Graduate first for Maghull nursery

The government’s Transformation Fund will allow nurseries to apply for a £5,000 grant to employ a graduate teacher from September this year.

Maghull nursery, It’s the Little Things, is already making the best of the grant, recruiting Lydiate mum-of-one Bethan Badger (right). Bethan has seven years experience, working at schools in Liverpool, Wigan and Preston.

Starting next week, Bethan will share the running of the nursery’s pre-school room with owner, Louise Waller, 37. Louise, a former primary school teacher herself, lives locally and has two young children of her own.

"We always wanted to invest in our pre-school room. The new fund gives us the perfect opportunity, so both myself and Bethan will be sharing the running of the room from next week - which means there will always be a primary school teacher as the room leader," Louise said.

Bethan first heard of the nursery after going to toddler class and meeting one of the nursery’s owners.