Our expert judges from across the early years sector spent a day of debate, discussion and deliberation to decide who should go through to the shortlist.
Our finalists must now wait until the Awards evening on 28 September at the Brewery in London, when the winners will be revealed. Well done to all the entrants - there was a very high standard of submissions!
ORGANISATIONS
Nursery of the Year
Sponsored by childcare.co.uk
- Lambeth College Nursery, Clapham
- Spring Bensham, Gateshead
- Sunbeams Day Nursery, Leeds
- Worcester Early Years Centre, Worcestershire
- Young Friends Nursery and Nature School, Hove
Pre-School of the Year
- Cullompton Pre-School, Cullompton
- Enya’s Childcare, Peterborough
- Fit ‘N’ Fun Kids, Falmouth
- KidsStop, Northampton
- Nature to Nurture, Liverpool
- Puddleduck Preschool, Windsor
Early Years in School Award
- Gateways School, Leeds
- The Mulberry House School, London
- St Paul’s Primary School, Kingston-upon-Thames
Nursery Group of the Year
Sponsored by Christie & Co
- Kids Allowed, north-west
- Kids Planet, north-west
- The Little Learners, south-east
- Sleepy Hollow Group, Northern Ireland
- South Hills School, south-west
- Stramash Social Enterprise, Scotland
- Tiddlywinks Day Nursery, north west
Childminding Business of the Year
Sponsored by childcare.co.uk
- Debbie Watling, Huntingdon
- Julie & Jo’s Childcare, Cambridge
INDIVIDUALS
Nursery Manager of the Year
Sponsored by Wizard Staff Solutions
- Victoria Alter, Alyth Kindergarten, London
- Ginny Andreas, Little Adventurers, Upminster
- Sarah Presswood, George Perkins Day Nursery, Birmingham
- Danielle Riley, Woodlands Day Nursery, Elmscot Group, Timperley
- Michael Takacs, Daisy Chain Bebington, Birkenhead
- Audrey Willoughby, the Rocking Horse Nursery, London
Nursery Operations/Regional Manager of the Year
- Amy Alderson, Tops Day Nurseries, south
- Michelle Gascoigne, Tynemouth Nursery Group, north east
- Dawn Gibbons, Sunflower, north west
Early Years Teacher of the Year
- Hannah Lakin, Holmsdale Manor Nursery, Ibstock
- Gemma Medd, Kids Planet Warrington
- Rebecca Sanderson, Tynemouth Nursery, North Shields
- Rachel Shevill, Zone4Kids at Whitley Lodge, Tyne and Wear
Nursery Practitioner of the Year
Sponsored by Hope Education
- Kelly Burchell, Holmsdale Manor Nursery, Ibstock
- Sofina Choudhury, Hale Day Nursery, Elmscot Group, Altrincham
- Jenna Dempsey, YMCA Fairthorne Manor Nursery, Southampton
- Mellie Edgar, Tiddlywinks Day Nursery, Bury
- Lauren O'Brien, Woodlands Day Nursery, Elmscot Group, Altrincham
- Tessa Winters, Stramash Tornagrain, Inverness
Newcomer of the Year
- Charlotte Atkins, Cherubs Longdale, Nottingham
- Connor Keaney, Bright Minds Daycare, Birmingham
- Georgina Wright, Kiddi Caru Caldecotte, Milton Keynes
Trainer of the Year
Sponsored by CACHE
- Kate Bickley, Children 1st Day Nurseries, Midlands and South Yorkshire
- Samantha Laxton, the Co-operative Childcare, UK-wide
- Gill Mason, Kids Planet Day Nurseries, north west
Childminder of the Year
Sponsored by childcare.co.uk
- Katherine Cooling-Smith, Kayte’s House, Colchester
- Debbie Watling, Huntingdon
Nanny of the Year
Sponsored by BAPN/Nannytax
- Lisa Burgin
- Michelle Cusack
- Brigitte Day
- Sally Stimson
- Elisabeth Watts
Outstanding Contribution
- Elaine Hargrave, Holmsdale Manor Nursery, Ibstock
- Teresa Lascelles, St George’s Childcare, Tunbridge Wells
INITIATIVES
Working with Parents
- BHT Early Education and Training, Talking Together (a Better Start Bradford project)
- Fit ‘N’ Fun Kids, Young Mums Will Achieve, Falmouth
- London Borough of Camden, Working with father and male carers initiatives
Inclusive Practice
- Randolph Beresford Nursery School & Children’s Centre, London
- Trafford Council, Trafford Giving Voice Accreditation Award, Manchester
- Tuffkid Nursery, London
- Team Development
- Honey Pot Day Nurseries, Liverpool
- Northumbria University, Northumberland Early Years Professionals Network
- Sunbeams Day Nursery, Enhanced Quality Training and Video Blogs Program, Leeds
Nursery Food
- Spring Cedars and Beacon, Exeter
- Townhouse Nursery, Stoke-on-Trent
Enabling Environments
Sponsored by YPO
- Brambles Preschool, Salisbury
- Beatle Woods, Coventry
- Holmsdale Manor Nursery, forest school, Ibstock
- London Early Years Foundation, Soho Family Centre Nursery, London
- South Acton Nursery School & Children’s Centre, Freddie the car, London
- Sunbeams Day Nursery, loose parts play, Leeds
- Your Nursery, Manchester
Online and Social Media
- 22 Street Lane Nursery, Leeds
- Bright Minds Daycare, Birmingham
- Cherubs Nurseries, East Midlands
- The Co-operative Childcare, UK-wide
- Each Peach Childcare, Hove
- New Beginnings Day Nursery, London
- Stramash Social Enterprise, Scotland
Community Support
- Fit ‘N’ Fun Kids, Falmouth
- Cherubs Nurseries, East Midlands
- GNG Nursery, Birmingham
Health and Wellbeing
- Early Start Education, supervised toothbrushing programme, Newham
- George Perkins Day Nursery, building healthy families, Birmingham
- Holmsdale Manor Nursery, Ibstock
- Honey Pot Nurseries, staff well-being, Liverpool
- Little Adventurers Nursery, healthy lifestyles, Upminster
- School Improvement Liverpool, Keep Moving, Keep Learning, Keep Healthy
Working with Babies and Toddlers
- East Sussex County Council, ‘Interacting with Babies (0-18 months)’ collaborative research project
- The Old Forge Day Nursery, Baby Room Project, Derby
Book your tickets for the ceremony at https://www.nurseryworldawards.com/ceremony. Early bird rate until Friday 23 August.