Our Team
Meet the team at Bridgewater Nursery Altrincham
Marria Durrani – Nursery Director / Manager
Our founder Marria, is passionate about working with children, especially in early childhood, as it’s such a crucial time for development. With years of nursery experience, she’s loved helping young children learn and grow, and is committed to creating a nurturing and fun environment for them.
Marria has a Bachelor’s in Politics and International Relations, a Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education, and additional training in child first aid, safeguarding, and nutrition. She’s particularly interested in promoting healthy eating and ensuring children are well-nourished. Overall, Marria is a dedicated child care professional, devoted to supporting children’s development and encouraging their love for learning.
Philippa Carroll – Manager
Philippa is a dedicated childcare professional with a Level 3 qualification in Childcare and a First Class Honours degree in Education. She began her career as a childminder over 20 years ago and has steadily progressed to management roles. Combining her strong educational background with her genuine passion for ensuring all children receive the best start in life, Philippa is committed to delivering high quality early years provision and supporting families in their childcare journey.
Currently, she oversees the day to day running of our nursery and serves as an early years consultant specialising in compliance and best practice. Outside of her professional life, Philippa is married and a mother of five. She leads an active lifestyle and enjoys outdoor activities. She is also passionate about taking on fundraising challenges such as 50 kilometre Ultra Challenge Walks and more recently an 8 week Boxing challenge.
Abbie Graham –Third in charge and SENDCO
With her Level 3 qualification and degree in Speech and Language, Abbie brings exceptional expertise to her dual role as Baby Room Leader and Special Educational Needs Coordinator. Her naturally nurturing approach creates a warm, inclusive environment where every child can thrive. As our SENDCO, Abbie expertly coordinates support for children with additional needs, working closely with external professionals and families to ensure each child's individual learning journey is celebrated and supported. She excels in identifying early intervention opportunities and creating personalised learning strategies that support each child's unique developmental pathway. Her passion for mentoring and sharing expertise has made her an invaluable resource for our team, guiding staff members in best practices for inclusive education. Starting each day with an energising gym session reflects Abbie's holistic approach to wellbeing - a philosophy that enriches both her personal practice and the supportive learning environment she creates for everyone around her.
Chandni Joshi – Nursery Assistant
Chandni brings a natural sense of calm and tranquility to our nursery setting, with her nurturing and kind approach making a meaningful difference in children's daily experiences. Currently working towards her Level 3 Childcare qualification, she shows true dedication to her professional development and brings excitement to learning new aspects of early years practice. Chandni's quiet confidence and gentle presence create peaceful moments throughout the day. Her willingness to support her colleagues and adaptable nature make her a valued team member who consistently contributes to our positive nursery environment.
Clara Roberts – Baby Room Assistant
Clara brings warmth and dedication to our baby room, where her natural ability to nurture strong attachments shines through in every interaction. Currently working towards her Level 3 Early Years qualification, she demonstrates a deep understanding of the importance of the key person approach in supporting our youngest children's emotional wellbeing. This nurturing spirit extends beyond the nursery, as Clara finds joy in caring for her own garden, exploring floristry, and enjoying outdoor walks with her dogs. This calm and patient nature carries through to her work, where her gentle approach helps create a peaceful environment for our youngest children. Her focus on building trusting relationships with both babies and their families makes her an invaluable member of our team, where she continues to develop her understanding of early years practice with particular emphasis on supporting those crucial early bonds.
Kate Hoban – Nutritionist
As a multi award winning nutritionist and parent, Kate is always trying to come up with ways to keep the whole family happy and healthy, it’s not always perfect and having previously dealt with her fair share of mealtime tantrums, fussiness and slaving away like an over worked chef creating different meals for everyone she now has a much calmer kitchen, less food waste and more time to enjoy family time.