Meet Our People

Every setting is built on their team

For the team at Muriel Green, daycare and teaching is much more than a job. We care deeply about children’s happiness and success. Our classrooms are joyful places to be, where children are engaged and teachers give praise and encouragement. We listen to parents and families, and work together with them to help children achieve their full potential.

Find out more about the qualified, experienced leadership team at Muriel Green below.

Roots Leadership Team

Hayley Yendell

Executive Headteacher and Curriculum Lead, Roots Federation

With vision, commitment and care, Hayley takes a lead on the curriculum for Roots Nurseries, ensuring it sets all our children up for happiness and success.

Hayley is a proficient leader with decades of experience leading early years settings. In 2001 she became deputy headteacher at a three-form primary school in Stevenage where she took on special responsibility for early years.

She went on to become an early years adviser at Herts for Learning, a company whose mission is to improve education across the county. In this role, Hayley gave consultation, training and support that improved outcomes for over 100 schools.

Hayley sits on a governing body of Governor of South Hill Primary School (Hemel ) and trustee of the Claxton Trust (Stevenage), and is a trustee at a multi-academy trust, where she shares her expertise with the wider community.

Gemma Williamson

Executive Headteacher and SENCo, Roots Federation

Gemma is Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator for the Roots Nurseries, and takes a lead in the Federation’s business and strategic decisions.

In 2010, she led the foundation stage at Laurence Haines primary school in Watford. In recognition of her impressive leadership, the local authority made her a Leading Teacher. In this role, she helped schools across the county improve their early years provision.

Gemma took the headship at Muriel Green Nursery in 2017. That same year, she achieved the National Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator Award.

She began working as a consultant to the headteachers at Oxhey Early Years in 2021. Here, she had the vision to collaborate with Heath Lane Nursery to improve all three settings, a vision which eventually led to co-founding the Roots Federation.

Gemma sits on the governing bodies of two maintained primary schools in Hertfordshire, keeping her up to date with educational practice beyond early years. She also sits on two boards representing the voice of maintained nursery schools.

Hayley Yendell - Interim Head of school and Executive HEadteacher

Hayley brings a wealth of experience in educational leadership, having held a variety of roles throughout her career. As the former Headteacher of Heath Lane, she successfully led school improvement initiatives in Early Years education.Passionate about the value of outdoor learning,

Hayley is a strong advocate for the role of outdoor play in supporting children's development. She has also led efforts to improve outcomes for disadvantaged and vulnerable children through her previous work with the local authority.She is excited to take on the interim Head of School position at Muriel Green, where she looks forward to driving continued improvement and embedding the school's well-sequenced curriculum even further.

Emma Mitchell - Senior Teacher

Emma has worked for nearly a decade in Early Years settings across Hertfordshire, predominantly working in Nursery and Reception classes but also with experience of KS1.
Last year Emma moved into the Federation to take on a a key leadership role at Heath Lane Nursery (one of our federation schools) before bringing her experience as Senior Teacher here to Muriel Green. She is passionate about curriculum development and is an integral part of the curriculum development team. Emma enjoys getting to know each family and is experienced in providing bespoke support enabling all to thrive.

“I love introducing new initiatives, and measuring how much they help our children. It’s a joy to work alongside children in ‘discover and do’, and to be present for all the moments when children come alive with awe and wonder. I’m blessed to be part of such a wonderful, forward thinking team who are making a difference to children’s lives.”

Sarah Pollen - Senior Teacher and SEND Lead

Sarah has been a teacher in Hertfordshire for ten years. She worked as a Senior Teacher and Mental Health Lead in a large, three-form-entry school in Stevenage, before moving to Muriel Green. Sarah has a passion for supporting young people and their families in their educational journey and in promoting a sense of joy and curiosity around learning. Sarah has a special interest and expertise in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children in the early years, helping them to thrive in their setting.

Sue Wells - Daycare Manager

Sue has worked in early years for over 25 years. During this time, she practised in three pre-schools, and managed her own setting for fourteen years. Sue has been the daycare manager at Muriel Green for the last four years.

Sue is adept at building high quality, trusting relationships with families, and supports new parents when they leave their children for the first time.

“It’s a pleasure to support and watch as the children settle in, making new friends and getting their first sense of community. I love the depth and breadth of our curriculum - how it keeps children engaged and excited to learn. It’s so rewarding to see children and staff succeed and achieve where they thought they couldn't.”

Chloe Reade - Deputy Day Care Manager and SEND Lead

Chloe has been working with children since she left school in 2015. She initially started as a children's entertainer in a soft play centre and has never lost that ability to engage children though fun and laughter! She then joined the team at Muriel Green as an Early Years Practitioner. Since then, she has worked in every room with children from babies to the Nursery school. Her ability to work strategically and efficiently with a great understanding of child development made her the perfect choice to join the senior leadership team as the Deputy Day Care Manager! She has a passion for working with all children but has an expertise with children with additional needs and has supported staff across the federation with ensuring children with hearing impairment receive high quality provision