A nursery rated outstanding by Ofsted has won a national award for creating a stimulating indoor learning environment for their children. Buckden Day Nursery, in St Neots, scooped the trophy for Nursery Indoor Learning Environment at the National NMT Nursery Awards.
The awards are organised by Nursery Management Today magazine who hosted a glitzy bash at ExCel London.
Buckden Day Nursery, which is part of the Family First nursery group, was applauded for providing their children with a variety of resources including planks of wood, lengths of guttering, buttons, and corks, to support their learning and development by triggering their natural curiosity.
Everyday objects like China tea sets, dressing table items, and simple tools are also provided to help children understand that some resources need to be handled with care, and in a certain way, to ensure they are used safely and correctly.
The nursery, which was rated as outstanding by Ofsted last year, was praised by inspectors for creating an environment in which children can develop their skills independently.
Children are actively encouraged to explore, engaging in a variety of activities to support their learning. These include testing their balance with various objects and experimenting with different materials and mediums, such as mixing colours using water and pipettes.
Nursery manager Keeley Lockey said she was delighted that her team’s unwavering commitment to creating an enabling environment for the children in their care has been acknowledged.
“We were absolutely thrilled to be named the winner in the Indoor Learning Environment category,” she said.
“The whole team has worked hard to create a varied and stimulating environment, where children feel safe, valued, and excited to learn.
“It is great to have everyone’s hard work recognised and celebrated.”
