ON THE PANEL
- Liz Roberts, Editor of Nursery World, chair of judges
Liz joined Nursery World in 1996 as features editor, becoming editor thefollowing year. She is also editor-in-chief of the magazine'ssupplements and is a member of several early years sector working groupsand think-tanks. Liz frequently gives seminars at sector events andchairs conferences. She previously freelanced for national newspapersand magazines, including The Guardian.
- Richard Ashworth, Early years project officer, CWDC
Richard works mainly on the Early Years Professional Status programme,with key responsibilities around recruitment work and businessmanagement. Since graduating in law, his professional life has taken himfrom accountancy, through sport development, to his currentproject-management role at CWDC. Richard has two children, Rebecca,five, and Thomas, two, who provide him with plenty of hands-onexperience of early years!
- Pat Broadhead, Professor of playful learning, Leeds MetropolitanUniversity
Pat's main research interest relates to how children become sociable andco-operative through play, and the links with learning in early yearssettings. She has written a number of publications on these subjects.Pat has also researched Sure Start initiatives and Early ExcellenceCentres. She is chair of TACTYC, an early years organisation to advancetraining for early years practitioners, and is on the editorial boardsof two early years journals.
- Helen Bromley, Early years consultant, Playing with Learning
Helen has worked in education for 30 years. She began her career as areception class teacher in 1979, and has been involved in ensuring thatchildren get the best education ever since. After working as an advisoryteacher in inner London, she became an independent consultant,delivering training and keynote speeches for a wide range of bodies.Helen is a regular Nursery World contributor and has published numerousbooks and resources.
- Emma Comer, Founder, Tall Trees Kindergarten, Somerset
Emphasis at Emma's nursery is placed on healthy home-cooked food. Shewrites a monthly nutrition column for Nursery World and is undertaking aformal research study on the benefits of outdoor education for children.A qualified Montessori teacher, Emma spent 10 years teaching pre-schoolchildren before setting up her nursery in 2006. Emma plans to expand thebusiness to meet the high demand for places.
- Helen Easby, Nursery manager, Newcastle College Day Nursery
Helen was awarded Nursery World Early Years Professional of the Year2008. She has worked with children for many years and in a variety ofsettings - from training as a teacher to setting up playgroups. Helenhas a great passion for working with under-threes and, as a manager, shefirmly believes in an ethos of continuous professional development forstaff so that they can deliver quality outcomes for children.
- Sue Ellis, National director (early years), National Strategies
After more than 30 years in early years education, inspection andadvisory roles, Sue became national director in February 2009. Shejoined the National Strategies Foundation Stage team as a regionaladviser (inclusion) in 2004. Following the Rose Review, she joined theCLLD team, and was appointed senior director in 2007. She also tookresponsibility for developing and implementing the Every Child a Talkerprogramme.
- Bo Emecheta, Policy officer, Department for Children, Schools andFamilies
Bo leads one of the teams in the Quality and Standards division of theDepartment for Children, Schools and Families, which is responsible forsecuring high-quality early years provision for all children. Bo workedon the development of the content and publication of the Early YearsFoundation Stage framework. His current role includes planning thereview of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which will start inSeptember 2010.
- Andrew Fletcher, Joint chief executive, National ChildmindingAssociation
Having worked as a teacher in the UK and overseas, Andrew became apolitical consultant on a range of public policy issues before joiningthe Pre-school Learning Alliance in 2003 as press and parliamentarymanager. He joined the NCMA in April 2006 as director of policy andpublic affairs, and was appointed director of communications in February2007. In June this year, Andrew became joint chief executive of theassociation.
- Linda Keats, Graduate training adviser EYPS, Essex County Council
Linda's early years career began in Australia more than 20 years ago inoccasional, sessional and full day care. She has progressed from being anursery assistant to manager before joining Essex County Council. Herpassion and enthusiasm for early years education grows each day, and isaccompanied by a commitment to ensuring that it is seen as an essentialpart of each child's lifelong learning journey.
- Neil Leitch, Director of communications, Pre-school LearningAlliance
Neil has more than 25 years' experience in business planning andfinance, and has worked at the PLA for the past nine years. He led onthe neighbourhood nursery programme. In his current role, Neil isresponsible for the charity's activities in areas of brand and profile,marketing, sponsorship and fundraising, press and public relations,research, campaigns, information services and publications.
- Lucy Lloyd, Director of communications, Family and ParentingInstitute
Before joining the Family and Parenting Institute in 2005, Lucy workedas head of communications for Sure Start, and was deputy director atDaycare Trust, running the charity's research and policy programme andconsultancy service. She is chair of governors at London's KateGreenaway Nursery School and Children's Centre, and is on 4Children'sboard of trustees. She is interested in early years policy, work/lifebalance and building user participation into service planning.
- Anne Longfield, Chief executive, 4Children
Anne has worked in children and family policy and services for 25 years.She has written and led numerous campaigns, research and publications,including high-profile inquiries and commissions. Under Anne'sleadership, 4Children has grown to become an award-winning charity forchange, shaping and delivering solutions for children and families. Shereceived the OBE in recognition of her work in the Millennium New YearHonours List.
- Susan Moss-Thomas, Senior manager, Orchard Barns Kindergarten
Susan won Nursery World Nursery Manager of the Year 2008. She has beenmanaging in the early years sector for 25 years, having started out in asmall workplace nursery. For the past 15 years, she has managed threenurseries in north Essex and Suffolk, one of which she co-owns. Susan isdedicated to ongoing professional development, personally and for allthe staff she works with; she is due to start a masters in EarlyYears.
- Helen Moylett, Senior director (early years), National Strategies
Helen joined National Strategies in 2004, and was centrally involved indeveloping the Early Years Foundation Stage. She is a qualified primaryteacher, and worked as a LA senior advisory teacher, before joiningManchester Metropolitan University as senior lecturer in primary andearly years education. In 2000, she left academia to become head of anearly years centre. She has co-edited three early years books andcontributed to several others.
- June O'Sullivan, Chief executive, London Early Years Foundation
June champions affordable quality childcare and education in thevoluntary sector. She joined the London Early Years Foundation (formerlyWestminster Children's Society) in 1996, and became chief executive in2004. She was key in achieving a strategic and cultural shift for theorganisation, gaining an increase in profile and profitability. She is aqualified social worker, with an MA in Primary and Early ChildhoodStudies and an MBA from London South Bank University.
- Maria Robinson, Early years adviser and trainer
Maria writes regularly for Nursery World, and is a qualified lecturer,counsellor, trainer and adviser in early years development. She has adoctorate in child welfare and protection and now works independently,offering training to professionals working with children and families.Her interests are the emotional development of children, attachment,brain development and links between development and the use ofobservations.
- Wendy Scott, Consultant in early education and president, TACTYC
Wendy has 18 years' teaching experience in all sectors. Followingheadship of a demonstration nursery school, she became senior lecturerin early childhood education, co-ordinating an advanced diploma inmulti-professional studies. After six years as chief executive of theBritish Association for Early Childhood Education, she became aspecialist adviser to the DfES. Wendy has worked with UK localauthorities, and abroad with the British Council and UNICEF.
- Annie Seeley, Registered public health nutritionist
Annie specialises in infant and child nutrition, and works at CityUniversity's Centre for Food Policy, London. She recently contributed tothe Soil Association's Nursery Food Report: Georgie Porgie Pudding andPie. Annie's other areas of work include sustainable nutrition, cookingin schools and food and low income issues. Organisations she has workedwith include The Food Commission, Sustain and Organix.
- Rita Stringfellow, Chair, Daycare Trust
With a background in teaching and social work, Rita is a long-timecampaigner for all children to have access to high quality, affordable,early years childcare and education. Rita led on health and social care,including childcare, for the Local Government Association, for a numberof years. In 2004, Rita stood down from local government and is nowactively involved as a trustee of a number of voluntaryorganisations.
- Purnima Tanuku, Chief executive, National Day NurseriesAssociation
Purnima works closely with ministers and civil servants, representingNDNA and the private nursery sector. She has been instrumental inestablishing the National Early Years Enterprise Centre and championsthe cause of raising the profile of the early years workforce. Purnima'scareer spans across public, private and voluntary sectors and she hasserved as a non-executive director in a number of organisations.
