Forty-three early years settings across Warwickshire have been recognised for the high-quality of their support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The acknowledgment took place at an awards ceremony held at Shire Hall in Warwick on Friday 7th June, where representatives from the early years settings were presented with their award by Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Education, Councillor Kam Kaur.
The award, known as the Warwickshire Inclusion Kitemarking Scheme (WIncKS), celebrates early years settings that excel in offering inclusive early years education for children with SEND. The initiative is run by Warwickshire County Council and co-produced with local families and education and health practitioners.
Each year, early years settings from across the county participate in the scheme, demonstrating their dedication to providing inclusive learning environments for children during their crucial early years.
To apply for WIncKS, early years settings are invited to submit a portfolio of evidence showcasing their inclusive practice. This can include their work with families to identify and support a range of needs, adaptations made to their environment making them more inclusive, the impact of training and the skills and expertise they have developed to welcome and support children with SEND and their families.
Award-winning portfolios emphasise clarity, consistency, commitment, and communication, all aimed at delivering the best outcomes for children. A panel consisting of parents, early years professionals, and SEND professionals from health and education in Warwickshire, review the portfolios and decide on the award recipients.
Cllr Kam Kaur, portfolio holder for Education at Warwickshire County Council, commended the settings in Warwickshire for their hard work and for achieving the WIncKS award in 2024, “As we work towards creating more inclusive learning environments across all phases of education in Warwickshire, I am thrilled to see early years settings across Warwickshire demonstrating such commitment to excellent inclusive practices supporting children with SEND and their families.
“These early years are such a crucial time for a child’s development, so it’s fantastic to see the achievements across a variety of early year’s settings who are all striving to give children the best start in life and building opportunities for them to actively participate in their local communities. It would be great to see even more of our early years providers adopt these inclusive approaches and apply for the 2025 award.”
Warwickshire’s WIncKS settings include day nurseries, nursery schools and classes, and pre-schools which give families options depending on their needs.
You can find further information about WIncKS here.
Early years settings who received the award in 2024:
South Warwickshire
- Bizzy Tots, Long Itchington
- Cygnets, Broad Street
- Claverdon Village Nursery and Pre-School
- Kineton Playgroup
- Little Gregs Pre-School, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Merrydays and Henley Montessori School
- Shipston Pre-School
- Stepping Stones, Claverdon
- Willow Tree Nursery School, Bidford-on-Avon
- Quinton Cygnets
North Warwickshire
- Atherstone Nursery School
- Kingsbury 1st Pre-School
- Little Stars Nursery Mancetter
Nuneaton and Bedworth
- Bedworth Heath Nursery School
- Chilvers Coton Infant School
- Galley Common Nursery
- Stockingford Maintained Nursery School
- Weddington Pre-School
- The Early Learning Camp, Exhall
- Little Learners Day Nursery, Nuneaton
- Kids Planet, George Eliot
- Acorn Wood, Nuneaton
- Wembrook
Rugby
- Bizzy Tots, Clifton Road
- Bright Horizons, Rugby
- Caldecote Day Nursery
- Eastlands Nursery
- Humpty Dumpty Nursery
- Squirrels Pre-School
- St George’s Pre-School
- Tiny Toes Pre-School
- Woodlands, Binley Woods
Warwick and Leamington
- Hampton Magna Pre-School
- Little Willows, Leamington
- Telford Pre-School
- The Purple Playhouse, Leamington
- Warwick Nursery School
- Caterpillar Nursery, Leamington
- Little Stars Christian Preschool, Leamington
- Puddle ducks and POSH, Leamington
- Westgate Pre-School
- Seedlings Nursery, Leamington
- Saplings Pre-school