Nursery World Awards 2013: Individuals - Trainer of the Year

In her role, Lisa Constable is responsible for providing high-quality training across the Co-operative Childcare nursery chain. She does this to a high standard, while also researching and developing learning strategies to enhance provision for the children.

She works with and supports the trainers to deliver courses at local level and workshops at staff meetings. Subjects range from an overview of the changes to the EYFS to positive behaviour management, treasure baskets and the two-year-old progress check.

Co-operative Childcare's management team felt that much of the information that was provided on-site during staff induction could be delivered in the form of online e-learning modules, and Lisa was instrumental in developing the content for this. This strategy has delivered many benefits, including providing a consistent training programme across the nursery group and delivering training in a timely and consistent manner, while avoiding the need for colleagues or trainers to travel.

Lisa is noted to have a friendly and professional relationship with peers across the group, from colleagues to those in the leadership team and external partners. She is enthusiastic and dedicated to ensuring that staff receive up-to-date information based on current thinking and research. Her passion is reflected in the developing environments in the group's nurseries, including a new ICT strategy and refurbishing the gardens.

She works tirelessly on projects that will influence how practitioners deliver experiences for children in the future. She has developed a resource list creating a vision of preferred resources and suggested suppliers, which has been incredibly useful to nursery managers.

The diverse training that Lisa provides is supporting the nursery staff to deliver exciting experiences for all the children in their care.

Highly commended

Katharine Finkill, Playwise

During her 28 years in the early years sector, Katharine's career has encompassed a variety of roles - including practitioner, nursery owner and a deliverer of courses while employed by the National Day Nurseries Association. She launched her training company, Playwise, in 2004 and is known for her dynamic and charismatic style.

Katharine works tirelessly to improve outcomes for children. The key driver in her work is a desire to see staff develop skills, knowledge and understanding that will equip them to do the best for the children in their care. Attention to detail in her training includes setting the emotional environment in a room, just as she encourages delegates to do for the children they work with, so that they can learn and develop.

Finalists

Craig Collinson, Birth to Five Service

Laura Henry, Childcare Consultancy

Ben Kingston-Hughes, Inspired Children's Services Solutions

Criterion

Open to anyone responsible for early years and childcare training in colleges, training companies or in-house nursery groups.