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We are thrilled to welcome Miss Sophie McLean to the Ranby House family as our new Head of Early Years.

Sophie joins us with a wealth of experience and a real passion for creating the kind of environment in which young children can flourish. As she begins her time at Ranby, we asked her to introduce herself and share what matters most to her about those all-important early years of a child's education.

I am delighted to have joined the Ranby House family and to be part of such a warm, vibrant and inspiring community.

I am now in my 16th year of teaching, and throughout my career I have had the pleasure of working in senior leadership across schools in the UK, as well as in independent schools internationally. These experiences have given me a broad perspective on education, leadership and, most importantly, what enables children to thrive.

Being a mum is one of the proudest and most valuable skills in my teaching toolkit. It has given me an even deeper understanding of the many different perspectives within a school community and the importance of knowing, nurturing and celebrating every child as an individual. It has also helped me to appreciate the experiences of parents, families, colleagues and children, and how we can work together to give every child the very best start.

For me, learning in the Early Years is truly the beginning of curiosity. It is where children start to ask questions, make connections, develop independence and discover their place in the world. This is at the heart of my approach: creating hands-on, personalised learning experiences that prepare children not only academically, but socially and emotionally, while developing the skills they will carry with them throughout life.

Some of my favourite moments are often the simplest ones : eating together in the dining hall, listening to children explore their big “I wonder…” questions about the world, or celebrating those first exciting steps in reading, writing and mathematics. These everyday experiences are where so much meaningful learning happens.

Leading across a number of amazing schools has given me the ambition to dream big for children, alongside the experience and knowledge to help turn those ambitions into reality. With the energy, enthusiasm and strong sense of community here at Ranby House, I am incredibly excited to build on the fantastic ethos and opportunities that already exist, working alongside the excellent team to ensure our children are happy, confident, curious and ready to embrace all that their future holds.

I feel very fortunate to have joined such a special community and look forward to getting to know our children and families and sharing in their journey at Ranby House.

Sophie McLean
Head of EYFS