Jackie Johnstone - no clown costumes required.
Jackie Johnstone is a class leader and party entertainer for Jabberjacks in Leicestershire. As well as delivering educational pre-school lessons and children's parties, she runs the company's franchising businesses.
'I got involved with Jabberjack's after a 20-year career in banking,' she says. 'I set up the Leicestershire franchise with my business partner Verity Graham in 2006. Four years later, we bought the business from its founder. We have nine franchises.
'My job is split between managing the business and delivering classes and parties. We present 45-minute classes at private nurseries during the week, as well as hosting public classes. For these we rent a public venue and invite children during the day. At the weekend we usually deliver four birthday parties - two each day. They can be one or two hours long, and are usually at a customer's home, garden or in a venue they've booked. Both types of activity are educational, but the parties tend to be a bit noisier and we focus more on having fun.
'I'm based at home. On a typical day I drop my two kids at school then come back to do paperwork. This involves answering enquiries and sending out confirmation letters. Then I go to a nursery with my partner and deliver a class. We work with children aged up to seven years old and base the lesson on a topic.
'We tend to run sessions in 12-week packages in line with the school term. We repeat the themes because children like repetition, and because the children change. I never have a day off, but I also don't work full days.
'Our classes are designed alongside the Early Years Foundation Stage development levels. Nursery practitioners stay in the room during a session so we keep ratios. Typically, we could present to about 17 children. We start a class with singing and rhymes then bring out puppets.
'A popular puppet is Sarah Circle, who has circles on her dress. At a nursery, we use Sarah to stimulate conversations about circles. The children count the circles and we put circle-shaped mats out on the floor. The classes are interactive and we always include physical play, so with this activity they might learn to step from one to another.
'At a party, we could use Sarah differently. She might be a princess and we pretend the circle mats are steps up to her castle. We might try to work out what Sarah's favourite shape is.
'Another feature of Jabberjacks is our treasure box. The children always want to know what's in the box, and we take everything out of it. In a nursery, the children might sit on a mat and sing a song to open the box. This prepares them for school where they will sit on the carpet. But at parties we might get them to wiggle their fingers to open the box - that's a bit more magical.
'We usually end a session with a Jabberjacks bag. For example, we have teddy bags, containing a teddy and a toothbrush. Through this, the children learn about taking care of themselves. We also have music bags for music and rhythm lessons. Or plant bags, which prompt the children to plant flowers in some soil.
'When we host parties, we always discuss the child's likes and dislikes with the parents beforehand. I don't dress up for parties, because a surprising number of children are scared of clowns or other costumes. I wear a microphone headset during parties so I can be heard, and do a lot of singing.
'The first time I delivered a party I was really nervous. But the more you do, the easier it gets. Nursery classes are more serious, but you develop a delightful relationship with the children. They all give you a big hug at the end.'
CV
Employment history
1986 Left school after O Levels, started BTEC National Diploma in Business Studies, Gateshead College
1987-1993 Cashier and head office worker, NatWest, Newcastle
1993-1995 Head office, NatWest, Nottingham
1995-1998 Corporate and commercial banking, Leicester
1998-2002 Corporate and commercial banking, Birmingham
2002-2006 HR and training, RBS, Birmingham
2006-present Set up Jabberjacks Leicestershire, party entertainer, class leader and director of franchising
Qualifications
1991 Diploma in banking and finance, Newcastle College
1999 CIPD, Loughborough College
2007 Level 2 swimming teacher
First Aid
TRAINING
No formal qualifications are needed to work as a children's entertainer. Some people enter the profession with acting or performance skills. The qualities Ms Johnstone looks for in recruits are a natural ability to work with children, an outgoing and positive personality, being organised, and confidence. Her recruits complete an initial 14-days training and attend further Early Arts training events to develop skills on the job.
USEFUL WEBSITES
- Early Arts training: www.earlyarts.co.uk
- Jabberjacks party entertainment, www.jabberjacks.co.uk
- National Careers Service - entertainer, https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/ jobprofiles/Pages/entertainer.aspx.
