Last updated at 12:47, Saturday, 22 September 2012

The children are all immaculately turned out and golden statues are lined up on a table ready to be collected by the winners before speeches are made.

Lily Ashurst

Onlookers applaud as the victorious contestants stroll up to claim their prizes for a job well done.

The walls are lined with posters and glittering colours to celebrate the occasion.

But rather than being a glitzy film or music ceremony held in a swanky London hotel, this event is being held in a nursery in Carlisle.

It’s not the Oscars or the Grammies, but instead the Baftas – and not the ones that immediately spring to mind.

Instead, the acronym stands for Big Achievements for Tiny Academics, and the ceremony is at Little Luvs Nursery in Petteril Bank School.

Their version of the Baftas were devised to pay tribute individually to each of the children leaving for ‘big school’.

The children were all nominated for categories like good communicator, being creative, knowledge of their world, best at ICT and best singer.

Nursery manager Elaine Barker says: “It was one of the staff’s weird and wonderful ideas. The feedback was fantastic and parents loved seeing their children in the nursery environment. The children were excited to see themselves on the TV as well.”

In total there were 16 categories across the board and the children’s creations were displayed and photographed. Video footage of the children in the play environment was used to support their nominations.

The Baftas event was held in connection with the revised Early Years Founding Stage (EYFS) which comes in this month.

The scheme seeks to provide a secure foundation through learning and development opportunities which are planned around the needs and interests of each individual child.

The guidelines state that children are unique and need to believe they are learners and can achieve.

It adds that they have a right to be able to develop their personalities, talents and abilities.

There are four principles that are applied to children under the EYFS and these are that the child is unique, that positive relationships are developed, that the environment is enabling and that they work towards learning and development.

Ms Barker says: “We do an end of year party for each class that goes off to big school.

“We know other nurseries have done proms and things in the past but this was meant to be different. Quite a few parents stayed back to watch the nursery footage of their children.”

Ms Barker adds that although the event was successful, it would be modified if it was carried out again in future.

She explains: “I would absolutely do it again but it was a bit stressful.

“We included a three-course meal with it this time. It was a bit different and special as well.”

The revised EYFS argues that positive relationships with children and families are important to make sure kids feel safe in the learning environment.

In terms of learning, it focuses on prime areas which are personal, social and emotional development, as well as physical development, communications and language.

Other specific areas include literacy, mathematics, understanding the world and expressive arts and design.

Ms Barker believes that the Bafta event allowed parents, carers and children themselves to celebrate their achievements at Little Luvs.

She explains: “Quite a number of the carers had been here since the group of children were just babies. It was a nice way of saying goodbye and thank you for everything they’ve achieved.”

First published at 11:04, Saturday, 22 September 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk