Sarah Coates
Sarah Coates is the Policy and Strategic Partnerships Manager for Wales, and has worked for National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA ) Cymru since 2013. Prior to her employment with NDNA, Sarah was responsible for the management of various Sessional, After school and Full day care settings. She has over 25 years’ experience of working within the Childcare, Early Years and Play sector.
Sarah leads on the work of NDNA Cymru, including policy work, ensuring effective representation of the nursery sector and contributing to policy development and guidance. As the Policy and Strategic Partnerships Manager for Wales, she is responsible for the NDNA Cymru team and the delivery of our Welsh Government contracts and other projects in addition to leading NDNA Cymru as a partner within the Cwlwm partnership.
Claudia Wood
Claudia has over 15 years of experience working within the primary education sector, initially starting as a Nursery class teaching assistant, progressing in her career to a become a Primary School Teacher. Her qualifications include a Foundation Degree in Learning Support, BA (Hons) in Education and PGCE. Claudia joined the NDNA Cymru team in 2019 as Project Coordinator on our Welsh Government funded Childcare Works Project, supporting participants in gaining training and hands-on experience in pursuit of a career within childcare sector. Claudia has developed within NDNA to become the Childcare Works Project Manager, continuing to support participants toward their ambition of a future career in working with children.
Debra Winney
In 2008 NDNA Cymru welcomed Debra to the team as a Cardiff Development Worker supporting Nurseries across the authority with sustainability, quality and business issues.
In 2010, Debra become the Regional Development Manager, South Wales and is Key account manager to 14 Local Authorities. She supports the networks across Wales, and leads on Sales as well as the work on the CWLWM partnership contract. Debra has previously worked in the public, private and voluntary sector in Wales and has a level of skills and experience in working with unemployed and economically inactive, and has over 25 years’ experience of working within the Childcare, Early Years and Play sector.
Hayley Grayson
Hayley has been working with children since the age of 15. Initially working at holiday clubs during the school holidays and weekend adventure camps whilst studying at university. After completing, a BA (Hons) in Primary Education Hayley has developed a strong passion for education that has spanned over a range of experiences before joining the NDNA Cymru team in 2019. These experiences have included; class teaching within early years settings and schools, both mainstream and SEN (Special Education Needs), coaching sports to 3yrs+, training and facilitating education and engagement in the voluntary sector and teaching accredited sessions to young adults with additional learning and behavioural needs. Hayley’s role focuses on the delivery of the Foundation Phase contract, providing support to NDNA member settings with the delivery of the Foundation Phase across Wales.
Julie Williams
Julie is a fluent Welsh speaker who prior to her employment with NDNA, Julie was a Medical Secretary for the NHS.
Prior to working on the Welsh language project, Julie was the administrator for the Childcare Works supported employment project. Julie joined the National Day Nurseries Association Cymru 2021 and joined the Welsh project in January 2024.
Julie provides support in embarking on the Camau courses, including providing updates to setting managers of staff progression on Camau when required and supporting learners with progression. Julie supports with Welsh language queries. She provides Welsh language updates by promoting new Welsh language resources provided by NDNA Cymru and outside organisations, including our newsletters, upcoming webinars and key dates in the Welsh diary.
Kim Lewis-Davies
Kim has over 18 years’ experience of working within Education, Early Years and Childcare. Before joining NDNA in January 2024 she worked on a project opening new, Welsh-medium childcare settings, having managed a successful Welsh setting for over 5 years.
Her qualifications include a BA Ed in Primary Education with QTS and a Level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management for Children’s Care, Learning and Development.
Kim is passionate about the Welsh language and supporting settings in being able to embed the language in all aspects of their work.
Lesley Williams
Lesley is the Project Coordinator for our Childcare Works project, supporting participants in gaining training and hands-on experience in pursuit of a career within childcare sector.
She has worked for NDNA since 2014 and delivers our Childcare Works project.
Prior to this Lesley worked as a financial auditor.
Mollie Jones
Mollie joined NDNA as the Welsh Language Project Manager in 2022.
Mollie is a fluent welsh speaker and has seven years of experience working within a school setting as a Teaching Assistant. Molly has delivered lead sports sessions for children, under 11 through the medium of welsh prior to joining the NDNA Cymru team, and has CACHE level 2 and 3 in Child Development.
Sarah Warburton
Sarah has over 15 years’ experience of working in the early years sector in a variety of practitioner and managerial roles and holds Early Years Professional Status in England. She owned and managed a small village nursery for 10 years before joining NDNA Cymru in 2020. Sarah has an LLB (Hons) Degree in Law and worked in the legal profession before starting a family and discovering her true vocation in childcare. As Regional Development Manager she supports the networks and members across North and Mid Wales and works closely with Local Authorities to represent the sector.
