Meet the team

Our team is the foundation of our success

For the team at Heath Lane, teaching early years 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 Heath Lane below.

Roots Leadership Team

Hayley Yendell

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 then became 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

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, a role that saw her help other 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.

Clare Herbert- Head of School (Heath Lane) & Inclusion Leader

Clare has worked in primary education for over 20 years. She began her career in Newcastle and Atlanta, USA, although she has spent most of her time in Hertfordshire schools. She worked as a senior leader and head teacher in several schools. She has also worked to support teachers across schools in Hertfordshire as an Advanced Skills Teacher and a Continued Professional Development Lead.

Clare holds a doctorate in education from The University of Cambridge. Her research focuses upon school improvement, in particular developing professional capital through the Lesson Study cycle. She has supported many teachers to further their academic studies and has tutored on the HertsCam masters program.

Clare is passionate about inclusion and supporting children and their families to experience success. She prioritises this through her roles as Head of School at Heath Lane Nursery and Inclusion Leader for Roots Federation.