The Nursery team

Mrs Emma Gorman - Nursery Teacher, Assistant Headteacher and Lower School Team Leader

Mrs Coral Dale - Teaching Assistant

Miss Rachel Walters - Teaching Assistant

Mrs Rachel Milkins - Teaching Assistant (Lunchtime)

Emma Gorman
I began my association with Shiphay in 2006 as a Student Teacher and was very fortunate to then be employed as a teacher in Year 3. Since then, I have also taught in Year 6 and Year 4. Committed to lifelong learning, I have worked my way through Middle Leaders, Senior Leadership, Leader of Literacy, and Headship qualifications. As a result, I am one of the Academy’s Assistant Headteachers and Lower School Team Leader. In addition to this, I coordinate English. 

Creativeness is very important to me. Prior to teaching, I studied at Dartington College of Arts and gained a First Class Honours Degree in Performance Writing and a Masters with Distinction in Visual Performance; this has inspired in me a love of literature, the Arts and digital media. 

Teaching is both a challenging and rewarding experience. I am incredibly excited about the move to Lower School to develop my expertise in leading high-quality early years education and care that sparks each child's love of learning by providing playful, meaningful and exciting experiences that build on their own strengths and interests. I am really looking forward to supporting the youngest members of our school at the very start of their learning journey. My philosophy for education is that knowledge is not something to be delivered but explored.  Having a creative approach to the curriculum based on active learning enables me to set high aspirations for my class.  I view each child as a strong, curious and intelligent individual with the power and potential to develop and learn from their environment and the relationships they build with others.  I believe in putting the learner at the core of the learning experience and believe that every child deserves the opportunity to shine as an individual.  With that in mind, I am committed to providing a nurturing and creative learning environment where individuality is celebrated, and children are encouraged to become happy, confident and inquisitive learners.

Coral Dale

I feel privileged to be part of the Lower School Team at Shiphay Learning Academy. I have worked in Early Years for 14 years, starting with a Level 3 In Childcare and Education then gaining my Foundation Degree in Early Years in 2014. I have worked in various roles in an Early Years settings including, Early Years Practitioner, SENDCO and eventually Manager of a thriving Early Years Setting. 

I have a real passion for learning through play and supporting early communication in children. I particularly enjoy Makaton and supporting all children to achieve in their own special way. I feel very lucky to support children in their very first steps of their educational journey.

I am a busy mum of two little girls and love walking the dog and being with my family in my spare time. 

Rachel Walters

I began my role as a Teaching Assistant at Shiphay Learning Academy in January 2021. I have previously worked as a Nursery Nurse, Nanny, Nursery Assistant and Childminder and I attained my Level 3 qualification several years ago.  Alongside my role as a TA, I also thoroughly enjoy working in the Hub at Shiphay. I love to see children learning through play and I take pride in helping them to enjoy their play and educational experiences and to become confident learners. I am a compassionate, committed and caring person with over thirteen years' experience in childcare. I have developed my interpersonal skills by working with families and multi-agency professionals, building important relationships with children and their families. 

Rachel Milkins