Hale Day Nursery And Elmscot Day Nursery reach finals in national awards (From Messenger Newspapers)

Hale Day Nursery And Elmscot Day Nursery reach finals in national awards

5:14pm Monday 29th October 2012 in News

HALE Day Nursery, Hale, and Elmscot Day Nursery, Timperley have both reached the finals of the national Nursery Management Today Awards.

Hale Day Nursery is the only Trafford finalist in each of two categories: best nursery indoor learning environment and best nursery outdoor learning environment.

A member of staff from Elmscot, Emma Rackham, is a finalist for the lifetime achievement award.

Rachael Lyons, Hale’s nursery manager, and Kim Shepherd, Hale’s Nursery Teacher joined Emma, senior nursery practitioner in Elmscot’s preschool, for rigorous interviews this week in London.

Separate judging panels of early years education experts heard how Emma, nominated by parents and colleagues for the award, had offered an outstanding service to children for many years and how the learning environment at Hale inspires and excites children.

“Ofsted found that how we help children to learn and achieve is outstanding at Hale and we hope we have demonstrated this to the Nursery Management Today judges too,” explained Rachael.

“What’s important is understanding the individual child, and ensuring the environment, resources and teaching are enriched and effective in supporting these very young children as they develop and grow.”

Mrs Shepherd, Hale’s nursery teacher, added: “We try to engage a child’s natural imaginative and exploratory instincts and it is a delight to watch them learn. Last week we harvested apples from our tree in the nursery garden and made apple sauce; we collect eggs from our hens daily: these simple activities offer so many varied learning opportunities in problem solving and understanding the natural world and promote children’s wellbeing and creativity. It’s my role to exploit all possible learning opportunities and ensure each child makes steady, supported progress. We make sure that children enjoy first-hand learning experiences and that their achievements are celebrated.”

Emma Rackham, finalist for the , said: “I always wanted to work in a caring profession. When you go home at the end of the day knowing that the children, especially the ones needing more support, have had a fantastic day and their parents are so happy…it just makes you feel good.”

One Elmscot parent said of Emma: “She always greets us with a smile and at the end of the day gives us a true reflection on how our child’s day has been. From what she says we know that Emma knows our child well.”

As Elmscot’s special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) Emma supports the team, children and their families liaising with outside agencies when needed.

The Nursery Management Today Awards will be held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, London, on November 24.