meet our team

We follow with kindness, curiosity, and open hearts. From muddy wellies to mindful moments, we work together to create a safe, magical space where every child can grow naturally, at their own beautiful pace

Milly Woodrow

Kindergarten Director & Founder

Jane Reid

Kindergarten Manager & DSL

David Woodrow

Kindergarten Director & Data Protection Officer

laura hackett

Kindergarten Room Lead and Deputy Manger

Holly Ashton

Kindergarten Assistant, SENDCo and Deputy Manger

Jade Lawrence

Kindergarten Room Lead

Mel Judi

Kindergarten Assistant

Iona Barker

Kindergarten Assistant

Justine Hauteville

Kindergarten Assistant

Tom Gilley

Kindergarten Assistant

Laura Hyde

Kindergarten Assistant

Oceana Lucas

Kindergarten Assistant

Rebecca Morley

Kindergarten Assistant

Susanna Andrews

Kindergarten Teacher

Laura Mackensie

Kindergarten Administrator

Emma Elliot

Kindergarten Assistant

Donna Smith

Kindergarten Room Lead

Donna Smith

Kindergarten Room Lead

Donna is a valued part of the team, bringing over twenty years of experience working closely with families as a nanny. Throughout this time, she has cared for children from the earliest days of infancy through to school age, developing a deep understanding of the different stages of childhood and the importance of feeling secure, cared for, and truly known.

She has a natural gift for creating a homely, reassuring atmosphere, where children can settle easily and move through their day with confidence. Donna is attentive and dependable, with a quiet awareness of what is needed in the moment, and a practical, hands-on approach to supporting both children and the wider life of the setting.

Her love of the outdoors and of animals brings an added dimension to her work, often sparking curiosity and gentle engagement in the children. Alongside this, she carries a warm, open nature and an easy sense of humour, helping to create a relaxed and welcoming environment.

Donna’s steady presence and depth of experience make her a valued and integral part of CHK.

Emma Elliot

Kindergarten Assistant

Emma is a full-time member of the team, bringing a wealth of experience from working with children across a range of settings. Her journey includes many years of home educating her own children, alongside supporting children with additional needs in residential care. These experiences have shaped her calm, steady presence and her ability to meet each child with patience, understanding, and genuine care.

Emma builds warm, natural relationships with the children, creating an environment where they feel secure, valued, and at ease. She is kind and gentle in her approach, while also bringing a lively, fun, and energetic spirit to the kindergarten. Her strong communication skills and ability to remain composed in all situations allow her to respond thoughtfully and confidently to the needs of the children.

Her background includes training in special educational needs and trauma-informed care, as well as a personal interest in yoga, all of which support her reflective and well-rounded approach to her work.

Laura Mackenzie

Kindergarten Administrator

Laura brings to Chartham Holistic Kindergarten a strong background in administration, finance, compliance and business management, together with the calm, practical thinking needed to keep a busy setting running smoothly behind the scenes.

She is an AAT qualified Accounting Technician and has worked across bookkeeping, payroll, pensions, HR, office management, procurement, compliance and the development of procedures and systems. Her experience has taken her through a wide range of businesses, giving her a broad understanding of how the many moving parts of an organisation need to work together. 

Laura is particularly skilled at bringing order to complexity. Throughout her career she has worked in roles where accuracy, organisation and problem solving matter, from managing financial processes and staff administration to overseeing compliance and writing practical systems that help everyday work run more effectively. She also has experience in staff training and wellbeing initiatives, including mental health awareness work. 

As our Kindi Administrator, Laura supports the practical framework that allows the life of the kindergarten to flow. Parents may come across her through the office, emails, bookings, paperwork and the many pieces of administration that quietly sit behind each child’s day.

Although much of Laura’s work happens away from the playrooms, it is an important part of creating a setting that feels steady, well organised and responsive to families. A kindergarten may be built from stories, songs, bread dough, muddy boots and children carrying very important sticks, but it also needs someone making sure the forms are filed, the systems make sense and the right information reaches the right place.

Laura brings exactly that kind of thoughtful order to the team, helping the practical side of Kindi life run with care, clarity and consistency.

Susanna Andrews

Kindergarten Teacher

Susanna brings a rich and thoughtful breadth of experience to her work with young children, shaped by years spent across early years education, Steiner settings, and community-based initiatives. Her journey began with her training as a Waldorf early years teacher at Steiner House in London, where she developed a deep appreciation for rhythm, creativity, and the importance of nurturing the whole child. She has since expanded her understanding through specialised Pikler training, grounding her practice in respectful, child-led development and attentive caregiving.

Alongside her core training, Susanna has continued to follow her curiosity and commitment to holistic wellbeing. She has explored areas such as Forest School leadership, where children are encouraged to connect with the natural world through play and discovery, as well as nutrition, yoga, and sound therapy. These complementary disciplines enrich her work, allowing her to create environments that feel both calm and enlivening, structured yet responsive.

Susanna’s approach is warm, intuitive, and deeply rooted in observation. She brings a gentle presence and a practical wisdom to her work, supporting children to grow with confidence, resilience, and joy.

How to Book

To request a place for the upcoming Holiday Club, please email:
info@charthamhk.co.uk

Once we receive your email, we will send you an application form to complete.
Your child's place will be confirmed once the form has been returned and availability has been checked.
Limited places are available to maintain a calm and nurturing environment.
How to Book

To request a place for the upcoming Holiday Club, please email:
info@charthamhk.co.uk

Once we receive your email, we will send you an application form to complete.
Your child's place will be confirmed once the form has been returned and availability has been checked.
Limited places are available to maintain a calm and nurturing environment.

Rebecca Morley 

Kindergarten Assistant

Bex joined our kindergarten as a trainee early years practitioner and is enjoying developing her skills and knowledge within an early years setting. She brings a calm, caring approach to her role and is committed to learning from the team while supporting children through their daily routines, play, and interactions.

With a background in holistic health and wellbeing, Bex is particularly mindful of creating a warm and nurturing environment where children feel safe, settled, and supported. She works closely with experienced practitioners, follows guidance from the leadership team, and is developing her understanding of the EYFS through hands-on experience and training.

Bex is enthusiastic, reflective, and keen to grow in her role, contributing positively to the team while building strong, respectful relationships with children and families.

Holly Ashton

Kindergarten Assistant, SENDCo and Deputy Manager

Holly is an experienced and caring early years practitioner who is passionate about creating calm, nurturing environments where every child feels safe, valued, and excited to learn. She believes strongly in a child-centred approach and takes time to get to know each child as an individual, supporting their development through play, exploration, and meaningful interactions.

With extensive experience as a Nursery Class Teacher, SENDCo, and senior leader, Holly brings a deep understanding of inclusive practice and early childhood development. She is skilled in adapting learning environments to meet a wide range of needs and works closely with families, colleagues, and external professionals to ensure consistent, high-quality care and support for every child.

Holly is particularly passionate about inclusion, emotional wellbeing, and building strong relationships with families. She prides herself on leading by example, maintaining smooth routines, and fostering a joyful atmosphere where children can grow in confidence and independence at their own pace.

Tom Gilley

Kindergarten Assistant 

Tom brings a unique blend of calm reassurance, high energy, and infectious positivity to Chartham Holistic Kindergarten. With hands-on experience in nurseries, primary schools, and youth camps, a level 3 qualification in The Early Years—alongside over a decade in people-focused leadership roles—he offers a thoughtful balance of structure, creativity, and joyful enthusiasm in his daily practice.

Tom works with a gentle, observant approach, creating environments that nurture confidence, independence, and emotional wellbeing. His proactive nature helps establish positive rhythms and routines, while his warm sense of humour and approachable personality make him a comforting presence for children and a valued member of the team.

Tom’s background in sports coaching and youth mentoring shines through in his ability to channel movement, teamwork, and imaginative play into meaningful learning opportunities. Whether facilitating a moment of quiet reflection, supporting a child’s creative expression, or leading an engaging outdoor activity, he brings genuine care, attentiveness, and joyful energy to every interaction.

Above all, Tom is committed to supporting a holistic, child-led environment where each child is recognised, valued, and guided with patience and respect. He is passionate about contributing to nurturing spaces that honour each child’s individuality and encourage growth at their own natural pace. We are very lucky and grateful to have Tom on board here at CHK. 

Justine Hauteville

Kindergarten Assistant 

Justine brings a wealth of experience in early childhood care, having worked for many years as a nanny and au pair supporting children from newborn to school age. Bilingual in French and English, she combines her calm, capable manner with a warm and caring approach to daily life with children.

 

Before joining CHK, Justine gained her Level 3 qualification in Early Years Education at Canterbury College and has continued to build her experience in both private homes and nursery settings. Her work has always reflected reliability, sensitivity, and a deep understanding of children’s needs — qualities that align beautifully with our values of gentle care, rhythm, and respect for each child’s individuality.

 

Alongside her professional skills, Justine loves baking, reading, and spending time outdoors — joys she brings naturally into her work with the children.

 

Thomas Kohler

Kindergarten Assistant 

Thomas was educated in Steiner schools and later went on to teach in both mainstream primary and secondary schools, as well as returning to the Steiner setting where his own love of learning began. His varied experience means he brings a rich understanding of different educational approaches, always with the child’s individual needs at the heart of his work.

Calm, gentle, and deeply thoughtful, Thomas takes time to listen, reflect, and respond in a way that helps children feel truly seen and understood. Whether guiding a group activity or quietly supporting a child one-to-one, he creates a sense of ease and trust in the room.

His reflective nature and steady presence make him a reassuring and inspiring influence for both children and colleagues alike.

 

Oceana Lucas

Kindergarten Assistant 

Oceana is currently studying for her Level 3 in Holistic Baby and Childcare, a Steiner Waldorf qualification that reflects the belief in nurturing the whole child — body, mind, and spirit. She brings a creative spark to everything she does, drawing on her background in therapeutic childcare, baking, and design to make learning and play rich, imaginative experiences.

She approaches each day with warmth and creativity, whether she’s crafting activities that spark curiosity, baking with the children, or bringing a touch of storytelling and artistry to the Kindergarten. Her gentle manner helps children to feel safe and confident as they explore the world around them.

 

Laura Hyde

Kindergarten Assistant 

Laura brings a strong background in early childhood education and outdoor learning, with over ten years of experience working with young children. As a qualified Forest School Leader, she has developed and led nature-based learning experiences that encourage curiosity, creativity, and confidence. Her work often combines arts, crafts, storytelling, and sensory exploration with outdoor play, helping children build a meaningful connection with the natural world.

Alongside her forest school work, Laura has experience leading early years rooms and supporting teams to create calm, nurturing environments where children feel secure and inspired to explore. We are very pleased to have Laura joining us across the setting and look forward to the experience and creativity she brings to our community.

 

Maria Apps

Kindergarten Room Lead

Maria has been caring for and supporting children for more than 30 years, from tiny babies in nursery to young adults in further education. She’s worked in many settings — nurseries, schools, and with children who have additional needs — always bringing patience, kindness, and a smile.

She loves getting to know each child as an individual, finding out what makes them curious, and helping them grow in confidence. Whether she’s leading a creative activity, offering quiet one-to-one support, or chatting with parents, Maria makes sure everyone feels welcome and valued.

Families and colleagues describe her as calm, thoughtful, and endlessly caring — someone who always puts children’s wellbeing first.

We are so lucky to have her as part of our team!

 


Sustainability Lead: Milly Woodrow (Founder and Director)

Effective Date: August 2025



1. Introduction
At Chartham Holistic Kindergarten, we understand our responsibility to the Earth and the importance of cultivating environmental consciousness from the earliest stages of life. Rooted in a slow-paced, nature-connected approach, our climate action plan aims to foster deep, lived experiences of sustainability that are embedded naturally into our rhythms and routines—not added on artificially.

2. Sustainability Lead Role
As the nominated Sustainability Lead, Milly Woodrow will:
Integrate sustainable practices into everyday operations and pedagogy.
Guide staff and children in deepening their relationship with the natural world.
Ensure that all sustainability efforts align with the holistic ethos of the kindergarten.

3. Environmental Learning in Daily Life
We believe the most meaningful sustainability education is experiential and woven into daily life. We will:
Encourage children to care for the natural environment through seasonal gardening, composting, and nature walks.
Support nature-based play using organic, recycled, and found materials.
Explore the cycles of the seasons, weather, and local ecosystems through storytelling, art, and sensory exploration.
Promote reverence for all living things and instil habits of care, gratitude, and responsibility.

4. Sustainable Practices in the Setting
We will continue to align our operational choices with our ethical and ecological values:
Natural Materials: Use biodegradable, non-toxic, and ethically sourced materials wherever possible—for play, art, cleaning, and care.
Minimal Waste: Avoid single-use plastics and prioritise reusable or compostable items.
Composting & Recycling: Maintain simple systems to minimise waste and involve children in these processes.
Energy Use: Conserve energy through mindful use of heating and lighting. We are committed to low-impact living and outdoor-led activity.
Food Practices: Support seasonal, vegetarian snacks and meals using organic or locally sourced ingredients when possible.

5. Outdoor and Nature-Based Learning
Our outdoor spaces are an extension of our classrooms and a cornerstone of our climate approach:
Children regularly participate in caring for garden beds, trees, and wildlife-friendly spaces.
Encourage observation of natural changes—clouds, soil, insects, birds—as a way to foster awareness of interconnectedness.
Create spaces that welcome biodiversity: log piles, wildflower corners, and natural play features.

6. Community and Culture
While we do not run formal sustainability workshops, our community is united by shared values of care, simplicity, and nature reverence. We will:
Invite families to contribute gently used materials or natural items for creative use.
Encourage open conversations with families about the ways we honour nature in the setting, modelling sustainability through example rather than instruction.
Maintain our screen-free policy as a commitment to deeper presence and environmental simplicity.

7. Travel and Localism
Promote walking, cycling, or car-sharing among staff and families where feasible.
Source local and ethical goods to reduce transport-related emissions.
Keep supply chains simple and thoughtful, in line with our low-impact philosophy.

8. Review and Reflection
While we do not conduct formal sustainability audits, our commitment to climate action is expressed through lived daily choices. Reflection and adaptation happen organically through:
Regular staff dialogue and peer-sharing.
Observing the children’s responses to the natural world and building on these experiences.
Trusting our shared commitment to simplicity, responsibility, and Earth care as guiding principles.

Conclusion
At Chartham Holistic Kindergarten, sustainability is not a checklist—it is a way of being. Our climate action plan reflects a commitment to nature that is quiet, consistent, and deeply embedded in the child-centred, holistic rhythms of our setting. We hope to nurture a generation that honours the Earth not because they were told to—but because they remember loving her from the start.

Laura Hackett

Kindergarten Room Lead and Deputy Manager

Laura is an early years teacher-turned-researcher with a deep-rooted passion for child development, sustainability education and creative, child-led learning. With a background in both classroom teaching and academic research, Laura brings a thoughtful, inquisitive approach to early years education—encouraging children to explore big ideas through play, nature and curiosity.

She holds a Distinction in both her MA in Early Childhood Education and PGCE with Early Years Teacher Status from Canterbury Christ Church University, and has taught across EYFS and primary settings. Laura’s research has focused on eco-anxiety, sustainability and interdisciplinary learning, including designing innovative educational tools like the “Climate Escape Room” to inspire climate engagement in young learners.

Laura is excited to bring her academic insight, classroom experience and passion for holistic education to Chartham Holistic Kindergarten, supporting young children to thrive in an environment of curiosity, creativity and care.

 

Iona Barker

Kindergarten Assistant

Iona brings to Chartham Holistic Kindergarten a particularly deep and personal connection to Steiner education. She was herself a pupil at Canterbury Steiner School, travelling through kindergarten, lower school and upper school, so her understanding of the approach has been formed not only through study or professional interest, but through having lived within it throughout her own childhood.

That experience sits alongside an unusually rich collection of practical skills. Iona’s working life has taken her through gardening, permaculture, sourdough baking, reflexology, art and food preparation, all areas that share a strong connection with making, growing, rhythm and purposeful work. She holds qualifications in practical horticulture, permaculture, reflexology and art, and has also worked with children through childminding, home education support and experience within a Steiner kindergarten. 

There is a natural meeting point between these experiences and the life of a Steiner Waldorf kindergarten. Gardening, baking, artistic work, care for the environment and meaningful practical activity are not additions to the day. They are part of the substance from which the day is made.

Iona speaks warmly about her connection to nature and natural rhythms, and about her desire to nurture children’s wonder and curiosity. She is particularly drawn to work that feels ethical, useful and rooted in real life, qualities that sit very naturally within the ethos of Chartham Holistic Kindergarten.

Iona works primarily in Maytree, where her lived understanding of Steiner education, her practical abilities and her quiet appreciation of the natural world all find a natural home.

Mel Judi

Kindergarten Assistant

Mel brings to Chartham Holistic Kindergarten a wonderfully rich background in education, pastoral care and leadership, together with the warmth, curiosity and adaptability that matter so much in work with young children.

Before joining us, Mel spent many years working in schools, teaching French and Spanish across different age groups and taking on a wide range of pastoral and leadership responsibilities. Her experience has included heading a languages faculty, leading careers education, supporting pupils in boarding settings, mentoring trainee teachers and helping young people navigate both the academic and human parts of growing up. She also holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership. 

What stands out in Mel’s experience is not simply the breadth of what she has done, but the thread running through it all: relationships. She describes herself as someone who values trust, communication and understanding the individual in front of her, and that feels very much at home within our approach to early childhood. 

Moving from older pupils into kindergarten life is a new chapter for Mel, and one she has embraced with real openness. The landscape may be different, with rather more mud, bread dough, songs, stories and small boots, but the heart of the work remains familiar. Children flourish when they feel known, secure, respected and genuinely met.

Mel works with us three days each week and spends much of her time in Spindlewood and Oak.

Jade Lawrence

Kindergarten Room Lead

Jade is a compassionate and dedicated early years professional with over a decade of experience in both childcare and healthcare settings. Beginning her career as a Baby Unit Assistant, Jade developed a strong foundation in nurturing young children through play-based learning, teamwork, and high standards of care.

Her background includes extensive experience in the NHS as a Therapeutic Worker and Assistant Nurse Practitioner, where she specialised in person-centred care and emotional wellbeing. This diverse experience has strengthened her skills in communication, adaptability, and supporting children with a range of needs.

Jade holds a Level 3 NVQ in Children’s Care, Learning and Development, and a CACHE Level 2 in Childcare and Development, alongside qualifications in health and safety, conflict resolution, and transformational coaching. She brings a calm, positive, and enthusiastic presence to the room, with a deep commitment to creating a kind and inclusive environment where every child can thrive.

 

David Woodrow

Kindergarten Co-Founder &

Data Protection Officer 

David is a certified GDPR Practitioner and local business owner with over 25 years experience in the technology sector. Fun fact: David is a published author and public speaker.

 

Jane Reid BEd(Hons)

Nursery Manager

Jane has been working with children for over 30 years. From being a play leader on a children’s ward in a hospital to a nursery teacher in a primary school, a private nanny, a kindergarten assistant and an early years practitioner in a private nursery. Fun fact: Jane once rode a bike 100km overnight for charity.

 

Milly Woodrow BA(hons)

Kindergarten Founder

Milly has a rich background in education, having taught PE in Steiner schools before running a successful childcare setting for children aged 0-12. With a deep passion for holistic learning and child development, Milly brings a wealth of experience to Chartham Holistic Kindergarten. Fun fact: Milly is also a real-life chimney sweep—how lucky is that!