“She’s Pulled Up Her Socks” — Esther’s Apprenticeship Is Paying Off

A few months ago, Esther (not her real name) was shy, unsure of herself, and taking her first nervous steps into an Early Childhood Care apprenticeship at Little Einstein Montessori School. This term, her director had a very different story to tell.

King’s Kids recently sat down with Naz, Director of Little Einstein Montessori School, to check in on Esther’s progress in the Baby Class. This is an apprenticeship placement organised by King’s Kids where Esther is responsible for the care of four young children each morning — from routine care and classroom support, to keeping teachers updated on each child’s day.

Growing in confidence, one day at a time

Naz was honest about where Esther has struggled: her biggest challenge has been confidence, particularly when communicating in English. It’s an area in which the team will keep supporting her as her apprenticeship continues.

But the progress has been undeniable. Naz described Esther as someone who has “pulled up her socks” — showing consistent effort, taking her responsibilities seriously, and steadily growing into the role. It’s the kind of quiet, determined improvement that doesn’t always make headlines, but changes everything for the person living it.

That progress has earned Esther something significant: Naz has decided to extend her training for several more months, to eventually move her into a full-time Teacher’s Assistant position. For a young woman who started this journey unsure of herself, that’s a huge vote of confidence.

A partnership that keeps growing

This apprenticeship is one small part of a bigger, blossoming relationship between King’s Kids and Little Einstein Montessori School. Naz has already confirmed the school will need another Early Childhood Care apprentice for the new academic year in September — and King’s Kids is already working to identify the next young person ready for the opportunity. There’s even early talk of Einsteins Academy offering scholarships to King’s Kids beneficiaries, which could open doors for even more of our young people.

Before the visit wrapped up, Naz sent the team home with a generous stack of surplus educational workbooks — a small gesture that will make a real difference in our own learning sessions.

We shared the good news with Esther herself, and encouraged her to keep giving her best. Watching a young person go from uncertain to unstoppable is exactly why programmes like this matter — and Esther is proof that with the right support, transformation is possible.