A TEAM of Whitefield nursery workers are celebrating achieving a qualification which has developed their confidence in reading to children.

Ten nursery staff from Toddlers Pre-School Learning, which is located within the Whitefield Hub in Ribble Drive, have achieved the English Speaking Board Reading to a Child qualification.

The learners received training on how to effectively read stories to children, helping develop children’s vocabulary and building a bond between them and their listeners.

Alison Smith, who has owned Toddlers Pre-School Learning since January 2007, believes the training has had a very valuable impact on her workforce.

She said: “The training has been great and my staff have shown real commitment to all aspects of their learning. The skills they have developed whilst gaining this qualification has equipped them to deliver well to pre-school children. We have had a very positive experience working with Bury College and will use them again for future training.”

Two members of staff, Jessica Myers and Rachel Waters, received certificates of excellence.

Jessica, aged 27, from Whitefield, said: “I really enjoyed completing the course and feel that I can express myself now and properly develop a story. It is also great to see the children interacting with the story.”

Sarah Kennedy, aged 41, from Whitefield, who is a room leader and has been employed at the nursery for three years, added: “I have developed a lot of skills by gaining this qualification and it is great to now see how interested the children are when I am reading to them.”

The training was funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) Skills Support for the Workforce.