Could your nursery be the next Wales Nursery of the Year 2024?
Nominate your nursery for the NDNA Nursery Awards 2024
With only one month left until the NDNA Awards 2024 nominations close for this year, here we share the experiences of last year’s winners of the Wales Nursery of the Year 2023 Award.
St Aubin Nursery, based in Roath, won the Wales Nursery of the Year Award. We wanted to find how they felt winning the award and all that goes with it:
What inspired you to enter the NDNA 2023 awards?
St Aubin Roath has focussed massively on raising quality to the highest standards and supporting the holistic wellbeing of the children, practitioners and our families. Our dedicated teams, growth of our setting as well as how much we invest in our families and local community were the reasons we entered the NDNA awards. We felt this hugely prestigious award would not only showcase our achievements, but it would also be a driving factor to continue to motivate us to push beyond any barriers in order to improve outcomes for children.
How did you feel when your setting was shortlisted for the Nursery of the Year 2023 Wales award?
We were absolutely delighted to be shortlisted; it was an amazing achievement in itself! We had such a massive and positive response from our families as well as the team. The childcare industry is very hard at the moment, and it certainly boosted the morale of the practitioners who work tirelessly to care for children during the ongoing recruitment and cost of living crisis.
What did it mean to St Aubin Roath to be awarded Nursery of the Year 2023 – Wales award and how did staff and parents react?
Honestly, to be crowned Welsh Nursery of the Year was incredible! The parents were extremely overjoyed and proud. It truly means a lot, far beyond word can express.
What makes St Aubin Roath unique and what do you credit your success to?
Our positive ethos and commitment to running a high-quality provision as a team definitely contributes towards our success. Our strong links with our families and community encourage us to find innovative ways to provide the maximum support that we can offer to others.
What has been the biggest benefit to winning this NDNA award?
Our families are proud to be part of our success and their views have helped solidify our reputation as a setting. We feel very privileged to have been accredited with this award and are very grateful to everyone who has been part of our journey so far.
Would you encourage other early years settings to enter the NDNA 2024 awards?
Anyone wishing to enter should definitely do so! Everyone in the childcare industry devotes themselves to the sector for children and therefore everyone is deserving. We wish all the applicants good luck.
Will you be entering the NDNA 2024 Awards?
Absolutely! This will be in a different category as we have achieved so much more since winning the award. Our nomination for the 2024 awards would not be possible without the immense support of our nursery team and our families and we cannot thank them enough.
Finally, as a previous winner, do you have any winning tips to offer other early years settings looking to enter the 2024 awards?
Consider how you meet the criteria for the category you are applying for, be authentic and showcase your achievements. Go for it!
Our prestigious nursery awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across the nursery sector. If you would like your nursery to have a chance at being part of these amazing awards visit www.votendna.org.uk. It’s FREE to enter!
The NDNA Nursery Awards 2024 winners will be revealed during a glitzy ceremony at the Coventry Building Society Arena on 7 June.
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