Invitation to attend the House of Commons for Hartlepool nursery Footprints Learning for Life owner and manager, Sharon Birch, and her colleague Vivienne Dempsey were privileged to be invited to the Parliamentary Review at the House of Commons - to put forward a paper for ‘best practice’. MPs from all parties, some of the UK’s leading business people and a few celebrities were in attendance at the gala ceremony on 27th March. The nursery’s aim was to raise its profile as a nursery in the north of the country and to put forward its paper highlighting best practice in early years childcare. The staff at the nursery school, founded in 2006 in Hartlepool, focus entirely on providing every child with an equal opportunity for a great start in life, regardless of circumstances. They believe that one size does not fit all, and they cater for individual requirements irrespective of need, culture, race, gender and abilities. Sharon Birch explains a little more about the background and philosophy of her nursery: “I founded Footprints after a 20-year career in the police service. As a mother of three children born within five years, I knew what a busy family needed in terms of childcare. My husband was a service police officer and we spent years juggling childcare with shift work and school hours. It was difficult, and the system was inflexible. My children were not able to attend school nursery ahead of reception due to this inflexibility and we took up their free nursery entitlement. It worked well for us as a family, but I believe parents should have choice. Rigid systems are not compatible with families today. “I took on my children’s old nursery when it was due for closure, and with a personal investment, turned it into ‘Footprints Learning for Life’ – 12 staff and 55 children returned to the nursery after the takeover. The first thing I did was devise a ten-year plan that focused on three main areas: for Footprints to become financially viable, to have a reputation that other providers aspired Happy staff make happy children - which makes happy parents who can carry on their day knowing their children are well cared for. We employ staff at the start and the end of their careers, and everyone in between. towards, and to gain an “outstanding” rating from Ofsted. “In 2016, we achieved these goals, but we had a difficult journey along the way. I was new to running a business and had never employed anyone, but I knew the sort of childcare I wanted to provide. It was hard to break the mould, but, even today, we are one of the few nurseries in the UK that provide these services.” Leadership “I enrolled Footprints in the Investors in People (IIP) programme and we have learned a lot, achieving the standard in 2008 and Gold IIP in 2010. Happy staff make happy children - which makes happy parents who can carry on their day knowing their children are well cared for. We employ staff at the start and the end of their careers, and everyone in between. We have apprentices, students on work placements, nursery nurses, teachers, cooks and drivers, of both sexes. We have low staff turnover and believe in giving staff proper contracts, with only three ‘bank’ staff on zero-hour contracts. They have the same benefits and entitlements as contracted staff, and everyone works very well as a team, irrespective of job role. We invest in staff training and appreciate that everyone works very hard for their wage. We embrace opportunities and encourage students with additional needs and those who have been marginalised due to their circumstances. We also employ staff that are returning to work after a long break. Although we can’t increase wages, I give staff other benefits, such as paying for a health therapist to give treatments, recognition awards at every staff meeting, a Christmas event, highstreet vouchers and a subscription to a scheme that offers perks to employees. In 2012, we won a UK Nursery World Award for team development and we achieved our “outstanding” Ofsted rating in 2016.” Finances “Our income is low in comparison to our geographical area, because our prices are half what our rivals charge, and we have the same overheads. Profits are minimal and there is no spare cash, but thankfully we have a good working relationship with the local authority who ensure that payments for the two-, three-, and four-year-old funded places are completed promptly. Payments from parents, many of whom are in receipt of benefits or are on a low income, are often late, which can also cause cash-flow difficulties. Hartlepool is an area with high deprivation and poverty, and we care for around 180 children a week from a variety of family environments. As a result, many cannot afford additional services, so we provide all meals through our grants and funding. We do not charge for extras, other than transport, and we provide healthy menus, in line with early years guidance from the government. We cater for cultural needs and cook all foods on our premises with fresh, locally-sourced produce. We work with many local businesses and actively support the charities Changing Futures NE and Miles for Men.” Families and childcare “We offer a range of services – breakfast, after-school, holiday club, half and full day care, late evenings and Saturdays – depending on demand. We also open on bank holidays, aside from those over the Christmas period. Every child receives breakfast, a twocourse lunch, a two-course dinner and two snacks throughout the day. Busy families often need to be in two or more places at once, and working patterns and school schedules are often not compatible. Footprints offers flexible childcare sessions for shift workers, as well as term-time-only places for teachers and those that need it. We offer a fully inclusive transport service across town, which is tough to schedule but is complemented by staff who also work flexibly. We have a fleet of four vehicles, operated by qualified, experienced drivers and nursery nurse escorts. This service fosters good relationships with the primary schools across the town, enabling positive transitions for children preparing for school. Our parents currently favour social media as a means of communication. “We are in the process of developing an app for parents to book and pay for sessions, and we have also gone online with a new system that enables parents to view their child’s learning and development journal.” What does the future hold? “We are always looking to enhance our nursery and grow the business within our tight financial constraints. We are innovative and embrace change in a sector that has strict regulations. My vision for the future is to continue giving the families of Hartlepool quality childcare, fit for purpose. I would love to offer children up to the age of seven the opportunity to continue their education with us, as we know that not all are ready for the formal school system. Our emphasis is learning through play and discovery in a variety of different environments, in a variety of different ways.” 4 <strong>Parenta</strong>.com <strong>May</strong> <strong>2019</strong> 5