Our Kids Ahoy and Land Ahoy Team

At Kids Ahoy and Land Ahoy, our dedicated team is made up of management, qualified practitioners, modern apprentices and students. We all work together to provide high-quality and nurturing care. Alongside our childcare staff, we are supported by a dedicated administration team, nursery cooks, nursery bus drivers and our nursery cleaners. They ensure the nursery runs smoothly and children’s needs are always met.

Together, our team brings many years of experience in early years care, education and family support.

Our Management Team

A woman with curly blonde hair smiling outdoors against green foliage.

Elizabeth Blount

Owner

Elizabeth is the owner of Kids Ahoy and Land Ahoy, bringing years of experience, passion and creativity to her early years service. Elizabeth opened Kids Ahoy in 1998 and has since dedicated herself to creating nurturing, inspiring and high-quality environments where children can learn, explore and thrive.

A woman with red hair smiling in a kitchen with wooden cabinets and a black and white tiled backsplash.

Roxene Cottle

Manager - PDA in Childhood Practice (SCQF Level 9)

With extensive knowledge and experience within early years education, Roxene plays a key role in shaping the vision, values and day-to-day running of the nursery, ensuring a safe, nurturing and inspiring environment where every child and staff member can thrive. She leads both settings with passion, professionalism and a strong commitment to providing the highest quality experiences for children, families and staff.

A young woman with blonde hair, wearing a blue polo shirt, smiling and looking at the camera.

Derri Wilson

Depute Manager - SCQF Level 7

Working closely alongside the Manager, our Depute Manager Derri, provides valuable support to both the children and wider team. Derri has been part of the Kids Ahoy team for many years, experiencing lots of our children’s full transition through Kids Ahoy to Land Ahoy. She has worked as a senior member of staff in all of our childcare areas and is very experienced in child development and the curriculum.

Our Management team promote a positive and reflective working culture through mentoring, guidance and continuous professional development. They help to inspire confidence, consistency and high standards throughout the nursery. Their approachable and supportive leadership helps create a strong sense of teamwork, wellbeing and community across Kids Ahoy and Land Ahoy.

With a strong focus on outdoor learning, child-led experiences and meaningful childhood memories, Kids Ahoy Childcare has developed to reflect Elizabeth’s vision of providing unique and enriching opportunities for children and families and her staff. Kids Ahoy Childcare’s commitment to continuous improvement and support for both children and staff have helped create warm, welcoming nursery communities built on care, creativity and connection.

Our staff achievements

We were absolutely delighted to attend the Scottish National Nursery Awards 2026 at the Glasgow Marriott as one of the finalists, selected from over 900 applicants!

It’s amazing to have our fabulous indoor/outdoor nursery recognised at a national level and to have all of our staff's hard work recognised.

Five women in formal dresses posing together against a purple-lit wall.

Two women standing on a red carpet outside a building, smiling and posing for the photo.

Announcement poster for the Scottish Nursery Awards 2025, held at Glasgow Marriott Hotel on November 22, 2025, featuring logos of nursery schools nominated for Nursery Outdoor Learning Environment of the Year, with options to book tickets and sponsorship by Hope.

A woman with braided hair taking a selfie while lying down, with her head on a paper-covered surface.

Rachel the Ranger- Our dedicated Forest School Leader at Land Ahoy

Rachel brings with her many years of experience as a qualified Early Years Practitioner and has further developed her passion for outdoor learning through additional Forest School qualifications. Her experience includes working at a fully outdoor nursery in England, as well as leading forest days locally within another nursery setting in the region.

Known affectionately by the children as “Rachel the Ranger”, she inspires curiosity, confidence and adventure through hands-on outdoor experiences, helping children build a strong connection with nature while supporting their learning and development in her fun and meaningful way.

A woman and five children exploring a forest with leaf-covered ground, climbing over fallen branches near a small stream, surrounded by green trees.

A woman in a pink and gray sweater sitting on a wooden bench, pointing upwards, addressing a group of children sitting on benches outdoors in a grassy area with trees.

A woman is sitting on a tree stump playing a guitar outdoors, while two children in colorful raincoats stand nearby, listening. The setting is a natural, wooded area with a sloped ground, fencing, and plants.

Our Team

Each room and area within the nursery is led by a senior member of staff, supported by qualified practitioners and modern apprentices. We work carefully within statutory ratios at all times, ensuring the right number of staff are always in place to support children’s safety, wellbeing and learning. In Land Ahoy we follow a higher staff ratio of 1:6 in our ELC, in order to ensure we provide excellent care and support in our outdoor space. This structure allows us to provide consistent care, build strong relationships and maintain high-quality practice across the nursery.

Group of young children sitting outdoors on a wooden deck around a teacher who is engaging them with a puppet and educational materials.

Four children wearing rain jackets and reflective vests are leaning over a bridge railing, looking into the water below.

Children and an adult playing in a sandbox under a wooden shelter in a backyard, with a wooden fence, garden tools, and storage shed in the background.

People looking at Halloween-themed crafts and decorations in a shop window display, including painted pumpkins, cat figures, and paper cutouts, with a sign indicating these are Halloween projects for £10, and a woman with children outside on the sidewalk.

Adults and children sitting and standing around a small outdoor fire pit in a wooded area, engaging in a nature educational activity.

A woman and five children walking on a forest trail. The woman is holding some books and is talking to the children, who are wearing colorful rain boots and jackets, some with reflective vests.