Meet Our Senior Leadership Team

Lesley is the owner of Elizabeth House. Having started out her career as a qualified teacher, she then went on to become the founder and chair of a successful childcare company for 15 years which ran 14 nurseries and preschools. Lesley was also an Ofsted inspector, running what was the second largest inspection contractor in England for under-fives, carrying out thousands of inspections. She was one of the first people to introduce qualified teachers, education and the Key Person system into Early Years settings and was subsequently approached to advise on the first curriculum that was introduced nationally for Early Years. Lesley was one of the “Women of the Year” for three years for her services to Early Years Education. The company’s flagship nursery was Elizabeth House where her three children attended. It was known then as Mongewell Park Nursery, originally in North Stoke before Lesley purchased Elizabeth House in 1996.

Cressida was educated at St Mary’s School, Ascot and then went on to study History and Classics at the University of Nottingham. After completing her PGCE in Oxford, Cressida taught at Cranford School for six years. She has experience teaching in Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. During her training, Cressida taught at a number of Early Years settings in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, including day nurseries. Cressida is Lesley’s daughter and attended Elizabeth House herself as a child. She and her husband live locally with their golden retriever and run Elizabeth House together as a team.

Suzie has worked in the childcare sector for almost 30 years. She started her career as a nanny before training to Early Years Educator Level 3 whilst working at Mongewell Park Nursery for six years. Whilst her son was young, Suzie also ran her own Ofsted registered at-home day care business. For the past 12 years, Suzie has worked at Cranford School, starting in Little Willows nursery as an Early Years Key Person and also a teaching assistant for children from Preschool to Year 6. 

Kim attended Abingdon college where she achieved her Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Childhood Studies, and then started her first full time job at Elizabeth House when it was run by Lesley’s company.  After spending several years at the Nursery and starting a family of her own in 2003, Kim gained her Early Years Professional Status in Oxford. She then mentored others on the same programme at the University. Alongside this, Kim spent 19 years at Cranford School, progressing to the Head of Early Years, which included teaching in both Nursery and Reception. More recently, she has been working as a Regional Trainer, training Early Years Apprentices and teaching Maths and English Functional Skills in the South East. 

Eleanor has a Bachelor of Arts in Children’s Development and Learning and has gained her PGCE with QTS from the University of Reading. Eleanor has taught in both local independent and state schools, teaching from Preschool to Year 6. As a passionate advocate of early education, Eleanor is delighted join to Elizabeth House and prepare children for their next step in education.