National Nursery World Award for Elmscot Nursery Practitioner
Jess Berry, Senior Nursery Practitioner at local Elmscot Day Nursery & Nursery School, Timperley, has just been awarded “Newcomer of the Year” for at the Nursery World Awards 2013. Jess was awarded this title at The Grand Connaught Rooms in London this weekend. The Nursery World Awards recognise and highlight the best that is being achieved throughout the UK Early Years sector by organisations, teams and individuals.
Pictured with host and broadcaster Ore Oduba is Jess Berry (second from right) with Manager Jo Stretton and judge Nancy Stewart.
Not only is Jess Berry an inspiration to the children she cares for, she is also a great role model for younger staff members. She is very professional, organised and enthusiastic, always has a smile on her face and is a pleasure to be around.
Jess’s motivation and enthusiasm has led to her progressing rapidly during her short time at Elmscot, starting as a student and then being promoted just four months after being employed as a nursery practitioner. Nursery manager Jo Stretton comments, ‘Jess is a huge credit to our nursery. She is extremely hard working and dedicates her time fully to the children within her care. She is full of energy and this is portrayed in the activities that are created for children on a daily basis.’
Jess’s role as senior nursery practitioner involves running a pre-school class for up to 18 children. She helped to decide the arrangement of the newly refurbished classroom, transforming office space into an exciting and stimulating space for learning where the children are flourishing and making great progress.
Jess is currently studying for her Early Years Foundation Degree and through this she is constantly introducing new ideas to the nursery. Judges praised Jess for her enthusiasm for learning and for offering her knowledge to colleagues. She is always keen to attend training courses and is then happy to share what she has learnt by developing staff handouts or holding in-house training sessions herself.
The staff team respond well to Jess and find her supportive and approachable. Her colleagues often nominate her for ‘team member of the month’, with comments including ‘always prepared to help’ and ‘Jess is very hard working and gives support’.
Parents are also delighted with the care she provides and have given positive feedback on the nursery website, thanking her for encouraging their children to thrive and noting how their children love chatting about her at home. In the words of one of the children she cares for, “I love it when Jess plays with us”.