A huge thank you to all of them for bringing their expertise and vast knowledge of the early years sector to the table.
JUDGES
ANN CLARE is a PhD and an early years foundation stage consultant with 11 years experience of working for two local authorities. She has nursery management experience and her main area of interest within the field of early years is babies and young children under the age of three. She has written a book, Creating a Learning Environment for Babies and Toddlers, which was published in February 2012 by Sage.
ANN LANGSTON is a writer, educational consultant and conference presenter. She is director of Early Years Matters, and provides consultancy to local authorities, early years providers, children's centres and schools. Her latest book, The Revised EYFS in Practice, is to be published in October. Other publications include Playing to Learn, Birth to Three Matters and Managing Staff in Early Years Settings.
ANNIE SEELEY is a registered public health nutritionist specialising in infant and child nutrition and early years food provision. She contributed nutrition guidance and advice for the Soil Association's ground-breaking Nursery Food Report and piloted nutrition and food guidance with nurseries for the School Food Trust's Laying the Table review. She also writes a blog at www.anniesdorsetkitchen.com
JAMES COLLARD was just 15 when the first Snapdragons nursery opened in 1998, but is now director of the company, which has seven settings. He spends his time developing the company website and nursery magazine, taking photographs, and creating movies for the families of the nurseries to watch. His passion lies in technology and pushing the boundaries of new ideas.
JANE COMEAU has been a registered childminder since 1995 and was awarded outstanding in all areas at her last two inspections. A volunteer with the National Childminding Association for many years, she joined its board as a trustee in 2011 and is now vice-chair of the organisation. She graduated with a BA in Early Years in 2010 and gained Early Years Professional Status in 2011.
JANE HARRISON is director of Red Hen day nursery. She has a passion for educating young children and parents about good food, which led to her nursery winning the Nursery World Food Award in 2009. Red Hen went on to win our enabling environments award in 2010, in recognition of the benefits children derive from real-life events and outdoor play. Jane is a visiting tutor at Bishop Grosseteste University College, Lincoln.
JENNIE JOHNSON is chief executive officer of Kids Allowed, the group of nurseries she started in 2003, and which now has four settings with a fifth on the way. She is often asked to speak at childcare and entrepreneurship events and won an award for inspiring women in business in 2011. She has a passion for childcare and topics related to team development and motivation.
JO VICKERS has been the manager at Weavers Fields Community Nursery since 2006, and has had several roles within the organisation over the past 23 years. She has Early Years Professional Status, and a BA Honours degree in Early Childhood Studies. Jo is particularly interested in the emotional well-being of children, and in developing and supporting the staff team in their professional development.
JULIE CIGMAN has had a varied career in education, from her first job as a young teacher in a village primary school, to nursery education, to her current role as an early years consultant, trainer and writer. She has trained in all aspects of the EYFS, specialising in communication, language and literacy, equality and diversity, boys writing, and supporting children learning English as an additional language.
JULIE SCOTT started as a childcare worker for Blyth Valley Sure Start children's centre and has continually progressed over the past ten years, now fulfilling a role as the nursery and playgroup manager for the centre. She has a BTEC National Diploma and has achieved a BA Honours in Early Years Professional Practice. Julie has two children, 20-year-old Rachel and 16-year-old Danielle.
KATHY BRODIE is an Early Years Professional and trainer specialising in the EYFS and effective provision for two-year-olds. She designs and delivers a variety of courses for early years practitioners in the North West. Kathy also tutors on the foundation degree course at Stockport College, and is a contributing author to Hodder Education's Early Years for the Foundation Degree, which is due out in early
LINDA KEATS has worked in the early years sector for more than 20 years, mostly in Australia. In the UK she started as a pre-school development officer then became a deputy manager. In 2008 she joined the workforce development team at Essex Early Years and Childcare. As a workforce development consultant, she promotes a range of qualifications, including the foundation degree and EYPS.
LYDIA GREEN is director of operations at Bright Horizons Family Solutions, and provides strategic vision and leadership for her team of regional managers. She is a member of the company's senior management team and is the designated Ofsted contact. Lydia has almost 20 years of experience in the early years field, and considerable expertise in managing change and team development.
MARY DICKINS is a senior lecturer at London Metropolitan University, an author and an independent consultant on equality and inclusion of young children. She originally trained as a primary school teacher and has worked with practitioners, young children and families for 35 years. She also has extensive experience as a trainer of practitioners at all levels of expertise and on a wide range of issues.
MICHAEL PETTAVEL has taught in the Primary phase, worked in two early years centres as a deputy and special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), has been a local authority advisor and area SENCO, and is now privileged to be the head at Randolph Beresford Early Years Centre in White City, London. He has a deep commitment to high-quality education and care.
NEIL LEITCH is chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, one of the largest voluntary sector providers of childcare in England. Previous to this, he had roles in operations, finance and as a marketing director within the commercial environment before entering the world of financial underwriting and lending. Until 2006, Neil chaired the Finance Industry Standards Association.
NICOLE WEINSTEIN is a freelance journalist specialising in early education, childcare and under-three development. She spent five years writing news and features in-house for Nursery World and continues to be a regular freelance contributor. She has extensive links throughout the childcare sector. Since becoming a mum she is even more passionate about what's on offer for children in the early years.
PENNY TASSONI is an education consultant, author and trainer. She previously worked as an early years and primary teacher before lecturing on childhood studies. Penny has also worked as the UK education and training manager of a large nursery chain. She has written more than 30 books, including the best-selling Practical EYFS Handbook. Penny is currently also a consultant for Edexcel.
PURNIMA TANUKU is chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association and works closely with ministers and civil servants to represent the sector. She has been instrumental in establishing the National Early Years Enterprise Centre. Purnima's career spans public, private and voluntary sectors. She was awarded an Order of the British Empire last year.
STELLA LOUIS is an early years consultant who has worked as a nursery nurse, nursery manager, NNEB course co-ordinator and early years training co-ordinator She wrote her first book in 2008 on understanding children's schemas and has had articles published in Nursery World and other sector magazines. Stella is a Froebelian-trained travelling tutor, working in the UK and South Africa.
SUE ROBB joined the charity 4Children as head of early years in May 2011 with the specific brief to lead the development of the Department for Education's new early years strategic programme, Foundations for the Future. She has worked as an Ofsted inspector and is recognised nationally for her work on early years quality improvement. She has also worked within both schools and local authorities.
WENDY SCOTT received the Nursery World Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. She is a Froebel-trained teacher and was head of a demonstration nursery. Wendy is president of TACTYC and served on the Nutbrown Review. She was chief executive of the British Association for Early Childhood Education and chair of the Early Childhood Forum. She has worked with the DfES, the British Council and UNICEF.
