Merrydale Day Nursery

10/02/2026

Dear parents/carers,

We have been using social media for some time to showcase the amazing activities our staff and children do every day, as well as celebrating individual, nursery and group achievements.
After a careful review we have decided to rationalise our online presence, and as of 16th February all posts will only be shared on our ‘Complete Childcare Nurseries’ page on Facebook and Instagram, and ‘Nursery Jobs in Complete Childcare’ on Facebook.

Therefore, if you don’t already, please follow us using the links
below, so you can carry on keeping up to date with nursery life and supporting our settings!
Thank you!

Complete Childcare Nurseries (Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/CCLnurseries

Complete Childcare Nurseries (Instagram)


Nursery Jobs in Complete Childcare https://www.facebook.com/NurseryJobs

25/12/2025

13/12/2025

MEET THE MERRYDALE TEAM

"Hi, my name is Alex and I am an apprentice at Merrydale, currently progressing through my level 2 qualification. I am based in the Pioneers room, however, I love to work in any room at Merrydale and know all of the children well!

I love to spend time with my family and friends outside of work, especially my brothers (All 6 of them! Here is a picture of me with 1/6 of them!) I also have a huge obsession with Winnie the Pooh which I love to share with the children. Working at Merrydale has been a fantastic 8 months of my life so far and I'm so grateful for all the opportunities I have had here and for more to come!"

Thank you Alex, you're amazing!

13/12/2025

Welcome Back, Keira!

Keira will be re-joining the Merrydale team following her recent travels to Asia. She will be working as Bank Staff, covering across all the rooms in the nursery.

Keira is an experienced Level 3 practitioner, and we are delighted to have her back.

13/12/2025

🎄 Christmas Dinner Celebration 🎄

This week we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas dinner together!
Cook Sam prepared a delicious traditional roast for the children and staff, complete with festive table decorations and cheerful Christmas music to set the scene.

For pudding, we tucked into a yummy chocolate Yule log with cream — absolutely delicious!

A big thank you to Cook Sam for making our Christmas meal so special. ❤️

01/12/2025

🌟 Meet the Merrydale Management Team 🌟

Hi I’m Martha and I’m the Nursery Manager here at Merrydale.

I’ve been in childcare for 8 years, where I actually started out as an apprentice and have worked my way through a number of roles including Room Leader, Third in Charge, Deputy Manager/Development Practice Lead, and even spent some time working as a Nanny. During Covid, I worked with the Health Visitors, which gave me a really valuable insight into child development and family support.

A little bit about me personally - I love all and everything festive 🎄

I live with my partner and our working cocker spaniel, Buddy. We love visiting Cornwall, European city breaks, climbing mountains and heading out on long countryside walks.

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Hi, I’m Melissa! I’ve been part of the Merrydale family since March 2022, starting out as an unqualified Nursery Practitioner and progressing through roles including Room Lead and Third in Charge, before becoming Deputy Manager. I absolutely love watching the children learn and develop, and it’s such a joy to build strong relationships with both them and their families. I also really enjoy supporting and mentoring other staff members - helping others grow and feel confident in their roles is something I find very rewarding.

Outside of work, I have a teenage son, a husband, and a busy home full of pets - two cats, two dogs, and two gerbils! I love spending time with my friends and family, going caravanning, and taking my dogs for walks, especially when there’s a beautiful sea view. It’s a privilege to play a part in helping our children grow, learn, and flourish at Merrydale."

Melissa (Mel/Lissa) is a wonderful member of our Merrydale team and is based, well, a little bit of everywhere! Thank you for all your hard work, Melissa!

29/11/2025

✨ Our preschool room has had a wonderful refresh! ✨

Our amazing staff have rearranged the furniture in preschool to create clear EYFS-based learning areas, added exciting new resources, and expanded some of the toys the children already enjoy. The children have absolutely loved exploring the new spaces this week — their curiosity and excitement have filled the room!

We can’t wait to see even more learning and adventures unfold! 💛

27/11/2025

🌟Meet the Team! 🌟

🤗"I’m Stacey, and I work in Merrydale's mini nest room. I love working with the children, especially our babies, as I love seeing their first little accomplishments and milestones that they make in life. I have worked in childcare for 2 and a half years, always in the baby room. I finished my Level 2 childcare in April, and I will be studying my Level 3 in January." 🙌🏼

24/10/2025

🎨 Colour Monster Sensory Tuff Tray 🎨

This week, the Pioneers have continued exploring emotions through The Colour Monster story — a firm favourite in our classroom! 💛💚💙💗

They explored a colourful sensory tuff tray, scooping, sorting, and matching colours to feelings — happy, sad, calm, fear, angry, and love. 🌈

The children showed wonderful creativity and focus as they expressed emotions through play. 🎶🧸💕

20/10/2025

✨ Happy Diwali from Merrydale Nursery! ✨

Our Pioneers had a wonderful time celebrating the Festival of Lights!

They explored their creativity by painting beautiful fireworks using cut cardboard rolls and vibrant paints of their choice. 🎨💥

It was a joyful, colourful session filled with imagination and laughter — some of the children even decided their fireworks would be dinosaur-themed! 🦖

A lovely way to learn about light, colour, and the spirit of Diwali. 🌈🪔

Wishing all our Merrydale families a bright, safe, and happy Diwali!

03/10/2025

🦋 A Fond Farewell to Afua 🦋

Today we say a heartfelt goodbye to our wonderful Deputy Manager, Afua – or “Fia” as the children so lovingly call her. 💛

Afua joined Merrydale straight from school at just 17, and for the past 11 years she has been at the very heart of our nursery. She has cared for every child as though they were her own, bringing endless warmth, dedication, and love into everything she does.

Over the years, Afua has filled our days with imaginative, engaging (and often wonderfully messy!) activities that the children have loved and thrived on. Her creativity and passion have made learning so much fun, creating memories that will last a lifetime. 🌟

Afua has touched the lives of so many children, families, and colleagues, and her absence will be felt deeply by us all. The children, parents, and staff will miss her hugely – but we are so grateful for everything she has given to Merrydale over the years.

Thank you, Afua, for your loyalty, kindness, and for the countless special moments you’ve brought to Merrydale. We wish you every success and happiness in your next chapter. You will always be a part of the Merrydale family. 💐✨