The acknowledgment took place at an awards ceremony held at Northgate House in Warwick on Friday 23 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), is a Warwickshire County Council initiative co-produced with local families that highlights and celebrates early years settings that excel in offering inclusive settings for children with SEND. Each year, early years settings from across the county participate in the scheme, demonstrating their dedication to ensuring an inclusive environment 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 practices. This can include their work with families to identify and support a range of needs, adaptations made to their environment making them more inclusive, and specialist skills and expertise they have developed to support children with SEND. 

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. 

Warwickshire’s WIncKS settings include day nurseries, childminders, 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 awards: 

South Warwickshire 

• Bizzy Tots, Long Itchington 

• Cygnets, Broad Street 

• Claverdon Village Nursery and Pre-School 

• Little Crofters, Stratford-upon-Avon 

• 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 

• Bermuda Park Nursery 

• 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 

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 

• St Andrews Benn 

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, Woodloes Primary School