Pictured: Mary (right) leading a training session at The Totem Pole

A Grantham-based Early Years specialist will find out on Friday (30th September) if she's won the title of Trainer of the Year at the Nursery World Awards taking place in London.

Mary Barlow of The Totem Pole in the grounds of  the Belton Woods Hotel will be attending the Nursery World Awards where she is shortlisted with four others for the prize for the UK's best Early Years trainer.

Mary is no stranger to success at awards ceremonies: in May The Totem Pole won the People Development category in the Grantham Journal Business Awards.

Mary is an Early Years consultant and trainer offering a unique approach to training that is lively, practical and hands on. She is the founder of The Totem Pole, a dedicated Early Years training and resource centre in Grantham, for Early Years workers, teachers, teaching assistants, parents and carers. 

The Totem Pole offers a range of training courses for early years professionals, including Beginning With Babies, a four-day programme where Early Years practitioners develop skills to recognise, acknowledge and nurture babies as independent active learners.

The Totem Pole also sells a broad range of open-ended resources that can be creatively used throughout nurseries, schools and homes, both indoors and out.

"I'm excited  to have been nominated for this award and we're all looking forward to the ceremony on Friday," said Mary.

"To be shortlisted is a celebration of the work we do, the support and value we give to people working in Early Years and the impact it has on the children they work with.."

Liz Roberts, Editor of Nursery World, said: "Our awards shine a light on the hard work, innovation and dedication of those in early years education and childcare, communicating aspects of best practice and helping to raise the profile of the sector. 

"Early years education and childcare services are facing challenging times, with the new Government bringing in many policy changes, funding cuts starting to hit and the Early Years Foundation Stage under review. 

"Yet the fantastic work going on in the sector is often not recognised and rewarded, and the Nursery World Awards aim to put this right."