Winner: Polka Dot Farm – Billericay, Essex

Polka Dot Farm opened in November last year and the website was developed as a crucial part of its marketing strategy – even before it officially opened. The website features a clean, user-friendly interface that highlights the nursery’s key aspects, such as the curriculum, facilities and staff qualifications. Staff recruitment has been boosted by the nursery’s engaging social media presence, which showcases its unique approach to early years education. This is a website that demonstrates real business and creative flair, according to the judges.

Finalists

• Male Childcare & Teaching Jobs

• Nurtured at Skelmanthorpe – Huddersfield

Joint Winner: The Early Years Community, Osmaston Day Nursery – Derby

Osmaston Day Nursery’s approach goes beyond the typical expectations of good practice, as staff strive to be inclusive and best serve their families within the diverse community of Allenton in Derby. The nursery’s community initiatives are grounded in a profound understanding of its community’s diverse needs. By addressing language barriers, empowering parents through skill-building programmes and fostering community engagement, they aim to create an inclusive environment where every child can thrive.

Joint Winner: Young Fathers Programme, Shifting Your Mindset – Nottingham

This multifaceted support programme is designed to empower families, especially those facing challenges such as parental conflict, domestic abuse, and the need for positive parenting skills. The programme was developed following a thorough assessment of the needs of the local Nottingham community and an understanding of the challenges vulnerable families face. By sharing best practices, collaborating with other organisations and advocating for policies that support families and children, the programme has maximised its reach.

Finalists

• Community Initiative, Bright Horizons Bracknell Day Nursery and Pre-School – Bracknell, Berkshire

• Ready Generations Charity – Liverpool, Merseyside

Winner: Smallville Nursery – Snodland, Kent

In response to increasing local hardship, Smallville Nursery launched its Beyond the Classroom events to bring all families together a few times a year at weekends. The aim was to help families to develop peer support and an understanding of how they could easily access local, free community resources – and have some fun participating in learning. Children’s development and the family unit as a whole have benefited hugely from the nursery investing in these events. Children’s experiences and relationships with their parents have been enriched, agreed the judges.

Finalists

• 50 Things to Do Before You're Five, St Edmund's Nursery School and Children's Centre – Bradford, West Yorkshire

• Atelier Nursery – Bath, Somerset and Chippenham, Wiltshire

• Finkley Weeke Nursery and Pre-School – Winchester, Hampshire

• Nottingham Hub, National Literacy Trust – Nottingham

Winner: Precious Times Day Nursery – West Midlands

Sisters Kayleigh and Ellie Driscoll were new to the world of business when they acquired and turned around a failing day nursery in September 2022. They went on to successfully work with the local community to expand twice in the following 18 months and provide much-needed childcare places, offering flexibility for shift workers. The rebranded setting was running at full capacity within 12 months and has now increased to employing 19 staff with 113 children. The sisters have filled the spaces that were vacant prior to their takeover, and doubled the nursery’s occupancy. While flexible opening hours are a USP, there is a strong focus on children’s development, strong parent partnerships and staff wellbeing.

Highly Commended

U1R Thanet Nursery – Ramsgate, Kent



The nursery is based in a warehouse which has been carefully transformed into a bespoke homely setting. Situated on an industrial estate it is accessible from many local towns and has ample parking to make the morning calmer for everyone. The owners are now looking to expand the business.

Finalists

• Canopy Children's Nurseries – Nationwide

• Male Childcare & Teaching Jobs – Nationwide

• Wild at Heart – Driffield, East Yorkshire

Winner: esSENtial Early Years – Birkenhead, Merseyside

Lynnette Bonner, owner and manager of esSENtial Early Years strives for her staff team to feel equipped and valued. This approach begins with an in-depth induction programme that supports new staff to gain the knowledge and skills needed to meet the setting’s high standards. Lynnette maintains a supportive role through an open-door policy, supervisions, appraisals and daily chats. She invests heavily in staff CPD and uses peer observations, video reflections, video training, manager spot questioning, quizzes, teambuilding exercises and a mentoring programme to further support team development.

Highly Commended

• Honey Pot Nursery Group – Liverpool, Merseyside

Honey Pot’s management is ambitious and always looking for ways to develop the team. Their vision for the staff and children is evident in the low staff turnover rates and outcomes for children.

• Young Friends Kindergarten – Hove, East Sussex

Young Friend’s leadership team has created a robust, holistic approach to team development where they continually invest in providing ongoing learning and development opportunities to each member of staff.

Winner: Atelier Nursery – Chippenham, Wiltshire

Babies and toddlers are viewed as active participants in their own learning journeys, with the role of educators being to scaffold their experiences, allowing them to flourish at their own pace. It is understood that each child is unique, with their own strengths, interests and developmental pace. The setting’s approach enables staff to tailor their interactions to support each child’s holistic development, ensuring that they feel valued, understood and supported in their learning journey.

Finalists

• The Close Day Nursery School – Banbury, Oxfordshire

• Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries – Northolt, West London

Sponsored by:

Winner: Little Barn Owls Forest and Farm School Nurseries – Horsham, West Sussex

Inspiration is taken from the Reggio Emilia approach along with Scandinavian and forestry approaches at the Little Barn Owls group. Educators are constantly researching ways of making environments more inviting for children and value these as the ‘third teacher’. Enquiry-based learning promotes independence, and the environment being the ‘third teacher’ allows educators to follow the child’s lead.

Highly Commended

Treehouse Nursery School – Wanstead, East London

Everyday moments are also used as opportunities for discovery – from weighing ingredients while baking to exploring gravity through building structures. While venturing out, children identify shapes and materials used in buildings, which fosters an understanding of why structures need to be strong and introduces the concept of ‘substantial materials’.

Finalists

Sponsored by:

Winner: Holly Bank Nursery, Portland Nurseries – Huddersfield, West Yorkshire

Holly Bank Nursery takes wellbeing seriously and has embedded it in their culture. Leaders regard wellbeing as a way of ensuring they are getting the best outcomes for the children and supporting their staff as best they can, because happy and well-supported staff are the key to happy children. The judges agreed that this setting clearly goes above and beyond in its duty of care to its staff. It invests thought into providing resources and services aimed at improving and supporting health and wellbeing’.

Finalists

• Blue Giraffe Childcare – Droitwich, Worcestershire

• Farm Day Nurseries – Nationwide

• Honey Pot Nursery Group – Liverpool, Merseyside

• Kerrie's Cherubs – Blyth, Northumberland

Sponsored by:

Winner: Doris Venner Pre-School – Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey

Doris Venner has always had a high intake of children with additional needs, ranging from autism and ADHD to physical and medical disabilities. In response the nursery developed Sunshine Class, named to promote positivity. The room was redecorated to be less overstimulating and resources were purchased specifically for the children’s additional needs. Staff are skilled in recognising signs of additional needs and putting support in place. Parents note that their children’s behaviour is better at home and state that the development of speech has been incredible. They say that they did not expect to see such rapid progression and it has had a positive impact on their home life.

Highly Commended

The Indigo Childcare Group - Glasgow

Children with additional needs are able to attend the nursery alongside their siblings, which has widened access to children with additional support needs. The Indigo Connects Carers peer support group brings families together, and Indigo’s inclusive practice has gained the attention of the Scottish Government, with the nursery now part of a ministerial working group on inclusive early education.

Finalists

• esSENtial Early Years – Birkenhead, Merseyside

• NELI Preschool, OxEd and Assessment

• Wonderbloom Nursery – Woking, Surrey

Winner: The Old Forge Day Nursery – Findern, Derbyshire

Really excellent practices were observed at the setting during the judge’s visit. All staff were observed to be invested in the nursery’s food culture and passionate about it. They firmly believe that children deserve the opportunity to explore new flavours and benefit from well-balanced meals throughout the day.

The nursery chefs are very creative and work hard to ensure the menus are well planned, varied and seasonal. They include a range of cultural dishes, from Korean, Greek, Italian and Indian dishes to Japanese delicacies. The 16-day rolling menu ensures everyone experiences all dishes and are introduced to ingredients such as kimchi, tempeh and kachumber. This exposure to diverse flavours and traditions broadens the children’s horizons, providing a unique learning experience.

Finalists

• Atelier Nursery – Chippenham, Wiltshire

• Harpole Day Nursery, Part of The Old Station Nursery Group – Harpole, Northamptonshire

• Willow Tree Day Nursery, Part of the Elmscot Group – Sale, Greater Manchester

• Woodlands Day Nursery, Part of the Elmscot Group – Timperley, Greater Manchester

Sponsored by:

Winner: Young Friends Kindergarten – Hove, East Sussex

Young Friends’ sustainable kindergarten approach grew out of a concern about how much plastic – especially single-use plastic – was being used in nurseries. They realised that children were being exposed to a throw-away culture at an incredibly important time in their lives and started counting the cost to the planet. In response, the nursery adopted a plastic-free pledge but soon expanded to a holistic approach to sustainability. They decided that they needed to transform into a truly sustainable early years environment.

Finalists

• Adventure Farm Day Nursery – Burton On Trent, Derbyshire

• Bright Horizons at 24 St Swithin – Aberdeen

• Honey Pot Nursery Group – Liverpool, Merseyside

Winner: From Birth to Three: An Early Years Educator's Handbook, Routledge – By Julia Manning-Morton

The importance of the first years of life is indisputable, and yet the focus on the play, care and learning of birth to three-year-olds ebbs and flows on the tide of policy development. This book advocates for a continued, considered, and informed spotlight to be shone on the rights and needs of babies, toddlers and two-year-olds and how to provide for them well in early years settings.

Finalist

Are You Ready For Your Inspection - 4th Edition, Self-Published – By Vanessa Dooley

Sponsored by:

Winner: Dearbhàil Maguire – Liverpool Hope University

Judges were ‘blown away’ by Dearbhàil's nomination, which demonstrated how she made the most of being an undergraduate student and excelled academically by achieving a First Class Honours degree. At the same time, she displayed an understanding of the need to be able to apply theory to practice and was one of the first graduates to be awarded the Level 6 Graduate Practitioner Competencies in Early Childhood. Dearbhàil was an outstanding student who excelled in her studies at Liverpool Hope University and she now works as early years development worker in Outerwest SureStart in Belfast.

Sponsored by:

Joint Winner: Mollie Bowen, The Nursery in Belong – Chester

Mollie continually exceeds her colleagues’ expectations by going above and beyond what they expect of an apprentice. She is working towards her Level 3 Childcare and has proved herself to be reflective, empathetic, creative and playful. The Nursery in Belong is an intergenerational setting where everyone is welcome from birth to 100 and beyond. Despite coming from a more traditional setting, Mollie has been quick to adapt to this different approach to care and learning and has developed excellent relationships. She has also been able use the experience of working in a larger setting, and within a larger organisation, to support her future practice and shape her own pedagogy.

Joint Winner: Mohamed Elmi, Bright Horizons Cedar House – Enfield, North London

Mohamed’s story at Bright Horizons is not just about professional growth, it is also a tale of passion, perseverance and a genuine love for what he does. Since stepping into the role of nursery assistant in April 2022, Mohamed’s knack for connecting with children and colleagues alike has been undeniable, earning him the trust and respect of everyone around him. Recognising his potential, Mohamed eagerly jumped at the chance to pursue his Level 3 Early Years apprenticeship, a decision fully backed by the management team. His days are described as a ‘whirlwind of activity, laughter and endless learning’.

Highly Commended

Allya Ali, The Learning Tree Nursery School, Storal – Romford, East London

Allya has a natural talent for working with young children and shows great care, patience and kindness in her interactions. She works across the nursery to gain experience of the different ages and stages of development. Allya has a strong desire to learn and grow in her role and actively seeks out opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge.

Finalists

• Sarah Camp, Kamelia Kids Day Nursery and Beach School – Worthing, West Sussex

• Sophie Davies, Shenfield Day Nursery – Brentwood, Essex

Winner: Helen Field, Central Bedfordshire Council

Judges commented on the ‘huge impact’ that Helen has made during her 27 years of childcare training across Bedfordshire. During this time, she has supported, inspired and motivated hundreds – if not thousands – of learners in progressing their careers. Some of these started working as volunteers and, with Helen’s support, gained childcare qualifications and went on to achieve senior roles within the sector. Above all, Helen has passion and commitment for the early years and childcare sector and is a strong advocate for raising the profile of the workforce.

Finalists

• Ali McClure, Ali McClure Education and Parenting – Guildford, Surrey

• Edwina Revel and Georgia Leech, Early Start Nutrition – East London

Sponsored by:

Winner: Kerri Fitzgibbon, Poppyfields – Teacher Led Early Years – Colchester, Essex

Kerri works hard to ensure every day is full of magic, whether that be spotting a snail on the school run, sliding down mud hills at the forest or bottle-feeding lambs. She is a passionate Early Years Teacher and builds on the experience and knowledge she has gained from being a primary school teacher and SENCo. Kerri says, ‘I believe children learn best through play and their worlds should be full of awe and wonder.’ She loves being outdoors and spends as much time outside with the children in her care as possible, teaching a love of nature and kindness to all.

Highly Commended

Charlotte Ford, Little Strawbs Childminding – Carterton, Oxfordshire

Charlotte works out of her family home, which is welcoming and nurturing, with parents saying that the children in her care feel like extended family. She ensures there is plenty of opportunity for the children to explore, challenge themselves and engage in free play, as well as well-planned and purposeful structured activities.

Finalists

• Claire Hassall, Claire's Childcare – Hygge In the Early Years Accredited Setting – Thirsk, North Yorkshire

• Vikkie Murray, Little Acorns Childminding – Banbury, Oxfordshire

• Caitlin Smith, The Flower Cottage – Dudley, West Midlands

Sponsored by:

Finalists

• Alison Eardley, Nurtured @ Chell – Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

• Claudia Scarsella, Cybertots at GWQ – Brentford, West London

• Aoife Winchcombe, The Butterfly Pre-School – Clapham, South West London

Sponsored by:

Winner: Laura Tingey, Acorn Early Years – Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire

Laura is loved and respected by her Acorn colleagues in her role as head of early years and compliance. She leads a team of three early years managers who support the group’s 16 nurseries in ensuring that consistently high standards are maintained in early years care and education. She is empathetic, having had a wealth of hands-on experience, and she continues to take on a practical supporting role whenever she finds herself at a nursery which would benefit from an extra pair of hands. She uses these opportunities to build a rapport with colleagues, to identify areas for improvement and to role-model excellent practice. Laura is a ‘rock’ everyone relies on.

Finalists

• Emma Bate, Storal – Nationwide

• Charlotte Bateman, Little Barn Owls Forest and Farm School Nurseries – Horsham, West Sussex

• Georgina Hempstead, The Old Station Nursery Group – Nationwide

Sponsored by:

Winner: Victoria East, Smallville Nursery – Snodland, Kent

Victoria’s compassion for staff, children and families at Smallville Nursery oozes from her very being. In her role as manager of the standalone setting, she manages a team of 12 staff and is solely responsible for the day-to-day operations and business development of the Kent-based nursery. She is passionate about her work and has a very strong work ethic. She shows devotion to the development of every child, making sure inclusivity is at the heart of every provocation, and demonstrates consistency with the way she addresses parents, staff and children’s concerns. As a result, she has received many positive testimonials from parents. Some parents have even applied to join the staff team because Victoria’s vision for childcare is infectious.

• Jane Noble, First Friends @ Wootey – Alton, Hampshire

• Catherine Stones, Tiddlywinks Nursery Group – Higher Blackley, Greater Manchester

• Kirsten Ward, Willow Tree Nursery School – Clacton on Sea, Essex

Sponsored by:

Winner: Jackie Warren, Growing Places Community Childcare Centres – Hampshire

No child should be left behind’ is Jackie’s motto, one that she has fiercely upheld throughout almost 30 years of working in the early years sector. She strongly believes that early years settings should be available to all children in the community and that aspirations should be raised for everyone. Jackie’s title may be CEO of the charity, but you will often find her in the room with children telling stories or playing with dolls. She will clean and mop the same as any other team member and is hands-on in the settings – that is what brings her joy. Recently, Jackie’s 25th year at Growing Places was celebrated and repeatedly the same words were used to describe her by staff, families and professional colleagues: passionate, dedicated, hard working, inspirational, making change happen, supportive, kind, caring, loving and driven.

Finalists

• Alison J Hawkins, Wester Coates Nursery School – Edinburgh

• Fiona McQueen, Bright Horizons Treehouse – Aberdeen

Sponsored by:

Winner: Shelford Childcare – Cambridge

At Shelford Childcare, children are encouraged to become explorers and gain a sense of wonder through the provision of activities and resources that build on their interests and allow them to use their imaginations. Through this they become hands-on learners and develop a sense of belonging and togetherness with their peers. The small childminding business brings a ‘family’ feel to the care provided and the ability to give important on-to-one attention, while also giving the children the experience of being in a group with a mixed age of children.

Finalists

• Bears Daycare – Bewdley, Worcestershire

• The Playroom Marple – Stockport, Greater Manchester

• Rachael's Childcare – Staithes, North Yorkshire

Sponsored by:

Winner: Woodville Pre-School, Storal – Woodville, Derbyshire

Woodville Pre-School opened in October 2023 as a result of demand in the community for term-time-only fully funded spaces in an area of deprivation. Storal nursery group was approached by the local authority to expand its existing Outstanding Woodville Nursery School. The group changed its model to remove additional costs, such as enabling children to bring in lunch from home, so that it is as inclusive as possible to local families. In a short time, the pre-school has become a heart of the community. Staff understand that each child is an individual and they arrive with their own life story. Parents are recognised as children’s first educators and an emphasis is placed on parent partnerships.

Highly Commended

• Bybrook Pre-School – Yatton Keynell, Wiltshire

A strong team has resulted in a loving, kind, caring, family-like setting that harbours compassion and respect. Children are taught to love and respect their environment, and they have built strong connections in the village.

• Venture Outdoor Kindergarten – Kingsbridge, Devon

A gentle, unobtrusive, unhurried approach generates trust and respect between the team, the children and their families. Venture is warm and welcoming, with a huge emphasis placed on developing relationships while exploring and learning outdoors.

Finalists

• The Old Forge Day Nursery – Findern, Derbyshire

• The Wharf Nursery School – Godalming, Surrey

Sponsored by:

Winner: Gateways School – Leeds, West Yorkshire

The early years departments are filled with busy, happy children engaged in purposeful learning opportunities at Gateways School. A strong, caring, innovative and passionate team of early years professionals enable children to thrive and reach their full potential in a safe and secure environment. Staff strive to maintain a nurturing environment and calm space with what they refer to as ‘the odd day of chaos thrown in’, such as days to support charities and events, themed days and visitors into school, or days when children just need to play outside in the wide open spaces that surround the school. The staff team are adaptable and fluid so that the individual needs of children can be met and current interests followed.

Sponsored by:

Winner: Acorn Early Years – Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire & Bedfordshire

Acorn’s ethic of care is deeply embedded throughout the organisation’s 16 settings, from the way in which children are nurtured and the way effective partnerships with their families are developed to the links with local communities and the way the group develops and cares for its employees. There is a focus on developing staff teams by encouraging them to develop their careers through their personal as well as professional development. Acorn is a charitable social enterprise, so the financial model is atypical of the sector. It operates a cross-subsidy model in order to achieve affordability, as well as high quality. And as one of the judge’s commented, ‘Acorn is a joyous place to work!’

Highly Commended

RAFA Kidz – Nationwide

RAFA Kidz Cranwell focuses on providing a high-quality service to families, the majority of which are serving in the RAF. Children and parents are offered a warm welcome into the calm and cosy setting.

Finalists

• Bright Horizons – Nationwide

• Kido Schools – Greater London

• Kids Planet – Nationwide

• Kindred Nurseries – Nationwide

Sponsored by:

Winner: RAFA Kidz Cranwell – Sleaford, Lincolnshire

RAFA Kidz Cranwell treats all children as individuals, beginning with a robust induction with their parents and carers to find out all about their needs, likes and dislikes and how military life has affected them so far. This is crucial due to the transient nature of military children’s lives, which can bring a high risk of their needs being overlooked. Many of the nursery’s staff are military spouses, which helps them to become experts in what military families need and the challenges they face. The nursery organises lots of parent events – breakfasts, garden activities and picnics – which are especially important because being a military spouse can often be lonely. Parents love feeling part of the nursery’s wider family and empowered to have their say.

Winner: June O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of the London Early Years Foundation

"Incontrovertible research shows the early years are a critical time for children’s learning and development and profoundly shape their future life outcomes. However, not all young children get this opportunity, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, left behind by a market-led early years system and by politicians oblivious to the fact that these children are our nation’s most precious resource.

This was the rationale for June creating the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) in 2006 – developed from a group of eight small grant-dependent Westminster nurseries and now the largest UK social enterprise nursery group, operating 40 nurseries and employing 1,000 staff members. Seventy seven per cent of LEYF nurseries are in the ‘most deprived’ areas of London, versus an average of fifty per cent throughout London.

LEYF’s social purpose is to change the world one child at a time. They currently support 4,300-plus children, with 31 per cent of them from disadvantaged backgrounds, including the highest number of funded two-year-old places in London. The business model uses a fair fee system across their community nurseries, whereby LEYF subsidises many children who would otherwise be unable to attend nursery.

Her compassion for babies and their families, especially the most vulnerable, for people in communities, and for improving the life chances of young people through her apprenticeship programmes are all simply stunning, reflecting her compassion. If I had one wish to implement, it would be to clone June across the whole country and internationally."

- Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green