Nursery World names Childcare Student of the Year

Editor Liz Roberts with the winner

Abbey Wood, a student at Ryton Comprehensive School, Tyne and Wear, has been named the Heinemann and Nursery World Childcare Student of the Year.

The award, sponsored by Haymarket’s Nursery World magazine and educational publisher Heinemann, is given to the student who shows the most promise as a childcare professional.

Awards judge and leading childcare author Penny Tassoni said of the award: “We didn’t have a way of recognising student achievement. The award was therefore established to provide an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of outstanding childcare students who show the potential to be brilliant childcare practitioners.”

Finalists took part in a selection process that included a real-life childcare case study. Each finalist was given a short time to consider the problem before reporting back to the judges on how he or she would tackle the issue.

One scenario included dealing with a four-year-old child who had become more aggressive towards others following her parents’ divorce.

Award winner Wood said: “It feels great to have won. I am so passionate about what I do and never underestimate the influence I can have on a child’s learning.”

Entries for the award have grown in number every year, and the competition was 30 per cent tougher this year than in 2008.