A STOCKTON day nursery has appointed its first qualified teacher as part of its programme to get children ready for life at school.

Jenny Moore has started work at Little Ladybirds Day Nursery as an Early Years Teacher.

The 26-year-old, from Thornaby, is working in the nursery’s pre-school room and one of her main responsibilities is ensuring that children are prepared for the step-up to school when they are five.

Ms Moore, who has a degree in Childhood Studies and Early Years Teaching, said: “Experiences in the first five years of a child’s life have the biggest impact on how their brain develops. It’s when they grasp the fundamental skills they need to do well at school and develop as happy, confident individuals.”

Since starting in January, Jenny, along with the other staff in the pre-school room, has introduced a number of new activities, including using colours to introduce French words, getting the children to look at the life cycle of a plant and putting up a large map and asking the children to identify where in the world they have been.