating activities
• Assisting the older children with homework
• Devising and implementing a feeding schedule for the babies and toddlers for the staff to follow
• Teaching the children road safety- have run several sessions and practices and created a poster
• Teaching the staff some learning, creative and action activities such as; junk modelling, painting, counting rhymes, gloop play and outdoor games
• Helping at two local Zulu crèches - joining in and creating activities and supporting the staff
• Assisting at the local primary school with Grade R (5-6 year olds) with creativity activities
• Running a sports project in the local African township: playing games with the children, showing them care and respect.
• Helping at a Special Needs home/school – assisting the children in getting ready for school and helping them after school. Also working with the grade R children during the day.

Nursery Nurse - Catherine House Day Nursery School, Moseley, Birmingham UK
Sept 2013 - Dec 2014

• Assistant to the Room Leader – responsible for completing all daily tasks. Worked with older children (ages 3 to 5) in the pre-school room and with the baby room (ages 3months to 18 months) Provided cover to all other age-group rooms when needed. I had my own key children. I worked closely with them and their parents.
• Promoted to Room Leader – I was promoted to room leader when needed.


Nursery Nurse placement and studying for Childcare Level 3
Sept 2012 - June 2013

Placement: Moseley Montessori Nursery, Birmingham
Working as a Nursery Nurse 3 days per week, as part of the team in a busy nursery, providing day care support for children ages 3 months to 5 years. Regular tasks involve:

• Leading activities – mainly working in the Toddler Room. Activities cover both indoor (painting, reading, cooking, dancing....etc) and outdoor (physical development play and games).
• Overall focus on supporting the children to engage with the full range of Montessori activities.
• Involved with day-to-day running of the nursery.
• Feeding, changing nappies and toileting.
• Interacting with parents.

Qualification: CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce at South & City College, Birmingham.

• One day per week at South & City College, Hall Green campus.

Professional Training
• Paediatric First Aid- March 2014
• Safeguarding- February 2014
• Allergy Awareness- October 2014
• Positivity and Team building- June 2015

Previous work history
July 2012 (2 weeks only) Teaching Assistant, Bridgemere Primary School, Bridgemere, Nantwich, Cheshire

• Volunteered at a primary school to gain extra experience. I worked in class 1, with the pre-school and reception children. Helped with the day-to-day running of the class. Set up and ran activities.


Apr 2010 (one week only) Catering Helper, Ruskin Mill Educational College, Nailsworth, Gloucester

• Placement work at college providing residential educational and emotional support to adults with learning and behavioural difficulties including Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome.
• Duties included helping the students with their daily work tasks, observing how the college functioned and how the teachers interact with the students, preparing and cooking food with the students and serving other students and staff.

My Qualifications

Professional Training
• Paediatric First Aid- March 2014
• Safeguarding- February 2014
• Allergy Awareness- October 2014
• Positivity and Team building- June 2015
• Food hygiene level 2- Feb 2014

Qualification: CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce at South & City College, Birmingham.

One day per week at South & City College (Hall Green campus).
Key Modules cover:

• Understand child and Young person development
• Understand how to safeguard the well being of children and young people
• Support children and young people’s health and safety
• Develop positive relationships with children, young people and others involved in their care
• Promote equality and inclusion in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings

The college study is coursework based with practical work on-site by the Nursery and a qualified College assessor.

FDA in Culinary Arts Management, University College Birmingham

This is a core tertiary-level qualification for practioners and managers in the catering industry. It includes coursework, exam and practical based learning.

Sep 08 – June 10 BTEC National Diploma, Hospitality & Supervision, South Cheshire College, Crewe. Qualification also includes NVQ Level 2 in Food Service and Food Preparation and Cooking.

2006 - 2008 12 GCSE's
2 A's (Catering, Religious Studies)
6 B's (Science x 2, English Lit, English Lang, Geography, ICT)
4 C's (Maths, French, Ceramics, P.E)

My Availability

From the 6th of September 2015 I am available in the evenings and at the weekends for babysitting.