Therese is the founder of Forbes Children’s Nursery, opening the doors to the first nursery in 1996. Her passion for early childhood education began during her university years working in childcare and later through her involvement in running a voluntary nursery while raising her own family. With a background in publishing and authorship, including With Child: Birth Through the Ages, Therese brought a deep understanding of child development into practice when she and her husband established the nursery in their home. A strong advocate for outdoor learning, she was among the first in Scotland to embrace the forest school approach, using natural landscapes to enrich children’s experiences. This commitment continues today through regular adventures in forests, hills and beaches, reflecting Therese’s belief that meaningful outdoor experiences play a vital role in children’s learning, confidence and wellbeing.
Anthony grew up in the original Forbes Road nursery before leaving home for university and officially joined the nurseries in 2007. As Therese’s son and now Director, he brings both a lifelong connection to the nursery and valuable experience from a successful business career. Over the past 30 years, Forbes Children’s Nursery has grown organically from its first setting at Forbes Road to five nurseries today, while remaining true to its core belief that our teams are at the heart of what makes Forbes so special. Anthony is committed to supporting both staff and children, helping to create a nurturing, inspiring environment where children develop the skills, confidence and social awareness they need to grow into happy, healthy individuals, and where team members feel valued and proud to work.
Carol is the Business Director for Forbes and brings over a decade of experience as a contractor within the financial sector. Carol joined the nursery group in August 2017 and has since played a key role in strengthening business processes and supporting the leadership teams of the nurseries since. Alongside her professional commitments, she is a parent to three children, giving her valuable insight into the needs of families and children, which further informs her approach to her role.
Andrea is the Director of Care and Education and has been a cornerstone of Forbes since it opened in 1996. Having worked at Forbes from the very beginning, she has seen many changes over the years, but the love and care shown to the children and the warm, family feel have always remained the same. Andrea has worked across all Forbes nurseries with children of all ages and has enjoyed watching so many grow up over the years. She holds an HNC in Early Learning and Childcare, an HND in Childhood Practice, and a PDA in Childhood Practice, and has a particular passion for the Under 3s, believing this is a vital stage where children’s natural curiosity makes every day new and exciting.
Lauren is the Nursery Manager and joined Forbes in 2016. She works across all the rooms, supporting staff and helping to develop the nursery. Lauren is currently completing her PDA Level 9.
Abby joined Forbes in 2017 and is now our Assistant Manager, based in the Preschool Room. A qualified practitioner with a PDA Level 8, she is passionate about creating engaging learning experiences and supporting both children and families with care and dedication.
Annabel is our Operations Manager and joined Forbes in November 2022. She works across all four of our settings, supporting the managers and their teams. With over 15 years of management experience, Annabel brings strong leadership and organisational skills to her role. As a mother of two, she also brings empathy and understanding to her work with children, families, and staff.
Mercy is our Preschool Team Leader at the Greenhill setting and has been a valued member of the Forbes team since May 2019. She holds an SVQ Level 3 qualification and is known for her enthusiasm and dedication, creating engaging learning experiences for the children in her care. Mercy is currently on a six-month secondment with the Preschool team at our Bruntsfield Place nursery, where she continues to share her passion and commitment to early years education.
Lucy is a qualified practitioner who has been working in our Preschool Room since September 2022. She successfully completed her SVQ Level 3 in Social Services (Children and Young People) in March 2024. Lucy has also recently completed a British Sign Language course and enjoys bringing this new knowledge and experience into the playroom, enriching children’s communication and learning opportunities.
Emily has been part of the Forbes team since 2017. She works closely with Abby and Mercy to support the smooth running of the Over 3s, helping to create a positive, engaging environment where children can learn and thrive.
Barbara joined the Preschool team in September '23 as an Apprentice. Barbara is currently completing her qualification through one of our training providers and joined us with a background in Arts and Photography.
Nicholas is Support Worker in our preschool room who brings experience from education, outreach, and environmental research. He previously worked in Germany in both community outreach and a nature kindergarten, and is currently completing his PhD at the University of the Highlands and Islands. He is committed to empowering individuals to live confidently and independently, always offering a calm, person-centred approach. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring nature.
Sarah is our Under 2s Team Leader and a qualified practitioner who has been working with the youngest age group at Forbes since 2018. She works closely with the management team to ensure the smooth and effective running of the Under 3s rooms and is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of care and learning. To further enhance her knowledge and leadership skills, Sarah has completed her PDA Level 8 qualification. She is known for her calm, caring approach, which helps babies and toddlers feel secure and nurtured while encouraging their early development. Sarah supports the Management team as third in change after Lauren, Nursery Manager and Abby Assistant Manager.
Page is the Room Leader in our Toddler Room. Page is a qualified practitioner with experience working in a variety of childcare settings across Edinburgh. She has a strong passion for supporting children under the age of three and is dedicated to creating a nurturing, engaging, and inclusive environment where every child feels safe, valued, and supported in their development.
Lucy joined the Forbes team in August 2025 as a Support Worker in our Tweenies Room and is currently working towards her childcare qualification. She brings a positive and supportive energy to the room, helping to create a fun and nurturing environment for the children. Before joining Forbes, Lucy spent time travelling across Asia, where she gained valuable experience teaching English in both a school and nursery setting. Her enthusiasm and caring nature make her a wonderful addition to the team.
Zaynab is an Apprentice in our Tweenies Room and is currently working towards her childcare qualification. She brings enthusiasm and a caring approach to her role, supporting the team in creating a safe and engaging environment for the children.
Maryam joined our Baby Room in April 2024 as a qualified practitioner, bringing over nine years of experience in Early Years Education. She has completed a range of qualifications within the Early Years sector and is currently working towards her BA in Childhood Practice.
Kitija joined our Bruntsfield Place team in October 2024 through one of our training partners. With prior experience in childcare, Kitija will be working with our Toddler team while completing her SVQ Level 3 qualification.
Laura became part of our Bruntsfield Place team in October 2024 through a partnership training program. Coming from a recent career change and move to Edinburgh, she will be working with our Toddler team as she pursues her SVQ Level 3 qualification.
Sara joined our Bruntsfield Place team in October 2024 through one of our training partners. Following a recent career change, she will be working with our Toddler team while completing her SVQ Level 3 qualification.
Caitlin joined the nursery in August 2024 after completing her SCQF Level 6 in Social Services, Children and Young People. She is currently based in the Baby Room, where she works alongside the Under 2s team. We are supporting Caitlin as she works towards her SVQ Level 3 qualification.
Charlotte has recently joined our team as an apprentice after finishing school. She is enthusiastic about beginning her career in early years education and is already building positive relationships with the children and staff. We will be supporting Charlotte throughout her apprenticeship and formal qualification in partnership with our training provider.
Rosemary is a qualified Practitioner and is one of our bank staff members who works across all our sites supporting the different age groups.
Craig is a qualified practitioner and our dedicated Forest School Team Leader. He joined the nursery in 2016 and leads both our Forest School and Beach School programmes. Craig supports our Greenhill, Bruntsfield Place, and Claremont nurseries, sharing his expertise and passion for outdoor learning across all settings. He has completed his qualification in Forest Kindergarten Leadership (Level 7). With his calm, knowledgeable approach and genuine enthusiasm for the outdoors, Craig has made a lasting impact on so many children over the years.
Karen works in our nursery admin team joining the nursery in 2003. Karen works across our four settings supporting the managers and staff. Karen is a mother herself.
Mike is a highly skilled joiner with over 50 years of experience. He supports Forbes by carrying out general maintenance across our nurseries and has been involved in a wide range of projects throughout his career, including being part of a Channel 4 Grand Designs build.
Alongside this, Mike puts his craftsmanship to wonderful use by creating beautiful bespoke wooden teepees, tables, and chairs, which are loved by both staff and children. His dedication, experience, and creativity make him a much-valued member of the Forbes team.
Kay, our Teaching and Learning Coordinator, has over thirty years of experience in education. She began as a primary school teacher, later moving into outdoor education in Glenshee, and has worked with Barnardo’s Inclusive Education programme and at an outdoor therapeutic school in Colorado. A trained Forest School Leader, Kay is passionate about creating environments where children thrive through child-led play. She values the power of stories and books, and is committed to helping children explore the maths and science in the world around them, especially outdoors.
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