Now it’s time to celebrate all School and Childcare Settings that have re-opened or remained open to look after Key Worker Children:
Initially we said that we would only publish the nomination comments when we got 5 or more but having read them all, we’ve decided to ditch that rule! Everyone who received a nomination deserves to read their message/s of thanks & support!
Thanks to our amazing sponsors – we have some lovely certificates to give out to all nominees. We hope that it will be a lovely reminder for you in the future about how grateful the York community are for everything that you do.
If you are a nominee & you would like to claim your certificate then please fill in this quick form here so that we know where to send it to!
If you know any of the nominees, please be sure to tell them they’ve been nominated! We want to spread this lovely news far & wide.
Love from Emily & the team at York Mumbler x
P.S Coming next on Thursday 16th July is the “We Missed Your Place” celebration blog.
If you are a winner, feel free to DOWNLOAD OUR WINNERS BADGE to display on your social media too.
Winners of the 2020 York Mumbler Love Local “Welcome Back” Award
(In alphabetical order)….
Busy Bees Nursery Rawcliffe
- These fantastic staff at the nursery specifically Erica Smallwood and Cheryl Flintoff who kept the nursery up and running for all the key worker chdren, ensuring the children were cared for and cuddled when needed to. They supported the children to remain in the setting whilst trying to keep it as normal as possible.
Haxby Playgroups
- Have been so welcoming and accommodating to having the children back. The staff have worked so hard to make it still be a wonderful environment for the children
Heather’s Nursery (York Childcare)
- Their communication throughout the whole period has been fantastic. My daughter didn’t attend during lockdown, but any queries I had during this time were answered promptly and fully, despite them working with minimal staff and presumably having better things to be getting on with! As soon as they could reopen to all children, they sent thorough details of what children and parents could expect in the ‘new normal’, and I found it very reassuring that my daughter was going to be as safe as possible when she returned. My daughter was so excited to return, and when we arrived she was made to feel like a superstar with the staff eagerly waiting to take her into nursery and hear all about what had happened over the last three months. They have made what could have been a very difficult transition period absolutely seamless, and both me and my little girl would be lost without them!
- When they’ve been in touch they’re always so friendly that it feels like we’ve still seen the staff at nursery that we miss so much. Staff who would normally be at Heather’s have been working at Joseph’s nursery to look after key worker children during lockdown.
Josephs Nursery
- I’ve felt so well informed during lock down, Josephs communication has been fab and my daughter is so happy to be back there.
- Great friendly staff
Little Bugs Childcare
- have welcomed back the children with open arms. Putting in ways to keep them safe but with little disruption to the children’s day to day nursery life
Little Green Rascals
- Excellent communication for returning to childcare setting
- For supporting key worker children and reopening all nurseries with such care and attention on 1st June
- In particular the nursery at elvington who have been amazing at welcoming back the children – I wish I could spend the day there too!
- They’ve been very helpful during lockdown regarding what’s happening with returning to nurseries etc. They’re always keeping in touch with information. Unfortunately my little boy had just started getting used to nursery when they shit for lockdown but I know they’ll help him settle in quickly when he returns.
- They have gone above and beyond to ensure Our son settles back into nursery keeping in touch through lockdown, sending hints and tips and then bending over backwards to settle out toddler and us!
- I’ve been really impressed with the measures taken to allow my 2 year old to return to nursery. She has loved every second of her time there in the last month. Little videos and clear instructions helped us to prepare her to return but she settled in no problem as they have offered the same caring, fun environments, just with a few tweaks.
- Our daughter is so happy back at nursery, and despite all the restrictions the staff make it feel like nothing has changed\
- For being there x
- So welcoming, so helpful and so understanding. Brilliant staff and lovely nursery 😊
- There is so much for the children to do and its a clean and friendly environment
- Very helpful and always kept me in the loop during lock down. Flexible sessions are very helpful too.
Montessori Nursery Strensall
- After such a long time away, our toddler has returned to pre-school and been welcomed back with such care and warmth.
Muddy Boots Nursery
- Because they are ace and have been so great since re-opening. Our daughter has had 3 months away and skipped back in as if she’d only missed three minutes. They’ve been as caring and nurturing as always despite the additional restrictions
- Even during lockdown when we paid no fees they were great at keeping in touch. Sent postcards, did online videos, even getting a call from our daughters key person. All as well as staying open to key worker children. Also the amazing efforts they have gone to settle children back in.
- I have been so impressed with how this nursery has communicated with us throughout lockdown, they have consulted with us regularly and we have received regular updates with what is happening via email and social media. Our children have received postcards through the mail from the staff and each week staff have provided challenges for the children to complete at home . Nursery took the opportunity to use these challenges to raise money for Snappy which was great fun and my daughter gained new skills! The nursery has also provided a blog for parents full of helpful activities and resources to keep our little ones entertained and also provided information on financial support and wellbeing for parents! This nursery has gone over and above what has been required of them during this time and we think they are fantastic!
- My little boy is struggling settling back to nursery after lock down but they are trying so hard to make it easier for him .
- Such a smooth re-opening that my 3yr old barely batted an eyelid, you’ve made him feel so comfortable it’s like he hasn’t been away from you!
- Their communication to parents has been second to none during this crisis. We even had a video from the owners to put us at ease about taking our kids back when lockdown eased. Their systems on return have been clear and safe and our kids have just LOVED being there! They provided amazing activities and videos throughout the whole of lockdown which were a God send and I am so grateful for their help and support. THANKS TEAM MUDDY BOOTS! Xx
- They have made the transition back to nursery so smooth and welcoming for the little ones. My son was changing rooms to the next age group and they made sure that there was still a familiar face to welcome him back for a smooth transition. The route to the new room was even made into an adventure by signs telling us that ‘we’re going on a bear hunt!’. They are such a wonderful set of people, I am so glad my son is back and really enjoying himself.
- They have made the transition for the kids getting back to the new normal utterly seamless, I cannot Praise the staff highly enough for the sensitive way they have handled the required changes, we are so Lucky to have them! Bravo muddy boots
- They stayed open to all the key worker children during lockdown, and opened up to more children from 1st June. We always received clear and concise communication, we were even sent a postcard during lockdown and read stories on Facebook, which cheered my little boy up. They have been positive all the way through. My son is loving being back at nursery with his friends. Where parents can relax because the amount of work they have put in to keep the children safe and happy is so obvious to all. Well done Muddy Boots team!
- Transition back to nursery has been seamless – my little one usually struggles with room changes but they’ve made such an effort to maintain continuity that it’s been a breeze. Kept parents updated throughout and cant do enough to support. Just brilliant!
- Great communication and care throughout the covid crisis
- Thank you for all your hard work during the pandemic. We\’d be lost without you!
Orchard Trees Day Nursery
- Great to see Orchard Trees re-opening. They have put some fantastic measures in place to keep children safe, whilst keeping the environment as normal as possible. A warm and loving nursery that my son is so pleased to be back at.
Panda Playgroup
- Providing an excellent transition for my preschooler to return to preschool with no anxiety or uncertainty. She feels safe, happy and secure.
Poppleton Childminders
- The needs of little ones has been thought of, prioritised and provided for where schools or shielding families couldn’t. They’ve been a remarkable team focussing on isolated children, families of key workers and providing early years development for those not at school age. And always Ofsted rated excellent.
Poppleton Road Primary School
- Though we could not send our child back yet I have only heard great things of those who have. Fun activities and staff and children are all happy.
Poppleton Under 5’s Playgroup
- Because they’re a brilliant local group who provide excellent care in the community
- Essential for our little ones to be able to socialise with their friends
- Great friendly pre-school
- Mandy and the team at Poppleton Under 5s have gone above and beyond setting up the preschool for welcoming back children after lockdown. They have also supported children and their families during lockdown by delivering craft activity packs to children at their homes as well as arranging zoom sessions on a weekly basis.
- The children have missed Under Fives so much who were able to reopen to a small bubble in June with strict new regimes. The returning children have had the most wonderful time, enjoying some much needed social interaction while parents have fed back so positively on how happy their children have been after attending, asking to return the next day not to mention the respite it has given them as parents.
- They have been amazing about communicating with My three-year-old during lockdown and transitioning back to her now attending their nursery setting, three mornings a week. My daughter missed them so much. Her happiness and behaviour is so much better for going back to Poppleton Under 5s. They have kept the group that she is in really small and I feel she is so well looked after and taken care of during all of this.
- They have gone out of their way to ensure that the children returning to the setting settled really well. This included zoom story times and singalongs so the staff remainded familiar, collecting information of changes and progress the children had made during lockdown, ensuring everyone was aware of the new routines and set up before they started back and friendly happy faces to welcome them back. My son ran in quite happily on the first day and has thoroughly enjoyed every day! Thank you so much.
- This is an amazing preschool set in a lovely village setting.
Scarcroft Green Nursery
- Fantastic approach to making the children’s return to nursery happy and not scary. Amazing energy and a real love for the children in their care. A really wonderful childcare setting that makes a huge difference to families.
- Doing a scavenger hunt every day. On line stories
Skelton Primary School
- Skelton have made a huge effort to get the pupils back into school, even giving the children special bags to out their uniform in each day.
St Paul’s CE Primary, York
- For being so welcoming and making going back to school a wonderful experience for my daughter in year one. She is loving being back and has adapted very well to the changes due to the gentle way they’ve been introduced, thank you
Straylands Nursery
- They have welcomed my child back with open arms and have been so amazing for the little people who have struggled with the changes – first no nursery, then back.
Sunshine Day Nursery
- The nursery have been very understanding and have have made things so clear in coming back to nursery, I was hesitant to send my one year old back but the manager had a chat with me and made me feel so much better and I am so glad I did send her back as she has loved it
Tiddlywinks Nursery Easingwold
- They have been absolute heroes looking after my little one and all the other children. My little girl skips up the stairs every day and they give me such reassurance that in these tough times our most precious ones are being looked after and their development and progression hasn’t been affected one bit. They are all stars and I love them!
Walmgate Day Nursery
- They have made the transition back to nursery for my 3 year old really easy. They are flexible in letting me send her when I want and she always comes out saying she loves nursery and full of enthusiasm for what she has done.
- The staff are all so loving and caring to all the children. They do such a great range of activities and make it so much fun.
Wheldrake with Thorganby Primary School
- We are so glad you are open to some children again. You have been amazing staying open to Key workers children and have done a fanatstic job of reintegrating reception and year 1 children. The children are loving being back at school and you have made the transition so easy for them.
- Wheldrake with Thorganby primary school Wheldrake school, in particular Miss Tams of reception have been absolutely AWESOME during lockdown. We are so lucky to have them. Miss Tams works tirelessly and even though she has her own family, she always made sure the children in her class were no affected by their absence at school. She came up with great activities like Story Time with Miss Tams, looking at detail at every submission of work etc, sending personalised birthday messages and videos etc and just coming up with amazing programmes for events such as VE Day etc. Miss Tams was born to be a teacher. Not only is she super professional and inspiring but also so warm with the children and parents. It absolutely is a team effort at the school and everyone is wonderful but Miss Tams’ efforts have stood out! Thank you so much for everything you have done during these extremely difficult times. We are very sad that Dhaneel has missed out of months in your class at school, but we also think she has not missed out nearly as much as a lot of other pupils because of your efforts and we believe you deserve this recognition.
York Childcare
- I genuinely don’t know what our family would have done without the support and the nursery provision York Childcare have provided throughout lockdown. Something I feel has really been highlighted throughout all of ‘this’ is how different each family’s circumstances are and how they have been affected by lockdown differently. There is not one size fits all. The wonderful people of York Childcare really seemed to accept this and have been very supportive of our family’s circumstances. This has made a stressful time bearable, meant I could continue my Social Work role throughout and I cannot thank them enough.
York Inspirational Kids
- Ruth and her team run a forum online for other parents to talk to one another and offer help and advice . They set up brilliant events that all children with additional needs an their siblings can get involved in where there wouldn’t otherwise be the opportunity. They run Sports clubs for kids that embrace additional needs and are a welcoming place. There’s so much more that they do that I’ve not covered but they give hope and enjoyment to often very weary parents, and a whole host of opportunities to children who otherwise would miss out.
