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Our Journey – The Little Boat Nursery
Personal Profile
At The Little Boat Nursery, our story is rooted in experience, passion, and a deep understanding of early years education. Before opening our doors, we spent over 15 years working closely with nurseries, schools, and early years practitioners across the Home Counties. This hands-on experience taught us what really matters for children, parents, and staff alike: trust, care, and quality education.
Our founder, Rahim Bengrid, has been instrumental in building a successful education recruitment agency, connecting nurseries with the right staff and supporting schools with qualified professionals. His deep knowledge of the early years sector, combined with his commitment to excellence, has shaped the ethos and vision of The Little Boat Nursery. Rahim continues to play a vital role in guiding the nursery’s development, ensuring it benefits from years of insight into what makes a nursery run smoothly and safely.
As co-founder, Sarah Bengrid has dedicated her career to early years education and recruitment, supporting nurseries, cover teachers, and learning support assistants. Sarah’s expertise ensures that every child at The Little Boat Nursery receives nurturing care, a stimulating learning environment, and personalised attention. Together, Rahim and Sarah have combined their experience in recruitment and education to create a nursery that prioritises children, families, and staff equally.
Being family-run, we understand the importance of warmth, personal care, and strong values. Our journey isn’t just about opening a nursery – it’s about bringing decades of experience in education and recruitment together to create a place where children thrive, families feel supported, and staff are valued for their expertise.
Every policy, every classroom setup, and every activity at The Little Boat Nursery is informed by our hands-on experience in the early years sector. From recruitment to operations, we know what works best to foster children’s growth, curiosity, and happiness.
Join us on our journey – from supporting nurseries across the Home Counties to creating a safe, inspiring nursery in Shepperton, we’re committed to giving your child the best start in life.
CTA: Book a tour today and see the difference experience makes!
Lena – Early Years Specialist & Nursery Lead
Lena brings a wealth of experience and dedication to The Little Boat Nursery. With a strong background in recruitment within the education sector, she understands the importance of pairing the right staff with the right environment to create safe, nurturing, and inspiring spaces for children.
Holding Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in childcare, Lena combines her practical skills with professional expertise. She will play a key role in setting up the nursery, designing classrooms, planning learning activities, and supporting both children and staff during the early stages of our opening.
Her passion for early years education, commitment to child development, and hands-on approach ensure that every child at The Little Boat Nursery receives individual attention, care, and encouragement. Parents can trust that Lena’s experience and dedication help make our nursery a place where children feel secure, happy, and ready to explore.
Hassiba – Nursery Operations Coordinator
Hassiba plays a vital role in keeping The Little Boat Nursery running smoothly. She is responsible for organising daily routines, supporting the team with setup, and ensuring that every part of the nursery operates efficiently. Her experience allows her to anticipate needs, manage tasks, and create a calm, structured environment where both children and staff can thrive.
With over 4 years of experience working in nurseries, Hassiba has a deep understanding of how early years settings function, from daily schedules to behind-the-scenes organisation. In addition, she has over a year of experience teaching French in schools, as well as being fluent in French, thus bringing an extra layer of educational support and enriching our language offerings for children who want to explore French in a fun and engaging way.
Hassiba’s dedication, organisational skills, and passion for supporting children’s development make her an invaluable member of our team, helping to ensure that every day at The Little Boat Nursery is smooth, safe, and full of opportunities for learning and play.
Katherine – Music & Media Lead
Katherine brings energy, creativity and warmth to The Little Boat Nursery. With hands-on experience working in nurseries and a strong background in recruitment, she combines her understanding of childcare with excellent people skills.
Music has always been one of Katherine’s passions. A talented singer, she leads lively and engaging music sessions that spark joy, confidence and creativity in the children. Whether it’s exploring rhythm, learning new songs, or simply enjoying the magic of making music together, Katherine makes every session fun and memorable.
Alongside her work with the children, Katherine also manages our social media. She loves capturing the special moments that happen every day at the nursery and sharing them with families, helping parents feel connected to their child’s journey with us.
Our Philosophy in Action
Every policy, every classroom setup, and every activity at The Little Boat Nursery is informed by our hands-on experience in the early years sector. From recruitment to operations, we know what works best to foster children’s growth, curiosity, and happiness.
We combine our recruitment background with our love of learning and play-based education to ensure the nursery is inclusive, safe, and inspiring. Families can feel confident that their children are supported by experienced, caring professionals from the moment they join us.
