Nursery World Awards 15: Individuals - Newcomer of the Year

Emma Scott, trainee practitioner at Pear Tree Nursery in East Lothian, is highly appreciated by parents, her supervisor, her college tutor and, most importantly, the babies she cares for in the setting’s baby room.

Emma is an apprentice early years practitioner working towards her SVQ3, attending college one day a month, who joined the nursery from school in June 2014. She is key worker to a number of babies, carrying out observations, taking part in daily responsive planning and completing daily diaries for each child.

The babies love Emma and she has fostered excellent relationships with them, ensuring that every child’s needs are met. She has taken on the lead role in developing treasure baskets for the babies to explore, finding resources in her own time and researching the benefits of having them. She is always thinking of ideas to improve experiences for the young children she cares for.

Emma has firm bonds with all parents, carrying out detailed hand-overs at pick up, and is also a strong team player. She has recently received excellent feedback from other team members when working in other rooms because of staff holidays.

Pear Tree believes that Emma is a real asset to the nursery and has great potential for the future, with her views and ideas already very highly valued. Her college assessor is putting her forward for an Apprentice of the Year Award, and she also helped Pear Tree to achieve the Investors in Young People Award by being interviewed for the scheme.

She is already showing many leadership qualities, despite it being very early in her career.
One baby’s parents say they really like Emma’s style in looking after her, and feel that she genuinely cares about how she is settling in, with Emma showing her similar warmth to that she gets at home.

Emma’s college tutor says that she is a ‘dedicated, competent and mature apprentice’, who shows great commitment and is quietly confident. Her course work is of a high
academic standard and her interactions with children second to none.
All agree that Emma will go far.

Highly commended
Kayleigh Willows, Kiddi Caru Day Nursery, Plympton
When Kayleigh Willows joined Kiddi Caru’s Plympton nursery straight from school at the age of 16, she was very quiet and shy, but has since bloomed to become an excellent communicator and practitioner. Kayleigh is an apprentice who has completed her Level 2 CYP Workforce certificate and is now working towards her Level 3. As well as gaining life, organisational and interpersonal skills, Kayleigh has shown great aptitude for signing, holding the attention of children easily and competently. She is a well-liked and valued member of the team, who uses her initiative well.

Finalists
Jacqueline Bracewell, Bright Horizons Mansion House, London
Zulakah Quershi, Hungry Caterpillar, West Twyford

Criterion
Open to early years practitioners with less than one year’s experience at closing date

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