Meet our Team
Early Years Leadership Team
Philip Stewart
“Children should have access to the very best educators who are caring, nurturing and passionate about the development of the students in their care.”
As an educator, Philip believes that the Early Years lays the foundation for a child’s future successes so the creation of opportunities for exploration is vital.
Background:
Philip has been an Early Years and Primary educator for more than 25 years.
He has spent the last 15 years leading schools in the UK (where he also ran his own Kindergarten), in China, and now in Thailand.
He received his qualifications from the University of Wales and also completed his National Professional Qualification for Headteachers.
A former Great Britain and England junior swimmer, Philip continues to enjoy sports. Outside of school, he likes to spend time with his family, visiting cultural hotspots with his wife and four children.
Debbie Brown
“The Early Years should give children opportunities to grow and develop into well-rounded individuals.”
For Debbie, Early Years is important because this is where one lays out the stepping stones for the future. As such, Early Years education should not be solely focused on the academic aspect, rather it should have a holistic approach.
Background:
Debbie was an Outdoor Educator in the USA before becoming a teacher.
She earned her Bachelor degree in Education from London Metropolitan University and is currently studying for her Masters degree in Education.
She has been a teacher for 20 years, spending a decade in London and a decade at Shrewsbury Riverside.
She has also taken a two-year secondment to focus on the implementation of IT in the curriculum from Early Years to Year 9.
Aside from work, Debbie enjoys spending family time with her three sons, visiting new countries and trying new experiences.
Steve Morris
“Children should be given access to environments and educators which enable them to grow their love of learning, be happy and confident, and realise their academic and social potential.”
In Early Years, Steve believes that every child should be nurtured by educators who show inherent commitment, kindness and caring to each of their students. This knowledge, valuing and respect of each individual is the key through which their potential is realised and grown.
Background:
Steve is a graduate of the University of Warwick and Liverpool Hope University in the UK and Justus-Liebig University Giessen in Germany.
Although he is a qualified solicitor of England and Wales, he has a Masters degree in Education and a National Professional Qualification for Headteachers.
He has been an educator of Early Years and Primary school children for 15 years, and has experience in the leadership of schools in the UK and China before joining Shrewsbury Riverside.
Steve enjoys building friendships with people from different cultures, discovering new places and food, playing sports and spending time with his family.
Leanne Dix
“Every child deserves the very best start in their lives, including access to the highest quality care and education, so that firm foundations can be laid and built upon.”
Leanne recognises that the Early Years are a crucial period in life. It is a period of rapid change and holistic development, incomparable to any other time. The Early Years of education is a wonderful place to be for both the child and the adults working alongside them.
Young children are powerful learners, innately curious and full of creativity. They have one hundred ideas that they want to share and investigate and another one hundred more ways of expressing all that they know and have experienced. Whether this be through their dance, songs or imaginary play, their creative expression is always there. Adults who work with children can listen and tune in to this to see their powerful learning abilities and the joys of everyday life and situations.
Background:
Leanne is an Early Years Specialist Teacher with qualifications from Goldsmiths University of London.
She has been teaching in Early Years for over 20 years including working as a lead teacher in an Early Years Centre in the UK, leading in the education and care of children under 5 and supporting their families.
Before Shrewsbury Riverside, Leanne worked in Amsterdam as an Early Years teacher, Forest School leader and Playgroup/Family Learning facilitator.
Hollie Booth
“Children are born with a deep desire to explore the world around them. It is our job as educators to tap into their innate wonder and curiosity and enable them to think, dream and wonder without limit.”
For Hollie, the quality of relationships that children have with the adults enables them to feel safe, secure and confident to explore freely. Adults have to connect with the children in Early Years, understanding what interests them and how to nurture them in the best way possible. Enabling the children to learn through their interests is a very “powerful tool” to engage and motivate them.
Children also need an environment that enables them to explore and provides rich opportunities for them to lead their learning. Open-ended resources enable the children to challenge themselves within their play and to think creatively.
Background:
Hollie discovered her commitment to working with children from a young age.
She has had experience volunteering in a Primary school alongside doing a University degree and working with the local borough on play initiatives for underprivileged children.
She has worked in Key Stage 1 for 5 years in London and has worked in both Early Years 1 and Early Years 2 at Shrewsbury Riverside for over 7 years.
