Telephone: (+353 0) 85 144 9610
Meet The Team
All our staff are all qualified teachers with particular interests in the sciences, arts and sport.
They are chosen for their primary childcare qualifications and particular specialisation. At present we have four Montessori teachers, one Irish Language and crafts, and one sports and science teacher.
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Nessa
Nessa is a trained Montessori teacher and has been involved in childcare for over 30 years. She passionatily believes in active learning and exposing children to the arts. She believes children learn best by doing and wants to give them many opportunities as possible. Stories and drama are her great love. Nessa is building her dream in Little Learners. She wants to build a community and a safe,supportive place for children and their families.
"shine on you crazy diamond"
Parents Comment 2013
Claire
Claire has always always been interested in early years education. She completed her degree in Education and Training at DCU and subsequently completed a level 8 higher diploma in Montessori Teaching at St Nicholas Montessori Ireland. She completed a level 8 diploma in Human Resource Management in 2019.
Claire is the Business Support Officer and looks after the day to day running of the school to ensure you receive the best quality.
Claire was originally the senior Montessori Teacher before she took on the role as Operations Manager. She is passionate about the Montessori approach to education as it has a strong emphasis on the child as an individual.
Yvonne
Yvonne is our accounts manager for ABCD, Iona and Westfield.
Linda
Linda ran her own dance school LSM DANCE in Co.Meath and has been teaching Ballet, Modern and Tap dancing for over 35 years. She loves working with children and when asked by Nessa to teach in Little Learners jumped at the chance. Linda enjoys the young children and teaching them is a pleasure. It's great to see the progression from September to June. Their enthusiasm is wonderful and they always surprise me by how much they can do. The children in little learners are so lucky to be given so many new things to experience. They have wonderful teachers and they are a pleasure to work with.
"I'm so happy Nessa asked me to bring my dance classes to the children. Thanks Little Learners"
Ted
Ted is an important member of the Little Learners community. He is at the heart of a lot of our activities and encourages our children to have good manners and to be brave.
Bernie
Is grá liom bheith ag obair leis na pháistí óga agus cé go bhfuil na paistí ag foghlain,tá mise ag foghlaim freisin.Gach lá feicim forbairt na paistí í bhfeidhim agus iad ag foghlain na scileanna éagsúla-fisicul,socialta,cognóid,samhlaíocht srl.
‘Mól an óige agus tiocfaidh said
Aine
Aine is the ballet teacher here at Little Learners and Stay & Play. She takes the children for classes every Thursday where they learn the ballet basics and dances from the major ballets like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty and Coppelia. Aine has over 10 years experience teaching ballet and loves passing on her passion to the children. Any child at Little Learners or Stay & Play are welcome to take part in the classes.
Sarah Whelan
Working with children is the most rewarding profession for me. I enjoy working alongside children and supporting them to reach their full potential whilst maintaining their individuality, uniqueness and developing their independence. Having studied Early Childhood Care & Education for four years and receiving a B.A degree, it's clear to see how many benefits a quality early years service, like Little Learners can give to a child. I am a big supporter of the Ethos here at little Learners and will continue to include the arts, dance and music as part of a child's development. I am very proud to be part of such a fantastic team who work to not only support the children but their families too!'
Claire Staunton
After completing a degree in Music and English at St. Patrick’s College, Claire conducted her post-graduate studies at St. Nicholas Montessori College where she graduated with first class honours in Montessori Early Childhood Education. After teaching in Dublin for a couple of years, Claire moved to Myanmar to help establish a new preschool for Burmese children. The school was one of the first of its kind in Myanmar to embrace a child led, play based curriculum and Claire is very proud to have been part of this project. During her time abroad, Claire also regularly gave workshops and training to both Burmese and expat teachers working in the field of early education. On return to Ireland, Claire was delighted to find that Little Learners had an opening for a Montessori teacher and was even more delighted when Nessa hired her! "Little Learners allows to me to combine my love of the creative arts with my passion for working with young children using the Montessori method. I am a trained musical theatre performer and regularly draw on my theatrical training in the classroom by using role play, music, and drama to reinforce the children’s learning".
Toby
Toby is the school dog. He belongs to Claire in the office. He goes to collect the children from the local schools. During the day he can be found visiting the children in the preschool, they all love him. Toby's hobbies include daily walks, playing with his toys and hiding Claire's socks.
Michelle
I have always wanted to work with young children. Initially I studied paediatric nursing, before realising education was where my passion is. I truly believe that early education lays a very important foundation for young children and feel privileged to be part of it. I love working with children to find their interest and what motivates them and planning a curriculum around this. I am also lucky enough to be able to share my love of the Irish language with the children I teach.Little Learners is the perfect balance of learning, fun and creativity and it is a pleasure to work as part of such an innovative team.
Katie
Little Learners gives me the platform that I have always wanted, to work with children in a fun, creative learning environment. I have 8 years’ experience as an early year’s educator, my passion for teaching children grows more every day. I have such enthusiasm and high energy, I use this skill in my teaching to bring out the best in children. I love how individual we are in little learners we stand out from all the rest. Pre-school is such an important aspect of a child’s life, that is why I thrive to make the experience enjoyable. I have the pleasure of watching children grow and develop as confident individuals in my care. I feel blessed to be apart of little learners and can truly say I love my job.
Andrea
Andrea has an early years teaching degree and primary teaching degree. " Since I was a child, I knew I wanted to dedicate my life helping children in their learning, I have a positive attitude to work in challenging situations. I have 7 years experience, working in different countries such as Spain, France and Chile. I am highly motivated and full of energy to support children to achieve their full potential and enabling them to develop self-confidence and self-esteem. I love the atmosphere and the team in Little Learners".
Luke
Luke is one of our preschool teachers in ABCD. “I decided long before I went to college I wanted to work with children. I've always had a passion for working with younger people and it's an area I was determined to get into later in life. I studied Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin with that in mind. I knew having a degree in something so unique and in an area so specialized would help me achieve my aim. Having realized my goal of working with children in Little Learners I couldn't be happier. It's the ideal environment for me, one I consider myself very lucky to be in. I have a keen interest in sport and play for Na Fianna GAA. Something I share with many of the children who come to Little Learners. Being a part of the team in Little Learners and getting to work with a group as friendly and as special as the one we have now is a privileged position. Most of all, the children I encounter day in day out had reaffirmed my passion to continue to work with children and most of all to do so in Little learners”
Tina
Tina is our afterschool manager in ABCD. "I truly believe in the power of the arts, especially when working with children. When studying Drama and Performance I was pushed out of my comfort zone and thrust into the spotlight- quite literally! However when I graduated I was much more confident and most importantly I believed in myself. It is this confidence and belief that I hope to pass on to each and every child who attends my classes at Stay and Play. Having only been with Stay and Play for a little while and I can honestly say I absolutely love it! So far we’ve staged two magnificent shows and the only way is up. It is truly a privilege to get to know the children and observe them developing their own stage personas and presence. I believe the greatest tool we have in life is our voice and with that in mind I also believe that every child deserves the opportunity to use their voice both now and in the future with confidence and belief in themselves, and drama is a great gateway into doing so. They might be a bit too young to understand now but I hope someday in the future they too will understand the power of the arts in its many amazing forms!"
Val
Val is our preschool manager in ABCD. Val’s journey in childcare began in 2015 as an afterschool leader in Stay and Play, where she first observed the influence of the Montessori method. Val believes “the nurturing atmosphere in Little Learners creates a space where the children and team can feel free to be creative and to express themselves”. She had since completed her level 7 in Early Childhood Education. She loves how Montessori facilitates the child’s ability to develop and grow at their own pace, she believes that this opens the door for them to reach their full potential.
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Annette
Annette is our driver for our afterschool club.
Dearbhla
"I realized I had a love for working with children from a young age as there was always children in my house growing up due to my mam being a childminder. My first love however is Irish dancing. I started when I was 3 and I’m still doing it to this day. I have gotten to see the world with my dancing group. After finishing my degree in Early Childhood Care and Education in ITB. I find it is very important for children to learn through play and in a creative working environment. I have the joy of watching the children develop new experiences and grow into confident individuals. I am very grateful to be joining the Little Learners team and see all the children in my care reach their potential"
Ciara
Ciara is our Afterschool Manager in ABCD. "Ciara completed her undergraduate studies in Human Development and History in St. Patrick’s College. She continued her studies in Trinity College, where she completed a post graduate diploma in Educational Studies in Early Intervention. On completion of her undergraduate degree and with over four years of retail management experience, Ciara decided to pursue a career in childcare. She encourages fun in everything she does, and loves to see children’s individual personalities shine through. She is delighted to be apart of the great Little Learners family and is excited for the adventures ahead!"
Jade
Jade has been working as an Early Years Educator for the past 9 years. She loves watching children progress as individuals and she also has a big interest in the after school. She believes all children learn at their own pace but it’s important to have fun with them along the way.
Nina
“I’ve always had an interest in working with children because I find they are very humorous and have an enthusiastic approach towards life. I try my best to match their energy and keep them occupied throughout each day. I love to make children smile, it makes me happy when I see them enjoying themselves and engaged in play without a care in the world. I studied early childhood care and education at Colaiste Ide Dublin and was eager to start working with children as soon as I graduated. I love the atmosphere here at Little Learners. When I first started working here, I felt at home straight away, as the whole team are very welcoming and it is a great environment to be a part of. I like how there’s extreme efforts put in to ensure that each individual child’s needs are met. I have a strong passion for arts and crafts and I love to implement this into activities with the children. I like the routine here as I have set activities which include ballet and yoga. I practiced ballet in ABCD myself when I was a child so It is great to be able to teach the children some of the skills I learned. It is wonderful how these activities impact on the children’s wellbeing and It is great to see them progressing and thriving in their activities”.
Kate
Kate is our preschool teacher in ABCD. "Working with young children and their families is a hugely rewarding career. It is a privilege to spend my day with our youngest most inspiring and engaging citizens. Encouraging children's interests and confidence through play and supportive relationships is central to my practice. Outdoor nature-based learning, art, culture, and science are areas that I particularly enjoy facilitating as part of our curriculum. Having come to the early years after over fifteen years in retail and design, I hold a BA in Early Years Education from NCI. I am currently studying to become a certified Forest School Leader".
Teresa
Teresa is an Early Years Educator in our Iona school. "Working with children was always my passion that became my profession. I graduated with First Class Honour in BA in Early Childhood Education and I’m striving for the same in my current postgraduate course in MA in Child, Family and Community Studies. However my professional knowledge is not the only thing that matters to me as a teacher. Over the years of practice I came to conclusion that it is a love that helps children to open up and spread their wings. Therefore, in everyday practice I follow three important steps: I show children love and affection, I play with them and I educate them. I believe that it is a great success if I can make a young child willingly to follow me and learn new things that are interesting and challenging for him/her. I also like children to be creative, therefore, I follow their ideas and help them to learn this way. This makes the process of learning much more interesting for them and for me"
Sorcha
Saoirse is our Afterschool manager in Westfield House. "I have a bachelor’s degree in Social Care. While working through my degree I worked with children in many different areas. In 2012 I did my Erasmus in Oslo specialising in Creative methods in Childcare. I have just returned from Germany after four years spending my time using creative methods to teach English to children from 1 to 12 years. Since returning to Dublin and starting with Little Learners it’s been great. I can now use all my experience in art, music and drama and bring it to the creative space in Westfield. The forest school is a new concept, the children are curious and motivated which makes everything exciting and new for everyone. We can be creative with nature and use the outdoors as our canvass. I am loving all the challenges, meeting and working with a friendly and welcoming team. I can’t wait to see what the future brings"
Ciarán
Ciarán is our afterschool leader in ABCD. Ciarán comes to us with experience in a number of vocations including; Social care, carpentry, graphic design, animation and costume making. On his time off Ciarán travels the country judging and competing in costuming contests and entertaining young and old at comic conventions During the morning Ciarán can be found maintaining and making improvements to our facilities with both fun and safety for children in mind all before leading our older children during the after school club.
Charlotte
Charlotte is a Montessori Teacher in ABCD. "I have always had a strong passion for working with children. I completed my degree in Early Childhood Care and Education in 2015 and then studied further to gain my Montessori qualification. Since graduating I have enjoyed working with children, supporting them to grow and reach their full potential. I enjoy providing children with learning opportunities based around their own personal interests. I am a strong believer in the ethos of Little Learners and I am delighted to be part of the team"
Ann Marie
Ann Marie Morrissey BA (Hons) Degree in Early Childhood Education, Dip. Primary Education and is certified in The HighScope Curriculum Approach. Ann Marie is hugely passionate and posses a deep understanding and belief that high quality early education provision impacts children’s lifelong learning outcomes. Ann Marie’s employs an educational philosophy that focuses primarily on children’s Active Participatory play-based learning, a globally recognised methodology. She looks forward to educating young minds far into the future.
Paulina
Paulina is our preschool teacher and preschool manager in Iona. "I have a level 8 Bachelor Of Honours Degree in Primary Teaching and Early Childhood Development. I started working for Little Learners in September 2018 in Ballyshannon then I took a chance to work in Westfield Forest School and I absolutely love it! I have a passion for teaching through creative art. I always let fun and a bit of magic into my classroom. Children learn from us how to express themselves and that’s what we are there for. The most precious thing is smiles on their faces when they learn something new every day"
Karolina
Karolina is our afterschool leader in Westfield.
Catherine
Catherine is our afterschool art teacher in ABCD
Ellen
Ellen is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Astrid
Astrid is our full day preschool teacher in ABCD. "I have completed 5 years, Level 8 Bachelor Degree in Early Years Childhood Education in Venezuela (2011). I have been working in Ireland since 2012 and I have experienced working in community and private services throughout these years. I believe that every child is unique, and I value and respect each child’s individuality. As an Early year Practitioner, I aim to ensure that every child experiences success in their learning and relationships so that they develop a resilient self-esteem and a love of learning. There is nothing more inspiring that to see the face of a child who has mastered a new skill or conquered a challenge. And I feel blessed that I can make a positive difference in the lives of children “Every child is a different kind of flower and together make this world a beautiful garden”
Eimear
Eimear is our afterschool leader in Westfield
Louise
Louise is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Shane
Shane is our afterschool leader in ABCD
Nuria
Nuria is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Sarah
Sarah is our afterschool leader in Iona
Silvia
Silvia is our afterschool leader in Westfield
Aisling
Aisling is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Anna
Anna is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Audrey
Audrey is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Denise
Denise works in our preschool in Iona
Eunsun
Eunsun is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Isabel
Isabel is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Jose
Jose is our afterschool leader in Westfield
Laura
Laura is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Tracey
Tracey is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Yaiza
Yaiza is our preschool teacher in ABCD
Anna-Livia
Anna-Livia is our preschool teacher in Iona. "Children are magical creatures! I have a BA Hons in Applied Social Sciences and I've chosen to work with the small folk since 2008. I am also a qualified children's yoga instructor and enjoy inviting them on weekly journeys on the mat. As an educator I value free play, creativity, fairytales and the conversations about the World and its fenomena you can only have with an almost three year old! I love to sing, read and dive into the endless opportunities of expression arts and crafts offer in our every day lives. I strive to embrace our similarities as people as well as our differences as unique individuals. Close to my heart are the natural world, environment, sustainability, folklore and the seasonal cycle that creates a calming rhythm also in my preschool classroom in Iona"
Carla
Carla is our afterschool manager in Iona. "Working with children is always something I have wanted to do. I currently have 4 years experience working with toddlers, preschoolers and school aged children. I love working within the Preschool and After school here at Little Learners. Dancing, music and the Irish language are 3 of my interests that I incorporate each day at Little Learners. I feel it is very important for children to learn through play and in a creative working environment, and like to follow the children’s interests whilst planning activities in the classroom. Mar chainteoir líofa Gaeilge tá an-áthas orm mo ghrá don Ghaeilge a roinnt leis na páistí atá á múineadh agam! Little Learners is a school I consider myself very lucky to be part of!"
Jorg
Jorg is an afterschool leader in ABCD
Olivia
Olivia in our preschool teacher in ABCD
News & Events
Get the latest info relating to Camps & Events at our Pre-School & After-School Club..
