The winners are due to be presented with their awards on 28 September at a special ceremony at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms. Shortlists are in alphabetical order.
Organisations
Nursery of the Year
Open to registered settings offering full daycare for children from 0-5 (private, voluntary or maintained sector)
Arbor Green Nursery
Co-operative Childcare, Wellington Road
Manor House Nursery School and Forest School
Nature Trails Day Nursery
Red Hen Day Nursery
Pre-School of the Year
Open to registered settings offering sessional care and education
Chelsea Pre-Prep and Nursery
Kiddlywinks
Kids Planet
Little Acorns Montessori
Magdalen Gates Preschool
Young Friends Nursery
School Early Years Team of the Year
Open to Early Years Foundation Stage or equivalent teams in maintained nursery schools and primary schools
To be announced
Nursery Chain of the Year
Open to UK nursery groups with three or more settings
Bertram Nursery Group
Dizzy Ducks Day Nurseries
Elmscot Group
Mama Bear
Snapdragons Nurseries
Individuals
Nursery Manager of the Year
Open to any nursery manager in a full daycare or sessional setting
Rob Danks, Keiki Daycare
Alison Frampton, Bright Beginnings Nursery, Bertram Group
Karen James, Kiddlywinks
Karen Liddell, Bright Horizons
Sarah Manning, Holyrood Astley, Bertram Group
Lyndsey Tanner, Snapdragons Nurseries
Nursery Operations / Regional Manager of the Year
Open to senior employees of nursery groups working across some or all of the company’s settings
Mim Brown, kidsunlimited
Kerry Sturmey, Mama Bear
Early Years Professional of the Year
Nominees must have gained Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) through one of the recognised pathways
Rachel Finan, kidsunlimited
Nichola Gill, Fit ‘n’ Fun Kids
Lucy Waterman, Open Blue Trust
Nursery Practitioner of the Year
Open to any qualified practitioner working in an early years setting, in the maintained, private or voluntary sectors
Angie Ainge, Barfield School Nursery
Kate Hatter, Co-operative Childcare
Sheila Houston, Stone Eden Nursery School
Steven Pitt, Busy Bears Children's Day Nursery
Emma Sime, the Nursery at Lime Pictures
Giles Stamp, Manor House Nursery School and Forest School
Nicky Tombs, Busy Bees Childcare
Lucy Yarnell, Elmscot
Newcomer of the Year
Open to early years practitioners with less than one year’s experience at closing date
Jess Berry, Elmscot Day Nursery
Amy McCartney, Kids Planet Beamont
Trainer of the Year
Open to anyone responsible for early years and childcare training in colleges, training companies or in-house for nursery groups
Craig Collinson, Totem Training
Lisa Constable, Co-operative Childcare
Katharine Finkill, Playwise
Laura Henry, Childcare Consultancy
Ben Kingston-Hughes, Inspired Children’s Services Solutions
Childminder of the Year
Nominees must be registered childminders
Yolande Pinder, Yolande’s Little Learners
Dawn Stronach
Outstanding Contribution
For an individual whose long service and dedication to young children’s care and education are truly inspiring
Sue Andrews, Childbase Partnership
Gill Huntington, Ramsden Pre-School
Anne Yeomans, kidsunlimited
Initiatives
Working with Parents Award
Open to services or projects that support parents, enhance their understanding of their children’s learning and development, or improve children’s outcomes through involvement and co-operation with families
Bookstart Corner, Booktrust
Children’s Choice Nursery
Fit ‘n’ Fun Kids
Kiddlywinks Day Nursery
Starting Out, Together it’s Child’s Play, Poole Children and Young Peoples Integrated Services
Woodlands Nursery
Inclusive Practice Award
Open to services or projects that promote equality of opportunity and the best outcomes for all children, regardless of ethnic origin, special needs, background or disadvantage
London Network of Men in Childcare, LEYF
Kiddlywinks Day Nursery
Team Development Award
Open to early years and childcare service providers who have built a high-quality staff team through good practice in recruitment and retention, training and career development
Chapter One Childcare
Children’s Choice Nursery
Cranley Nursery
Business Development Award
For a new launch of or significant expansion to an early years service in the past 12 months
The Babydrop
Northumbria University Nursery
Rainbow Smiles
Nursery Food Award
Open to early years settings whose approach to and provision of nutritious food promotes children’s health and well-being.
Busy Bees Children’s Day Nursery, Durham
Tibbitots in Southport, Busy Bees Childcare
Tootsies Private Day Nursery
Young Friends Nursery
Enabling Environments Award
Open to early years settings who have developed elements of their provision to create stimulating, child-centred learning environments in line with the principles of the EYFS. This could be any aspect or area of the setting, including outdoor area, forest school, under-threes provision, movement play area, free flow, children's access to self-chosen activities, etc
Barfield School Nursery
Chad Varah Primary School
Droitwich Spa Nursery & Kindergarten
Free Rangers Nursery School
kidsunlimited
Rainbow Bicester
St Pauls Nursery School
Woodland House Nursery
Website of the Year
Open to early years providers (nurseries, schools, pre-schools and childminders) whose websites are informative, accessible and innovative
Each Peach Childcare
Grafton House Preparatory School
Happy Days Nurseries
Officreche
Young Friends Day Nursery
Community Support
Open to early years settings who have involved staff, parents and children in projects to support charities or the local/wider community
Bertram Nursery Group
Chewton Common Playgroup
Tootsies Private Day Nursery
Equipment and resources
Under Threes
Open to early years resources and equipment that supports children’s learning, development and enjoyment in the EYFS or equivalent (Under Threes)
Baby Harp and Baby Cello, babymusic.com
Dream Coracle, Community Playthings
Nursery Starter Kit, Sound Children
Sparkle Cylinders, TTS
Wooden Pyramids, TTS
Three to Fives
Open to early years resources and equipment that supports children’s learning, development and enjoyment in the EYFS or equivalent (Three to Fives)
Big Stuff Kit, Sound Children
Box of Bones, TTS
Cork Solid Blocks, Playforce
Den Building Kit, Hope Education
Marvellous Metallics Collection, TTS
Rhyme Challenge, Booktrust
Staff Resources
Open to resources and equipment that helps practitioners to improve their practice and provision
Birth to Five Service website
Box of Bones, TTS
Continuous Provision in the Early Years, Bloomsbury
Dealing with Feelings, Bloomsbury
Exploring Play for Early Childhood Studies, Sage
Language and Literacy for the Early Years, Sage
Learning Stories, Sage
The Reflective Early Years Practitioner, Sage
Understanding Schemas and Young Children, Sage
Book your tickets for the awards presentation
Don't miss the opportunity to join the event of the year for the early years sector! This glamorous, black tie evening will be held at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms on Saturday 28 September.
Tickets will include:
Drinks reception
Three course dinner
A celebrity host
After dinner entertainment
And of course the opportunity to learn who is the best in your sector and network with your colleagues and friends!
Visit www.nurseryworldawards.com/night for more information.