Our Team

We are a small, dedicated team with varied and wealth of experience working with children. The founder, Mrs Kwai-Fong Purchase (Miss Jessy) is a fully qualified Montessori Teacher who has great passion in Montessori Ethos, she promotes this unique learning method to both her team member and children in Village Montessori Nursery School.

Kwai-Fong Purchase Known as Miss Jessy (founder and owner)

Manager, Designated Child Protection and Safeguarding Lead, SENCO

Qualifications: BSc. (Hons) Psychology, Early Year Teacher Status (EYTS), Early Childhood Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy 

Born and brought up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Jessy was an active and independent child who spent most of her early childhood exploring in the woods. She joined Montessori Children House in Kuala Lumpur as teaching assistant, and she felt in love to Montessori Pedagogy. In year 2001, Jessy decided to study Montessori Early Childhood at Montessori Centre International (MCI) in London, after completion she joined an all year round Montessori nursery school in 2003 and her journey in that nursery ends in 2010. In year 2011, Jessy  started Village Montessori Nursery School in an old school feel parish hall sitting in the beautiful village of Rowlands Castle. In year 2021, she started the 2nd site inside the Compton UpMarden Primary School Compound.

Cristina Underdown

Deputy Manager

Qualification:  Level 3 Bank Staff

Cristina joins our Rowlands Castle team in 2021. She was born in Romania, she came to England in year 2004.  She completed her NVQ3 of Children's Care Learning and Development at Guildford College in 2010 then moving on to work in early years environment for tthe next five years since before she gets married and brought up her two lovely daughters. Cristina loves spending her free time with her daughters doing fun activities, for example ice skating, outdoor excursion, visiting museums, etc. 

Magdalena Kowalska

Montessori Trained Teacher

Qualification: Level 4

Magda joins our Rowlands Castle team in 2016. She  was born in Poland, she holds a Master Degree in Special Education and Montessori Diploma. Magda has been working in varies school setting before she spent another three years working at Montessori Academy for International Children in Poland before she came to England. Whilst she was in England, she worked with several Montessori settings before she joins our team. Magda decided to have several years career break after she gave birth to her first child in November 2017 then she came back in 2022. In her free time, Magda enjoys spending time in the beach, visiting library, any outdoor activities with her daughter Helena.

Victoria Fidler

Teacher, First Aider

Qualifications:  Level 3 Home Based Childcare

Vicky was born in England, who used to be a registered childminder when her children were young. When her children were in the Primary education, Vicky worked as a Support Worker for independent care for children and young people with disability. Prior joining Village Montessori Nursery School, Vicky worked as a childminder assistant in the village for a period of four years and she has good understanding in Early Year Foundation Stage framework. Vicky’s calm and soft spoken character develop close bonding with children. She believes that childhood is a fun learning time yet children should be set reasonable boundaries. She has two lovely children and some grandchildren.

Svitlana Ibrahim

Teacher

Qualifications:  Level 3 Bank Staff

Lana joins our team in Rowlands Castle since 2018, then she prompts to be room leader in Compton UpMarden in September 2021. Lana was born in Ukraine, who brought up four children of her own and has been working in Early year setting since year 2012. During her years working in the early years setting, Lana was given key children for learning plan and assessing development progress using Early Year Foundation Stage framework. Lana speaks and writes English and Russian, her open and warmth character has always welcoming both children and adults. From summer 2022 Lana will have a career break looking after her 6 year old son who needs medical attention.

Mayuko Watkins

Apprentice

Qualifications: Work based Early Year Qualification

Mayuko first known to Village Montessori Nursery School when her daughter was two. Seeing her daughter's early year development, Mayuko began to show great interest in wanting to know Montessori Pedagogy. In year 2021 when her daughter started primary school, Mayuko decided to pursue her Early Year Qualification through work based apprenticeship pathway with us.