Nursery World Awards 2022 - Nursery Operations/Area Manager of the Year

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Sharon started at Spring as a nursery manager in 2012, supporting children and families in a deprived area of Newcastle by strengthening partnerships within the children’s centre and local authority. Her commitment and passion saw her move quickly into a senior role.

She now provides specialist support and quality assurance to operational and nursery managers across the group to ensure a culture of high performance and continuous improvement, helping to further the group’s goal that every child and young person in the country should have a safe and happy childhood.

Sharon is responsible for the development, implementation and communication of early years policies, procedures, and practice guidance, ensuring they are amended in line with statutory requirements, legislation and best practice and that any changes are embedded in practice across the group. She does this by arranging regular meetings, training sessions and working groups for managers, and ensuring she hears and responds to the views of the team.

She also works in a methodical and organised way to ensure the highest standard of health and safety and safeguarding across Spring, ensuring all areas requiring compliance improvement are actively monitored, and that non-compliance is identified and followed up in a timely manner.

By providing coaching and mentoring to managers and teams, Sharon drives business development. She agrees and reviews individual improvement targets with nursery managers and provides regular feedback on performance. She puts all staff, including the youngest and least experienced members of the team, at ease, and her down-to-earth, calming approach enables staff to feel they can approach her and be listened to. She also actively seeks feedback from her peers and colleagues to reflect on her own practice.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, while the early years guidance was changing regularly, Sharon was responsible for Spring’s response. She calmly implemented operating guidance which ensured the safety of staff, children and parents accessing the services, allowing most Spring settings to operate as normal. Meanwhile, in her own time, she trained as a vaccinator..

At Spring, Sharon has created a working group of nursery managers and kitchen staff to work alongside experienced food safety consultants and dietitians to produce in-depth menus and guidance to ensure children receive a healthy, well-balanced diet.

With a focus on staff well-being, Sharon has also been responsible for ensuring that each site has a trained mental health first aider and a well-being champion.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Michelle Gascoigne, Tynemouth Nursery Group

Michelle joined Tynemouth Nursery Group during a major overhaul. From the start, she was fundamental in reintroducing and embedding the company ethos across the six settings.

By sharing her vision, communicating effectively and leading by example, Michelle motivates and inspires the team.

Michelle takes the lead in all aspects of the business, from writing and deploying the company operations manual to ensuring staff work together. She also oversees recruitment, HR and training.

In response to the revised EYFS, Michelle put together a new observation, planning and assessment process and a new curriculum, and streamlined paperwork to give staff more time with children.

FINALISTS

Catherine Baker, Paint Pots Preschool & Nursery

Gemma Fletcher, Kidzrus Group

CRITERION

Open to senior employees of nursery groups working across some or all of the company’s settings.