Nursery World Awards 15: Individuals - Nursery Practitioner of the Year

Jenna ‘is way more than a nursery practitioner’, say her employers, and was a key contributor to the nursery’s recent outstanding grade. Jenna, who has worked in childcare for 10 years, started at Elmscot in 2011.

After returning from maternity leave, she became deputy manager last year and worked closely with the manager to help the nursery to achieve an outstanding grade.

Jenna’s manager says, ‘I couldn’t have wished for a more skilful, knowledgeable, supportive and absolutely dedicated deputy, who has contributed enormously to the nursery’s outstanding Ofsted outcome.’

Jenna is currently studying for a Foundation degree in early years and is committed to her continuing professional development. This led her to implement the use of the Mosaic approach to support children in having a voice and help staff learn new ways of gathering information. Activities such as child-led tours, making photo books, and a room map enabled children to share what they liked and disliked about the rooms.

The manager says the process was ‘an enjoyable success’ and one that the nursery will use in the future when making decisions about children’s learning environments.

Jenna also helped to support the staff in the nursery’s baby room with new ideas for activities and approaches, drawing on her experience of a previous role as baby room leader at Elmscot’s sister nursery.

She has also recently taken on the role of SENDCO for the group, building links with agencies, such as the Trafford Area SENDCO and health visitors.

Jenna supports a child on a one-to-one basis who is registered blind, working closely with Stockport Sensory Support Service to ensure the setting’s environment was adjusted, and also organising training for the nursery team. The boy’s parents, who thought that sending him to nursery would never be possible, praise Jenna highly, saying, ‘To say she’s risen to the challenge of looking after him is a massive understatement. Were it not for Jenna’s passion for her job, and unrelenting drive to support our boy, it’s fair to say we would never have had him in a nursery setting.’

Jenna’s hard work and commitment has also been recognised by the owners of Elmscot, who gave her the Specialist of the Year Award in 2014.

Constantly bringing new inspiring and creative ideas, Jenna is committed and dedicated, and a source of constant support, say her colleagues.

Jenna deserves the award, says her manager, because her ‘exceptional practice’ deserves to be rewarded and gain wider recognition.

Highly commended
Margaret ‘Greta’ Kelly, Seabrook Day Nursery, Childbase Partnership

Margaret, known as Nanny Greta in and outside the nursery, has ‘a deeply-felt empathy’ for children, which makes her the ‘go-to practitioner’ for new children who find it hard to settle in.
Parents and children see her as part of their extended family.

Colleague Zoe Holmes, team leader of the pre-school room, says, ‘Her enthusiasm is infectious and her children are always eager for the new challenges of the Pre-school room. She excels in establishing close parent partnerships and the bonds she creates with her children are extraordinary.’

Finalists

Jo Berry, Kidzone Cranwell, Sleaford
Julie Caddick, Kids Planet Beamont, Warrington
Georgia Garraway, Guinea Lane Nursery, part of the Bath Nursery Company, Bath
Tim Graham, Snapdragons Nurseries, Wiltshire
Hayley Morris, Montessori People, Stockton-on-Tees

Criterion

Open to any qualified practitioner working in an early years setting in the maintained, private or voluntary sectors

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