Hi,  I am Fiona Anderson and I am the Team Manager, Early Years. There are many different aspects to my role, but my main focus is to plan and deliver strategic support to establishments across Falkirk Council to ensure there is high quality early learning and childcare for all children and families.   This includes overseeing and developing the strategy for professional learning and development, co-ordinating the deployment of centrally based staff, and directing service delivery relating to quality improvement including about curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment.

Before joining the team in September 2022, I held the role of Head Teacher at Head of Muir Primary School in Denny for nine years and before that,   three years as HT in two schools Stirling Council.    I also have worked within the Additional Support Needs sector as a Support for Learning Co-ordinator and various roles within a special school in North Lanarkshire.

I love my job!  I work with a great team of teachers and pedagogues who are all strong practitioners.   We work well as a team and regularly reflect on our strengths and development needs.  We are forward thinking and solution focussed. We also have a lot of fun and laughter too!

I also enjoy my strategic role working with our Service Manager, Lisa and our Childcare Provision Co-ordinator Karen.  It is so varied and each day is different from the other.  It makes it exciting.  However our commitment to ensuring all children have access to the highest quality of early learning and childcare underpins all our discussions and planning.   Like the central team we have a lot of  laughter too though 😊.

Throughout my role as Team Manager, I endeavour to uphold the values of our service which include positivity, creativity, flexibility and collegiality.  It is a role with great responsibility and I am honoured to hold this position.

Some of the highlights of my role are my visits to establishments where I meet enthusiastic and passionate practitioners, dedicated senior leaders and amazingly creative children.  I enjoy having the opportunity to share in children’s play and learning in rich, inviting and well planned out environments supported by nurturing and caring practitioners. Nothing makes me happier than chatting around the clay, playing hide and seek, cutting and sticking shapes or sitting around a safe and warm campfire followed up by reflective discussions with practitioners.  These experiences inspire me and make me very proud to be a leader in Falkirk!

I am looking forward to future developments within our sector and continuing to support establishments to deliver the highest quality early learning and childcare within Falkirk.   Please feel free to reach out if you would like a chat or blether about ‘all things ELCC’. If you fancy a visit, drop me a line.  I would love to come out and visit if I haven’t yet been to your establishment.

Thanks to everyone for all their hard work, dedication and warmest of welcomes when I visit.

 

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust