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.
Elizabeth is our Nursery Manager, working closely with Bethany and Elisha in the day-to-day running of the nursery. She previously held the role of Team Leader in our Preschool Room and joined the nursery in October 2022.
Elizabeth completed her SVQ Level 3 in 2024, and is currently working towards her SVQ Level 8. She also brings valuable additional experience from her time working abroad in children’s summer camps, which has further strengthened her practice and leadership skills.
Bethany originally joined Forbes in 2014. She has gained extensive experience across a range of childcare settings, including nurseries and after-school care, and previously was the Nursery Manager at Greenhill, where she led the team and supported high-quality practice.
Bethany has completed her SVQ Level 4 and achieved her PDA Level 9 in Childhood Practice in '23. Following her maternity leave, Bethany has returned to the nursery for two days a week, where she provides valuable support to the management team, sharing her experience and expertise to support the continued smooth running of the nursery.
Elisha is our Assistant Manager, having previously undertaken the role of Nursery Manager during Bethany’s maternity leave. She joined the nursery in 2014 and is a highly experienced, qualified practitioner, holding an HNC in Early Education and Childcare.
As part of her qualification, Elisha completed placements across several nurseries and a primary school in Edinburgh, giving her a broad and well-rounded understanding of early years practice. Elisha continues to develop her professional skills and is currently working towards her PDA Level 8, while playing a key role in supporting the leadership team and the day-to-day running of the nursery.
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.
Lyndsey is a qualified practitioner with an SVQ Level 3 and is a valued Senior Practitioner within our preschool team. Her creativity shines through in the wonderful ideas and activities she shares with the children, helping to create an inspiring and engaging learning environment.
Karen is a qualified Practitioner with an SVQ Level 4 and works in our Preschool Room. She brings many years of childcare experience, including previous nursery management experience
Vicki joined us in October 2024 and is based in our preschool room. She will be working towards her SVQ Level 3 qualification, and we are committed to supporting her throughout this journey. Vicki brings energy, fun, and enthusiasm to the preschool team, creating a positive and engaging environment for the children.
Rosie, originally from Philadelphia, joined our team bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in early years education. Since 2019, she has worked in nurseries in the United States, taking on both leadership and assistant roles. Her background adds valuable perspective and skills to our setting.
Rosie joined our preschool room in October 2025, bringing a wealth of experience working with children from babies to preschool age. With a background in storytelling, drama, and early years education, she brings creativity, warmth, and energy to the nursery.
Rose is a qualified practitioner with an HNC in Childhood Practice and has been part of our nursery team since 2018. She currently works in our Tweenie Room.
Amy is a qualified practitioner in our Baby Room. She first joined Greenhill Nursery in 2019 as an apprentice and has since developed her skills and experience, growing into her current role. Amy is a dedicated member of the team who supports the children’s learning and development with care and enthusiasm.
Jessica joined the nursery in February 2023 as an apprentice and has since completed her SVQ Level 3 in Childcare. Now a qualified member of our Baby Room team, Jessica brings a calm and nurturing approach, building strong, caring relationships with the children and supporting their early development with patience and warmth.
Rebecca is a qualified practitioner who has been a valued member of our nursery team since 2017. She is the Team Leader of the Under 3’s and brings a wealth of experience, including working in after-school care and as a nanny in Germany. Rebecca has recently completed a course in Froebelian childcare practices, which focuses on supporting children’s natural curiosity, creativity, and holistic development.
Gillian joined Greenhill in December 2023 after completing a Childcare Access course through one of our training partners. She has since completed her SVQ Level 3 training and is now a qualified practitioner in our Under 3’s Room.
Neil joined us as the Greenhill Chef in October 2023. He studied cookery at West Lothian College and gained valuable experience working in an Edinburgh-based restaurant for two years after qualifying. As a father himself, Neil takes great pride in preparing nutritious and heartwarming meals for the children at Greenhill.
Sylvia is part of our support team for the lunchtime period at Greenhill. Sylvia joined us in January 2024 and supports across the whole nursery.
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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