Nursery World Awards 2008: Initiatives - Team Development Award
WINNER: The Children's House, Stallingborough, Lincolnshire
The conscious effort of the Children's House to focus resources and time on staff development in the past year has had great results. The service comprises a Montessori nursery and out-of-school club, with 35 staff providing care and education for 150 children.
The strategy 'Building a learning way of life' began with a root and branch review of people development systems, followed with an analysis of training needs. Professional development 'is now the norm' and 'truly embedded in the work of every individual in the company'.
From 2007-08, £22,000 was invested in training by the company and raising grant money, and the results show with staff turnover at just 7 per cent, and 40 per cent of staff reaching Level 4 qualifications. A training manager was appointed and staff attended three international conferences.
Every aspect of career development within the nursery was overhauled, and the staff threw themselves into the agenda, giving up their own time to take some of the 200 training days that were organised. Training in outdoor play emerged as a clear priority and the benefit this had on the children was recognised in a recent Ofsted report.
The Children's House is also involved with the wider childcare community, organising visiting days for staff, delivering training and a regional creativity conference, and establishing a social enterprise training arm to support other local providers as well as the nursery itself.
The supporting staff members have also seen investment and results - training in food hygiene for the catering staff gained a five-star environmental health rating.
Parents appreciate and recognise the staff's expertise and confidence. 'I know from the quality of care and education that my children receive that this is a strong, well-qualified team which is constantly improving and investing much time and effort in honing its skills.'
The Children's House is proud to be 'a united group for whom the whole is greater than the sum of its parts'.
CRITERIA
Open to early years and childcare services which have built a high-quality staff team through good practice in recruitment and retention, training and career development.
- Sponsored by CWDC.
