Nursery Management Today, July-August 2024

July/August 2024 Volume 23 Number 4

nmt-magazine.co.uk

Check out our website

@NMTmagazine

A call to

action

Strategic recruitment initiatives

Financial planning for sustainable growth

Building community trust

It’s Stanley Bear’s 21st

and to celebrate

we’re giving away £10,000

To celebrate our mascot Stanley’s 21st birthday, we

want to celebrate the enduring work and service

of charities that support young children and their

families. If you’re working with a charity or you know an

organisation that’s making a lasting impact, nominate

them to receive one of two gifts of £5,000.

To nominate a charity simply fi ll out the form on the

dot2dot website. Please read the terms and conditions

to check eligibility.

We will put it to a public vote and the winners will be

announced during dot2dot’s birthday celebrations

in September.

the bear that cares

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dot2dot is a trading style of Stanmore Insurance Brokers Ltd who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority - Incorporated in London No728419

nmtcontents

Inside this issue...

July/August 2024 Volume 23 Number 4

nmt-magazine.co.uk

@NMTmagazine

Check out our website

JULY/AUGUST 2024 •

VOLUME 23 NUMBER 4

10

Editor’s Comment .......................................................................... 5

News ............................................................................................................................... 6-8

Leadership .............................................................................................. 10,11

In this leadership series we hear from Jo Turley, managing

director of Ashbourne Day Nurseries

Policy .................................................................................................................................... 12

Briony Richter explores the childcare policies that the

opposition parties have announced

A call to

action

21

30

36

46

Insurance .................................................................................................... 14,15

Jackie Hyde shares advice on how to avoid social

engineering scams

Software ....................................................................................................... 16,17

Software solutions. Susan McGhee shares insights on how

software can be cost-effective and flexible

Property ......................................................................................................... 18,19

Market view, Andrew K Steen reviews the childcare M&A

landscape activity

Equality & Diversity ............................................... 21-23

Claudio Sisera, advocates enriching our nurseries with

greater gender diversity

Linguistic development .......................... 24,25

Sophie Hutton shares ways to support early years educators

in addressing speech, language and communication delay

Business Development ................................. 30,31

Simon John, offers advice about dealing with building

disrepair and commonplace defects.

Analysis ........................................................................................................ 34,35

Justin Deaville shares insights from the marketing agency’s

latest ‘Nursery benchmarking report’.

M&A ......................................................................................................................... 36,37

Nursery group, kinderzimmer explains its journey entering

the UK early years sector

Strategic recruitment initiatives

Financial planning for sustainable growth

Building community trust

Operations .......................................................................................... 40,41

We share our nursery managers round up with the top

news for this issue

Career development ....................................................... 44

Storal shares the details of its leadership programme for

managers

Meet the Manager .................................................................. 46

In this nursery managers series, Charlotte Goddard speaks

to Amina Ahmed, nursery manager at Kids Planet Salford

Quays

Safeguarding ............................................................................. 48,49

Nicole Williamson explores how to embed safeguarding

effectively in your nursery setting

Apprenticeships .............................................................................. 52

Paragon Skills shares the power of apprenticeships

Training ........................................................................................................ 54,55

Charlotte Goddard finds out how the government-funded

Skills Bootcamps can help nursery managers find qualified

staff

nmt-magazine.co.uk July/August 2024 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY 3

2024 EDUCATION EVENTS

2024

2024

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

EVENTS

EVENTS

NMT Owners Club Midlands

NMT Owners Club Midlands

25 NMT January Owners 2024 Club | The Midlands Belfry, Birmingham

25 January 2024 The Belfry, Birmingham

25 January 2024 | The Belfry, Birmingham

NMT Owners Club North

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19 NMT March Owners 2024 Club | Oulton NorthHall, Leeds

19 March 2024 Oulton Hall, Leeds

19 March 2024 | Oulton Hall, Leeds

NMT Owners Club South West

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15 NMT May Owners 2024 | Club Celtic South Manor, West Newport

15 May 2024 Celtic Manor, Newport

15 May 2024 | Celtic Manor, Newport

EducationInvestor Awards

EducationInvestor Awards

13 EducationInvestor June 2024 | Park Awards Plaza Westminster

13 June 2024 Park Plaza Westminster

Bridge, 13 June London 2024 | Park Plaza Westminster

Bridge, London

Bridge, London

Nursery Managers Show


27–28 Nursery June Managers 2024 | NEC, ShowBirmingham

27–28 June 2024 NEC, Birmingham

27–28 June 2024 | NEC, Birmingham

NMT Owners Club South

NMT Owners Club South

12 NMT September Owners Club 2024 South | Marriot, Lingfield

12 September 2024 Marriot, Lingfield

12 September 2024 | Marriot, Lingfield

NMT Owners Club Scotland

NMT Owners Club Scotland

30 10 NMT October Owners 2024 Club | | Dalmahoy Hilton, Scotland Glasgow Hotel & Country

10 October 2024 Hilton, Glasgow

Club, 10 October Edinburgh 2024 | Hilton, Glasgow

Education Summit

Education Summit

18 Education October Summit 2024 | Business Design Centre,

18 October 2024 Business Design Centre,

London 18 October 2024 | Business Design Centre,

London

London



29–30 Nursery November Managers 2024 Show | London

29–30 November 2024 London

29–30 November 2024 | London

National NMT Nursery Awards

National NMT Nursery Awards

30 National November NMT 2024 Nursery | London Awards

30 November 2024 London

30 November 2024 | London

nmtcomment

Chief executive officer

Alex Dampier

Chief operating officer

Sarah Hyman

Chief marketing officer

Julia Payne

Business development director

Mike Griffin

Advertising & event sales director

Caroline Bowern

0797 4643292

caroline.bowern@nexusgroup.co.uk

Event manager

Conor Diggin

Customer success manager

Alba Chamizo Martin

Content marketing manager

Sophie Davies

Marketing campaign manager

Michael Sambrook

Business development executive

Kirsty Parks

Editor

Briony Richter

Features editor

Charlotte Goddard

Subeditor

Charles Wheeldon

Publisher

Harry Hyman

Investor Publishing Limited

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Website: nmt-magazine.co.uk

Nursery Management Today is published six times a year

by Investor Publishing Ltd. ISSN 1476-136X

© Investor Publishing Limited 2023

Views and comments expressed by individuals in the

magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publishers

and no legal responsibility can be accepted for the results of

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given in this publication, either in editorial or advertisements.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

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Staffing levels can’t

continue like this

Entering the full summer months,

we’ve seen healthy movement across

the sector in regard to the M&A

landscape, but with the beginning of the

childcare expansion offer fully in swing,

there are still barriers for operators as they

navigate the new policy.

Savills’ report ‘Three trends in the

early years sector to look out for in 2024’

outlined what to consider for the rest of

this year as we see significant changes to

policy and the funding models.

One of the report’s main points was

the challenges surrounding recruitment

and retention. Staffing is arguably the

dominant theme within the sector at

present, with operators often citing this as

their biggest operational challenge. While

this is not a new problem, it has continued

to trap operators in a difficult cycle of

constantly hiring and training.

The crux of the problem can be

attributed to the high cost of labour, as

wages typically consume 50-60% of an

operator’s turnover. Given the increase

in staffing required to support the

government’s childcare expansion offer,

there are concerns surrounding how this

will be enacted with the current state of the

labour market.

Furthermore, with the changes to

staff-to-child ratios, there are continued

concerns about the quality of childcare

delivered if staffing challenges aren’t

improved.

Over the coming months, operators

will need to focus on staff retention and

deliver clear career progression to aid staff

satisfaction and retention. The government

must also look for ways to support

operators as the costs of running a nursery

business continue to increase.

Cairneagle has also highlighted staffing

as one of the main concerns for early

years settings. The international strategy

consultancy firm periodically sends out

surveys across the sector. Its last one noted

that since early 2023 the sector has had

some mixed fortunes (including occupancy

being held back by staffing, and margin

pressure on account of the inflationary

environment and agency costs), interest

rates have increased further, and a few

groups have needed to double down on

optimising their existing estate rather than

focus on growth.

As a result, the firm had noticed some

easing of demand for acquisitions, and

so prices have softened a little. Moving

forward to this year, Cairneagle has sent

out another survey due to the government’s

rollout for funded childcare with plans to

extend gradually the 30-hour funding to

all children aged from nine months to five

years by September next year.

It’s undeniably an unprecedented

policy move from the government and

one that could bring about significant

transformation for the sector if it is

balanced wisely with financial support for

operators.

However, Cairneagle stated that staffing

remains a particular challenge, and a lack

of qualified staff could hinder providers’

ability to benefit from the new demand.

Arun Kanwar, managing partner at

Cairneagle said: “Cairneagle regularly

surveys UK nursery operators to

understand their views on key issues.

Whilst funding could stimulate enrolment

for some, staffing and capacity constraints

might hinder providers’ ability to fully

benefit from the new demand, and other

operating challenges may remain. We’d like

to collaborate with nurseries and groups

to understand the current and future

implications of the new funding scheme, as

well as the general environment.”

Briony Richter

Editor, Nursery Management Today

briony.richter@nexusgroup.co.uk


nmtnews

Politics & Policy

The Public Accounts Committee

published its recommendations to

the Department for Education as

preparations to extend the childcare

entitlement offer continues.

The committee highlighted that the

department made good progress getting

the programme off the ground but now

faces huge challenges in increasing the

numbers of places available for children.

Recommendation 1: The department

should urgently develop a series of

interim milestones to provide assurance

to Parliament that the expansion is on

track, and set out its contingency plans

should available data indicate growth in

places and the workforce are below what

is required.


is relying primarily on increases in

hourly rates being enough to incentivise

providers to increase places, without

clarity over how providers plan to use the

funding. The department should build a

clear understanding of how providers have

used the additional funding and whether

the funding incentivises the market to

expand.


should develop and publish a long-term

workforce strategy and delivery plan

to address recruitment challenges and,

working with stakeholders, the root causes

of poor retention.


should put in place a system to monitor

and report on whether the programme is

delivering the intended benefits, including

whether parents are getting access to the

early years hours required.


should make clear how it plans to track

how the new entitlements will specifically

impact access to places and the attainment

of disadvantaged children and those with

SEND.


should continuously monitor the impact

of extended entitlements on the quality

of childcare provision. It should be clear

that it will be prepared to act if there is

evidence that quality is falling.

The Royal Foundation Business

Taskforce for Early Childhood has

published a new report that highlights the

financial benefits of investing in the early

years sector.

The report, ‘Prioritising early childhood

for a happier, healthier society’ was

produced by Deloitte on behalf of the

taskforce and sets out how a greater focus

on early childhood would support a more

productive and sustainable workforce

landscape.

Since the inception of the taskforce

in 2023 its membership has grown to

include businesses such as Aviva, The Cooperative

Group, Deloitte, Iceland Foods,

IKEA UK and Ireland, The Lego Group,

NatWest Group and Unilever UK. They

have collectively worked together to boost

the role businesses can play in supporting

the sector.

The report details how investing in early

years could generate at least £45.5 billion

in value added for the national economy

each year. It goes on to claim that this

includes £12.2 billion from equipping

people with improved social and

emotional skills in early childhood, £16.1

billion from reducing the need to spend

public funds on remedial steps for adverse

childhood experiences and £17.2 billion

from supporting parents and caregivers of

under-fives who work.

The nursery sector has called on the

government for stricter food standards.

Several industry industry leaders,

representing more than 150 early years

6 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY July/August 2024 nmt-magazine.co.uk

nmtnews

settings across the UK have submitted a

joint letter to government leaders calling

for action to turn the tide on nationwide

childhood health and obesity issues. The

letter highlights that with increasing

access to free childcare, more and more

parents of children under the age of five

will become reliant on early years settings

to provide nutritious meals.

The campaign comes as a OnePoll survey

found that nearly 70% of parents were

unaware that there are no governmentbacked

regulations on what nutritious food

should consist of in early years settings.

Almost 90% of parents agreed that the

government should do more to ensure

children in nursery are being fed well.

Jonny Player, managing director at

Nursery Kitchen, is leading the campaign

and said: “The health of our children

must become an important discussion

in Parliament. Early years settings are

becoming increasingly responsible for

feeding young children and ensuring

Britain’s next generation lead healthy and

happy lives.

“As industry leaders, we are in

agreement that our organisations, large

and small, must have strong policies in

place that recognise the importance of

proper nutrition in early years settings,

but we need political leadership to act on

the state of the nation’s health now, and

instruct lasting change.”

Office for National Statistics analysis

revealed that families in affluent areas

have more access to funded childcare than

those in poorer areas

Access to childcare is calculated as an

equivalent number of childcare places per

100 children aged from newborn to seven

years, accessible from a neighbourhood.

Affluent areas like St Albans and

Cambridge had the highest levels of

childcare access. Areas such as Torridge

and Walsall had the lowest levels of access,

with both having just 12 places available

out of 100.

Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of

National Day Nurseries Association, said:

“These statistics paint a troubling picture

that echoes the concerns we have been

sharing about funded places. They show

that those children from disadvantaged

backgrounds, who have the most to gain

from high-quality early education and

care, tend to be the least likely to have

access to those places.

“Children from poorer backgrounds

who don’t receive this support early on

will arrive at primary school many months

behind their peers and this persists onto

secondary school and later life chances.

Nursery news

All About Children and Just Childcare

have officially relaunched as Partou UK,

following their 2021 acquisition by Dutch

childcare provider Partou.

Partou UK will have access to the

resources of more than 700 childcare

centres and 9,000 Partou staff across the

UK and continental Europe.

UK managing director Samantha

Rhodes said: “The insights and experience

we gather from all of those settings are

shared amongst us all, so that every child’s

journey with us is a learning opportunity.”

Storal, a UK nursery group with 31

registered settings has announced the

appointment of Daniel Day as finance

director.

In this newly created role for the

company, Daniel will lead a finance

team in providing clear financial

and performance information,

strong financial control and valuable

commercial decision support. Day will

ensure development of a finance team

which is fit for the business today as well

as future-proofed for the larger business

Storal will be in the future.

Daniel joins Storal from Independent

Builders Merchant Group, the largest

independent merchant business in

the South of England, with over 180

branches, where he acted as finance

director for over two and a half years. Day

l, an ACA qualified chartered accountant,

brings a wealth of knowledge to Storal,

including valuable experience gained

from senior finance roles at Tesco and

Mothercare.

Day is the latest hire in the Storal

leadership team which has been

strengthened significantly over the last

couple of years with the appointments of

Shanti Flynn as head of education, Jane

Gray as head of marketing, Emma Bate

as head of operations and most recently

Fiona Todd as head of people.


nmtnews

Sector Support

Settling in support. Settling in a little

one can be a stressful experience. Grandir

UK outline ways to reduce the stress and

support your child to make the transition

to nursery easier, more successful and

stress free.

We often get asked if settling in sessions

are necessary, and the answer is 100%, yes!

Settling in sessions are shorter, an hour

or two, and help you and your child get

used to being apart. To begin with, you,

your child and your child’s key person

will have a session together to help your

little one get used to someone new. These

sessions provide a gentle approach to

nursery life, reducing separation anxiety

which is very common in children from

0-5 years and managing the stress that

moving to nursery can cause in this age

group.

It’s important to learn calming methods

in your nursery. There are many effective

ways of calming down children, that

include using breathing techniques, calm

corners for children to relax and regulate

their emotions in, and the use of colour

to help communicate and understand

emotions.■

NurseryCare


nmtleadership

Meet the Leadership

Briony Richter speaks to Jo Turley, managing director of Ashbourne Day Nurseries,

about her leadership role and what drives her to improve childcare across the sector

Describe your career in the early

years sector and how you came to

your current role?

I embarked on my journey in the early

years sector in 1998, after gaining a Level

3 qualification. My first role was as a

nursery practitioner in an independent

nursery, which gave me a strong

foundation in hands-on childcare. I then

spent several years abroad working as a

nanny. This period not only allowed me to

experience different cultural approaches

to childcare but also honed my skills

in providing individualised care and

education.

Upon returning to the UK, I was eager

to further develop my career. I joined

Leapfrog Nurseries, which later became

part of Busy Bees, where I dedicated

eight years, starting as a room leader and

progressing through to regional manager.

My journey then continued with Bright

Horizons, where I dedicated 12 years

to various roles, leaving in the role of

operations project director. This phase

of my career was particularly enriching

as it combined strategic oversight with a

deep understanding of day-to-day nursery

operations.

My journey then led me to senior

leadership positions at Kiddi Caru and

“I focused on enhancing

educational outcomes

and operational

efficiencies, always

with an eye on creating

nurturing environments

for children and

supportive workplaces

for staff.”

Jo Turley

Bright Stars. In these roles, I focused on

enhancing educational outcomes and

operational efficiencies, always with an

eye on creating nurturing environments

for children and supportive workplaces

for staff.

Finally, in August 2023, I was thrilled

to join Ashbourne Day Nurseries as

managing director. This role represents

the culmination of my career experiences,

allowing me to bring together my passion

for early years education and my extensive

leadership experience to further the vision

and mission of Ashbourne Day Nurseries.

I am incredibly excited to lead a team

that is dedicated to delivering exceptional

care and education to young children

and to continue driving innovation and

excellence in our nurseries.

What’s the most challenging aspect

of being a chief executive and how

have you adapted your leadership

style to get the best results?

The most challenging aspect of being

a CEO is ensuring the alignment of

our business strategy across a diverse

network of nurseries. It’s crucial to

have the right people in the right roles

and foster a cohesive team. I focus on

clear communication to keep everyone

aligned, nurturing our team’s potential,

and avoiding silos to maintain a unified

approach. My leadership style involves

coaching and mentoring, striking a

balance between guidance and autonomy,

and maintaining a strategic, big-picture

perspective to drive sustainable growth

and innovation.


“When considering

expansion, we start

by analysing the

demographics to

identify potential

demand in new areas.”

What’s been the most rewarding

part of your job?

Being with the children and seeing their

joy and growth. Returning to the nursery

environment always reminds me why

we do what we do – it’s all for them. It’s

incredibly fulfilling to witness the positive

impact Ashbourne Day Nurseries has had

in such a short period. Our team’s efforts

have made a significant difference, and

it’s heartening to see the tangible effects

of our work on the children and their

families.

How do you assess the viability of

expanding into new locations and

what factors do you consider?

When considering expansion, we start by

analysing the demographics to identify

potential demand in new areas. It’s crucial

to ensure that our business is stable and

capable of absorbing growth – expanding

on shaky foundations isn’t viable. Timing

is key; we only move forward when it

aligns with our overall business readiness.

Proper due diligence is essential, including

evaluating the demand in the target

location and ensuring we can support new

sites without compromising our existing

operations.

How do you prioritise growth

initiatives while maintaining high

standards of educational quality

and care across all settings?

Quality is our foremost priority, and we

never pursue growth at the expense of

educational standards and care. We focus

on growing in a way that upholds our

commitment to excellence, ensuring that

every new initiative is backed by a robust

quality framework. Our approach is to

expand thoughtfully, ensuring that each

new setting meets our high standards and

enhances our overall capability to deliver

exceptional care and education.

Employee wellbeing initiatives

continue to evolve to meet the

diverse needs of staff. What

wellbeing policies are you most

proud of?

I’m incredibly proud of our

comprehensive wellbeing initiatives that

reflect our commitment to our staff.

We’ve introduced an extensive benefits

programme and established an internal

wellbeing lead to provide support and

guidance. Our Employee Assistance

Program offers confidential counselling

and resources, and we celebrate Employee

Appreciation Month to recognise our

team’s hard work.

Recognising the demanding nature

of childcare, how do you address

and prioritise work-life balance for

your team?

We prioritise work-life balance by leading

by example and offering flexibility

to accommodate our team’s unique

needs. Building strong relationships

and connecting with our staff is key to

understanding their individual situations.

By fostering open communication and

being adaptable, we create an environment

where our team feels supported and can

manage their personal and professional

lives effectively.

What are your priorities for 2024?

This year our main priorities revolve

around maintaining and enhancing

quality while driving business growth.

We are focused on strengthening our

education and curriculum strategy,

including developing our own curriculum

framework, to further enhance our

operational excellence in the sector.■

Get curious about coding with

our new woodland friends

developed

products

Shop all NEW for 2024 at hope-education.co.uk


nmtpolicy

Compare the parties

With the election here at last, childcare has taken centre stage. Briony Richter explores recent

manifesto pledges and what to expect in the coming months

Globally, more voters than ever in

history will head to the polls this

year as at least 64 countries (plus

the EU), representing about 49% of the

world’s population, are meant to hold

national elections. The results of these will

be consequential for decades to come.

The political parties in the UK have

been touting their childcare policies for

the past year, ever since the 2023 Spring

Budget announced the Conservative

government would expand funded

childcare places.

This policy has already begun with

the first stage kicking off in April. While

undeniably a step in the right direction,

there hasn’t been enough support for

providers to navigate the rising costs of

wages and of running their operations.

What has Labour announced?

Recently, Labour pledged to create more

than 100,000 new nursery places for

children from nine months old, with a

promise to help drive up the quality of

care delivered and to support working

parents.

The party plans to set up more

than 3,300 new nurseries in existing

primary schools in England to support a

significant expansion of childcare. It has

been estimated that the party will spend

£140 million on this plan to refurbish

classrooms to make them appropriate for

“However, similar to the

Conservatives, Labour has

been criticised on how this

will be fully funded and what

additional efforts will be made

to improve staffing to cope

with the demand for childcare.”

early years education.

However, similar to the Conservatives,

Labour has been criticised on how this

will be fully funded and what additional

efforts will be made to improve staffing to

cope with the demand for childcare. The

party has already stated that the proposals

will in part be funded by its plan to levy

VAT on private school fees. However,

nothing more has been announced on

how the staffing levels will be increased.

Analysis conducted by the Department

for Education in May estimated that

the early years workforce needs to grow

by around 40,000 between now and

September next year, a 12% increase

compared to July 2023.

Asked how Labour’s proposals would

be sustainable without spending more on

staffing, Sir Keir Starmer stated: “We do

need to deal with the staffing issues, that’s

within the government’s costing… we

need to have a properly thought-through

recruitment process, which we’re rolling

out.”

The Liberal Democrats

In its manifesto, published in June, the

Liberal Democrats pledged that everyone

will be able to access childcare that is

flexible, affordable and fair. It aims to

achieve this by reviewing the current rates

paid to providers for free hours to ensure

that they can actually cover the costs of

delivering high-quality childcare.

To address the staffing crisis, it has

pledged to create a career strategy

for nursery staff, including a training

programme with the majority of those

working with children aged two to four

to have a relevant early years qualification

or be working towards one. Furthermore,

there will be a specific emphasis on

supporting children with SEND in the

new training programme.

In its manifesto, which Liberal

Democrat leader Ed Davey described

“Let’s not forget, this comes

at a pivotal time for the

sector as it grapples with the

expanded early entitlement

rollout against a backdrop of

a staffing crisis.”

as “fully costed”, the party has pledged

to close the attainment gap by giving

disadvantaged children aged three and

four an extra five funded hours early

education entitlement a week, as well as

tripling the Early Years Pupil Premium to

£1,000 a year.

This extra five funded hours policy

would then be extended to disadvantaged

two-year-olds when public finances allow,

to start building towards a universal, fulltime

entitlement for all two- to four-yearolds.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early

Years Alliance, said: “At the Alliance, we

have long called for an early years strategy

which recognises the vital need for every

child to access high-quality early years

while ensuring that the sector itself can

sustainably deliver this. As such, it is

positive to see that the Liberal Democrats’

manifesto includes several policies that look

to address this – particularly the pledges to

treble Early Years Pupil Premium, review

funding rates and implement a career

strategy for the workforce.

“Ultimately, however, the devil is in

the detail. While we welcome the party’s

commitment to the sector, so far, detail

on how these would be implemented

remains scant.

“Let’s not forget, this comes at a pivotal

time for the sector as it grapples with the

expanded early entitlement rollout against

a backdrop of a staffing crisis.”■


Give your staff practical experience, learning

from experts, all whilst developing essential

knowledge, skills and behaviours in the

rewarding field of childcare.

Pave the way for a stable and fulfilling

career. Join us today and make a positive

difference in the lives of others.

We cover:

Childcare

Education

Professional Services

Contact us

tel: 0800 783 2545

email: hello@pgon.co.uk


nmtinsurance

Stay one step ahead

Do you know the difference between vishing and phishing? Would your team be able to spot a social

engineering scam? Jackie Hyde, managing director of nursery insurer dot2dot, shares advice on how to

avoid falling into a trap

In the past few months, we have seen

several successful cyberattacks on early

years. From nursery owners receiving

calls from HMRC requesting immediate

payment of an overdue debt, to criminals

infiltrating email accounts and sending

payment requests. All of these crimes

come under the umbrella term of social

engineering fraud, where unwittingly you

let the criminals in, and they are able to

defraud you of money.

What is social engineering fraud?

Put simply, social engineering is

the hacking of people. It’s a way of

manipulating individuals into sharing

information or influencing them into

making mistakes, leaving the business

compromised and open to exploitation. It

isn’t necessarily complex or sophisticated.

Fraudsters use confidence tricks and

pressure to encourage poeple to do

something they might not ordinarily do.

Types of social engineering fraud

There are many varieties of social

engineering activities. Here are some your

staff need to be aware of:

Phishing

The most common form of social

engineering fraud and according to cyber

industry research, 81% of businesses have

“All of these crimes come

under the umbrella term

of social engineering

fraud, where unwittingly

you let the criminals

in, and they are able to

defraud you of money.”

seen an increase in phishing in the past

year. Phishing attacks are untargeted and

usually sent en masse. They can be text

messages or emails and usually look like

they are from a reputable company. Their

purpose is to entice the recipient to visit

a website that introduces malware onto a

device. You have most likely received such

communications claiming to be from the

Post Office, a delivery company or a bank.

Vishing

The voice version of phishing. Victims

get an urgent call or voicemail requesting

payment of an overdue debt, with some

using artificial intelligence to make these

much more believable. You’ve probably

had one of the robot voice ones claiming

to be HMRC.

However, vishing is getting more

sophisticated, and the voices are more

realistic. Criminals can also spoof phone

numbers by making it look like you are

receiving a call from someone in your

phone book. Add a bit of crackling to

make it sound like it’s a bad line and you

might just fall for it. This form of attack is

usually targeted at a high-profile person in

your organisation.

Fake chief executive fraud

This occurs when fraudsters impersonate

senior executives by gaining access to their

emails. Once they are in, the criminals

ask a member of the finance team or a

relevant manager to make an unusual,

urgent and/or highly confidential

payment. These attacks often take place

when the senior person is out of the

office and uncontactable, for example, by

being on holiday or attending an event.

This information is often available to the

fraudsters on social media.

Mandate fraud

This is where third-party fraudsters

Jackie Hyde

purport to be a legitimate supplier or

payment recipient asking your team to

change supplier bank details on your

system. Often these requests are made

on professional-looking headed paper

with logos etc. Frequently they contain

the fraudster’s telephone number on the

instruction, to intercept any calls to query

the matter. Payments owed to the supplier

are then made to the new bank account.

Often it’s only when the legitimate

supplier questions their non-payment that

the fraud is discovered.

What’s the cost to a business if it

falls victim?

According to research from our insurer,

Aviva, for a quarter of all cyber victims, the

cost was more than £10,000. However, an

attack can sometimes cost millions. Even

for moderate-sized businesses, claims data

shows that 10% of the cyber claims in 2023

were valued in excess of £50,000.

It’s not just the financial cost. Almost

a third of businesses that experienced

a cyberattack also suffered operational

disruption, with one-in-five hit by a loss of

data and being locked out of systems. As

you can imagine, these attacks are lucrative


business to fraudsters and because they

are relatively simple to set up and replicate

they’re being seen in all areas of the

economy in all business types and sizes.

How can you protect your

business?

1. Train your staff to look for fraud.

Remind staff to be as vigilant with

business data as they are with their

own. When looking for phishing

attacks, urgent language, spelling and

grammar errors are often an easy-tospot

giveaway. There’s lots of training

available online – ncsc.gov.uk/ is a

great place to start.

2. Make sure you’re using security. Your

IT provider will be able to help with

cybersecurity, but you need to make

sure everyone is using it correctly.

That means ensuring that multi-factor

authentication is being used on all

systems that allow it. Ensure that all

devices have installed the latest updates

as these often contain fixes to gaps that

criminals could exploit. Plus check you

have policies in place to reinforce these

behaviours.

3. Have good habits. Don’t reuse passwords

– all passwords should be complex,

unique and not easy to guess. Don’t

store them on your laptop. If you can’t

remember all your passwords, consider

a password manager. Check what you’re

sharing on social media; does it give

criminals information that could be

used to manipulate, such as you’re on

holiday with a poor phone signal? Or

does it give clues to your password such

as your children’s or pet’s names’ or your

wedding anniversary?

4. Be prepared. Make sure you have a

backup of all your data so that should

you lose everything you won’t have to

start from scratch. Backup regularly

and securely – again, your IT provider

will be able to help with this. Ensure

your business continuity plan includes

what to do if criminals infiltrate your

systems – can you still open if you can’t

access your IT? Make sure you have

cyber insurance in place. Not only

would insurance help your business

recover after an attack financially,

insurers have the expertise to help

with the investigation. Forensic cyber

analysts will examine how entry was

gained; they will search the dark web

for any leaked information and help

you with reporting what is needed to

regulators such as the Information

Commissioner’s Office, taking the

stress off your hands.

Finally, be on guard and trust your

instincts. We usually sense when

something isn’t right, so encourage

staff to use that instinct. Don’t open

documents you weren’t expecting and

don’t blindly follow instructions on screen

or received via email without checking

their authenticity. Things might take a

bit longer, but as a business owner myself

I’d rather my team checked an unusual

payment, rather than just paying it

because it’s less inconvenient.

If you want to talk more about the risks

that nurseries face, please don’t hesitate to

get in touch. ■

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nmtsoftware

A tool for childcare

providers

UK childcare services are becoming more expensive, with less availability, but there may be help

in the form of a childcare management system from north of the border, explains Susan McGhee,

chief executive of Flexible Childcare Services Scotland

According to Coram’s latest

childcare survey the average cost

of a part-time childcare place

for a child under two in a nursery in

Scotland has risen by 6.9% and is now

£125.42 a week (£6,020 a year). For a

two-year-old the price has risen by 6.8%

and is now £120.15 a week (£5,767 a

year).

On top of this, places for under-twos

have dropped by 13%. Funded places for

eligible twos has also dropped by 33%,

and places for funded three and four year

olds have dropped by 30%.

According to Coram, the cost of

energy, staff, food and rent were

each cited by 24% of Scotland’s local

authorities as factors decreasing business

sustainability. They also cited the

cost of recruiting and retaining staff

and of parents’ and carers’ abilities to

pay for places as other major factors

in sustainability, leading to business

closures, further compounding the issue.

Added to this, local authorities in

Scotland don’t have the data relating to

the availability of regulated childcare

“According to Coram,

the cost of energy,

staff, food and rent

were each cited by

24% of Scotland’s local

authorities as factors

decreasing business

sustainability.”

outside funded entitlements. And there’s

little or no knowledge regarding the

unregulated children’s activity clubs

that are often used as informal childcare

meaning that they are unable to

effectively support parents who rely on

childcare to get back to work.

Indeed, according to the Joseph

Rowntree Foundation, 54% of people

who are in families where no one is

working are in poverty and full-time

work plays an important role in reducing

the risk of poverty in Scotland.

A solution from Scotland

Thankfully there’s a new childcare

management tool that aims to support

providers to become more sustainable

and will help parents find the childcare,

and children’s activities, they need to

enable them to return to, or remain in,

work, training or education, helping

them to adjust to cost increases while

helping them to increase their household

income.

Caerus (care-us) is a new tool that

allows childcare and activity providers

to advertise and manage their services.

With its development funded by the

Hunter Foundation and the Scottish

government the core functionality of

Caerus is free to use for parents and

providers alike.

With Caerus, providers can advertise

their services, take bookings and

enquiries, manage their service users and

always make sure that they have enough

staff to support the delivery of their

activities.

The search, find and book

functionality, available to parents, will

support providers to achieve occupancy

targets and drive business growth.

The data reports generated from

the natural search activity across the

product will provide useful information

for planning teams allowing them to

measure supply and demand, identify

capacity gaps, and plan for resource

deployment. It will:


“We need greater value

and respect for our

workforce and better

career development

opportunities. And

crucially we need funding

levels to be set at a rate

that truly values and

invests in our sector.”

• Provide information on capacity and

identify any gaps so that providers can

quickly respond.

• Give access to live statistical

information to inform planning and

budgeting.

• Guide investment in service

development.

• Reduce the time needed to complete

administrative tasks and reporting.

Can tech really solve this problem?

Ever tried to do a really challenging

jigsaw puzzle without any clue about

what it should look like? Not an easy

task, yet one that’s akin to the challenge

of trying to solve the UK’s childcare

challenge without really understanding

the current picture. While technology

alone isn’t a magic solution to all of the

challenges facing the UK’s childcare

sector, it is an important tool in the

arsenal that will overcome this challenge.

Here’s why:

• People are used to, and comfortable

with, managing their lives through

digital solutions. Caerus gives parents

the power to find and manage all of

their early learning and childcare,

school age childcare, and children’s

activities in one place.

• It facilitates easy bookings and

communications between parents and

providers.

• It empowers providers to manage

service user accounts, profiles,

bookings, administration, marketing,

rota planning, record-keeping and

more in one secure place.

• It notifies providers of searches in

their area and nearby, highlighting

opportunities for business growth.

• Data is a valuable tool that informs

policymakers, planners and business

owners to enable them to create

solutions that will change the face of

our childcare and children’s services

sectors.

Of course we need more, we need

a willingness and commitment from

national and local government to work

with the sector to get this right. We

need greater value and respect for our

workforce and better career development

opportunities. And crucially we need

funding levels to be set at a rate that truly

values and invests in our sector.

But the Caerus solution can help by

providing the live data that warrants our

policymakers to design and deliver an

infrastructure that supports our sector,

and the families we serve, to thrive and

flourish.

Indeed, the Caerus solution is

recommended by independent think

tank The Centre for Social Justice,

whose recent report on economic

inactivity in Scotland said: “On a very

practical note, one such project with

evidenced outcomes which the Scottish

Government should support is the roll

out of the FCSS Childcare App (Caerus)

across Scotland. This would allow more

low income families to increase their

income by taking advantage of flexible,

reasonably priced childcare. Once proven

successful, this provides an opportunity

for Scotland to lead the UK by setting

an example that others will follow. After

rollout in Scotland, we believe that the

Westminster Government should trial

and adopt this model in England.”

You can find out more about Caerus

and the Flexible Childcare Services

Scotland team’s vision to support the

sector via: caerus.scot, and you can meet

the team, see demos and contribute to

the tools ongoing development at the

NMT Owners Club event in Scotland,

on 30 October at the Dalmahoy Hotel &

Country Club in Edinburgh.■


nmtproperty

A confident first half-year

Andrew K Steen, managing director of Redwoods Dowling Kerr, reviews childcare market M&A

activity over the first half of 2024 and considers the changes in buyer and seller expectations

It’s been a strong year so far for UK

deal activity within the childcare

sector.

Here at Redwoods Dowling Kerr,

our specialist childcare team has seen

significant activity throughout the first

half, with 22 businesses sold in the first

quarter and a strong pipeline of deals

expected to complete in the second half

of the year.

Buyers remain a mixed picture

The sector remains an attractive

proposition for investors due to stable

returns, a fragmented market and

the potential for strategic growth

opportunities.

We continue to see interest from

first time entrants to the market and

there remains a strong demand for

high-quality single settings. We are also

experiencing a healthy appetite for group

sales and our childcare business experts

enjoy great working relationships with

a number of large providers, supporting

them on their strategic acquisition plans.

Early this year the completion of

Project Enzo saw the sale of a group

of four children’s day nurseries with a

combined capacity for 368 children

when Fledglings in Manchester was sold

in a deal brokered by Redwoods, to Kids

Planet Nurseries.

In another recent example, the team

handled the sale of Phoenix Park

Nursery, a group of two childcare

settings in Nottingham with a combined

capacity for more than 200 children.

Following multiple viewings and offers,

the business sold to newly founded

childcare group, ICP Educare – the early

years platform backed by the specialist

education sector investor Innervation

Capital Partners.

Deal trends this year

In general we have noted transactions

taking slightly longer to complete. This

is true of M&A in most sectors, but

certainly we have seen with a number

of our childcare business sales this year,

more focus on due diligence from buyers.

Always a critical part of the acquisition

process, due diligence has in some cases

become more comprehensive. With the

emphasis on detailed information about

a business which can include financials,

performance, regulatory and operational

efficiency, as well as details on any

properties involved in a transaction,

we continue to work closely with our

Andrew K Steen

clients to ensure they are fully prepared

to enter the sales process to enable

the transaction to run as smoothly as

possible.

We have also noticed a slight softening

on deal multiples this year. However,

we have also seen premium values being

achieved for high-quality settings in

high demand areas. And in these cases

“We continue to see

interest from first time

entrants to the market

and there remains a

strong demand for highquality

single settings.”


“Current conditions make

2024 a favourable time

for business owners to

sell, with government

initiatives supporting early

childhood education and

robust market demand.”

“We have also noticed a slight softening on

deal multiples this year. However, we have

also seen premium values being achieved for

high-quality settings in high demand areas.”

we have seen a number of offers being made and transactions

completing in a matter of a few months.

nursery over a number of years, we understand how important

it is to see a return on the hard work and investment and to see

your business in the hands of the right buyer. With this in mind,

it remains important to plan ahead as far as possible to take

advantage of optimal market conditions. ■

Visit us at STAND H32

27 - 28 June

Is now the right time to sell?

At the time of writing, the general election is imminent, but

in any event, for some time now the possibility of a change in

government in 2024 has led to a number of business owners

making the decision to exit. With concerns as to what the

future may hold, there is an understandable desire to crystallise

business asset value under the current tax regime.

Current conditions make 2024 a favourable time for

business owners to sell, with government initiatives supporting

early childhood education and robust market demand. The

sector’s resilience during economic fluctuations has been

proven, making it a stable investment with buyers looking to

expand market presence or enter the market looking for wellestablished,

well-run businesses that can quickly bring a return

on investment. By capitalising on these conditions, nursery

owners can secure a profitable exit and ensure the continued

success and growth of their businesses under new ownership.

Looking ahead

We believe M&A activity in the UK childcare market will

maintain resilience. As mentioned, the combination of

economic and political changes is making this an appealing

time for some owners to exit.

For any business owner who has worked hard to build their

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Course Overview:

Become an early-years apprentice

through the Level 3 Early Years

Educator Skills Bootcamp!

(Please note this Skills Bootcamp is

not suitable for those NOT wanting

to progress onto an accelerated early

years apprenticeship programme or

those who are self-employed).

With the government pledge to

increase the number of eligible places

for free childcare hours starting

in April 2024, there is a significant

demand for entry-level employment

within the early years sector.

This 12-week government-funded online early years training

course offers a solid foundation for a new fulfilling career in

childhood education and a fast-track

route to an apprenticeship. Upon

completing the Skills Bootcamp

programme with our training partner,

The Skills Network, you will be

ideally positioned to embark on an

accelerated career as an Early Years

Educator Apprentice.

Those who progress onto the Early

Years Educator apprenticeship will

benefit from a reduced study length

and will benefit from supported

employment opportunities with well-established early-years

employers like us.

When you enrol, The Skills Network will pay for a mandatory

Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) for all Early Years

apprenticeship learners. The Skills Network team will be in touch

with you to arrange this.

Failure to complete an enhanced

DBS check could affect your ability

to take up a position in an early

year’s setting.

Key Information

Course Length – 12 weeks

Course Level – Level 3

Learning Methods:

• Group live learning sessions

• Online materials

• Online assessment

Benefits:

An accelerated route to a paid apprenticeship with reduced

length of study time

A guaranteed offer of a job interview for those seeking a new

job role.

A free enhanced DBS check.

Fully online course with group live learning sessions

Study from anywhere.

Access to an award-winning e-learning platform.

Support and guidance from a dedicated Learning Support Adviser

throughout your course.

Unlimited support from qualified tutors.

Receive a digital e-certificate upon completion of all mandatory

learning and a successful job offer related to the Skills Bootcamp.

No hidden costs.

Eligibility Criteria:

Skills Bootcamps are for:

Adults aged 19 or over as of the 31st August 2023

Adults who are employed and looking to move into a new sector

and start an entry-level role.

Learners who are recently unemployed (for less than 12 months)

or returning to work after a break and are looking to get started

with an entry-level job in a new sector.

Learners who are looking to build upon a Skills Bootcamp by

moving onto an accelerated early years apprenticeship

Applicants who have lived in England for at least the last 3

consecutive years, and have the right to work in the United

Kingdom (there are exceptions for Ukraine or Afghanistan

nationals)

Learners who are not currently undertaking any formal education,

including another Skills Bootcamp

Learners who have not studied a Skills Bootcamp in the current

funding year

Learners who have a reliable internet connection, a laptop or

computer with a camera and microphone and access to Microsoft

Office

Adults who are able to commit to and attend 100% of live sessions

as per the course requirements they are choosing to enrol on

Please note, although our Skills Bootcamps are completed entirely

online, due to the way Skills Bootcamps are funded, you can only

complete a course that is available in the area that you currently

reside in.

If you’re interested in kickstarting your career in Early Years, find out more on course content,

progression opportunities and further course details by visiting the below link:

Hungry Caterpillars Day Nurseries:

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Kindred Nurseries:


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nmtequality

More men required

The head of diversity and inclusion at Male Childcare & Teaching Jobs, Claudio Sisera, advocates

enriching our nurseries with greater gender diversity

As someone who’s passionately

called for more men in the early

years childcare sector – where

they currently make up just 2% of our

workforce – I’ve personally witnessed

the dynamic changes that a diverse team

can bring.

Unpacking the numbers

Men being quite a rare sight in early

years education isn’t just a startling

statistic – it’s a glimpse into the

entrenched stereotypes and real

challenges that keep many potential male

“Men can bring new ideas

and energy that mix

perfectly with traditional

approaches, leading to

more creative and flexible

learning environments.”

educators at bay.

Those brave enough to step into this

field often find themselves climbing a

steep hill, battling old-school views that

question their fit for what’s traditionally

been seen as ‘women’s work’. And with so

few male role models around, it’s tough

for guys thinking about this career to

even picture themselves in these roles.

This lack of representation feeds a vicious

circle: not enough men join, and the

stereotypes just keep spinning around.

Why gender diversity matters in

early years

Getting more men involved in early years

settings isn’t just a numbers game. It’s

about enriching our nurseries with fresh

perspectives that really shake up the way

we teach and care for our little ones.

Men can bring new ideas and energy

that mix perfectly with traditional

approaches, leading to more creative and

flexible learning environments. This kind

of diversity means we can meet a wider

range of children’s needs more effectively.

Claudio Sisera,

Plus, having men in these roles is

incredibly powerful for role modelling.

When children see men being nurturing

and caring, it helps smash those old

gender stereotypes right from the start.

It shows them that empathy and caring

aren’t just women’s traits – they’re

human traits.


And there’s a bigger picture to

consider, too. Diverse teams have a better

grasp of the different backgrounds and

experiences that children bring into the

nursery. This inclusivity means every

child feels recognised and valued, which

is crucial for building a solid foundation

for their future learning and personal

growth.

“Looking at the bigger

picture, we can’t

overlook the power

of policy. Pushing

for government

incentives like

scholarships or loan

forgiveness specifically

for male early years

educators could really

turn the tide.”

Case studies of men in early years

education

As part of my advocacy work with Male

Childcare & Teaching Jobs, I’ve had the

pleasure of coming across some truly

inspiring figures in the field. First up

is Rob Fox, a neurodivergent educator

whose unique perspective is a gamechanger

for understanding and meeting

the needs of neurodivergent children.

His deep empathy transforms his

teaching methods, making his classroom

an inclusive and effective place for

learning.

Then there’s Mark Shotton, a nursery

manager whose work in early years

education has unexpectedly prepped

him for fatherhood. Mark’s experiences

are not only shaping how his own

children will see gender roles, but are

also widening their view of the world.

It’s a perfect example of how diverse role

models can make a personal and societal

impact.

And we can’t forget about Jack

Edwards, who started as an early years

educator and climbed his way up to

become an operations director for Swift,

an established apprenticeship provider.

Jack’s story shows the diverse career

paths available from starting in early

years education and stands as a shining

beacon for anyone thinking about

entering the field.

These stories aren’t just inspiring –

they highlight the profound and varied

impacts that men can have when they

step into early years education, both in

and out of the classroom.

Strategies to boost male

participation

Increasing male participation in early

years education isn’t a one-and-done

deal; it takes a thoughtful, multifaceted

approach. First, we need to get proactive

with our recruitment strategies. When

we head out to colleges and universities

with our outreach programmes,

let’s make sure we bring along male

representatives from our nurseries. They

can chat directly with potential recruits,

bust some myths, and show what male

role models in this field really look like.

Plus, how about stepping up with

male-only recruitment campaigns? Think

along the lines of setting up booths at

men’s charity events, advertising on job

boards frequented by men in education,

and highlighting our efforts on websites

dedicated to diversity.

But getting them in the door is

just the start. We need solid support

systems to keep them there. Creating

networks where men can swap stories

and tackle challenges together not only

helps keep our current guys around,

but also reassures newbies that they’re

not alone. Mentorship programmes,

especially those led by seasoned male

educators, can offer that extra nudge

of encouragement and help ease the

transition into what’s still largely a

female-dominated field.

Looking at the bigger picture, we can’t

overlook the power of policy. Pushing for

government incentives like scholarships

or loan forgiveness specifically for male

early years educators could really turn

the tide. And why not champion policies

like equal parental leave? It sends a clear

message: in our nurseries, men and


nmtequality

“And don’t get me

started on conflict

resolution. When

you mix diverse

backgrounds and

perspectives, sparks

can fly unless you’ve

got solid strategies

in place.”

women stand on equal ground. This not

only champions gender equality but also

makes the field more appealing to men

who want to be hands-on dads right

from the start. It’s all about building a

nursery environment that mirrors our

commitment to a truly inclusive society.

Managing diverse teams

Leading a diverse team in a field

traditionally dominated by women

comes with its unique set of challenges.

It’s not just about making room at

the table; it’s about reshaping the

table entirely. Integrating men into

predominantly female teams can stir up

some resistance, often fuelled by deepseated

stereotypes or just the discomfort

of shifting dynamics. We need to handle

this with a lot of thoughtfulness, aiming

for true inclusivity that values everyone’s

contributions.

Now, let’s talk communication – this is

huge. Men and women sometimes have

different ways of expressing themselves

and different expectations. I remember

a female nursery manager telling me

how she’d naturally hug her female

staff but hesitated with male staff. It

really brought home the subtle ways

we communicate differently. We need

to get these nuances out in the open.

By encouraging honest conversations

and running training that bridge these

gaps, we not only build respect but also

strengthen our team’s unity.

And don’t get me started on conflict

resolution. When you mix diverse

backgrounds and perspectives, sparks

can fly unless you’ve got solid strategies

in place. Workshops and team-building

exercises can be game-changers,

enhancing understanding and giving

everyone the tools they need to handle

disagreements constructively.

Overcoming these challenges isn’t just

good for team morale – it also teaches

the children in our care a crucial lesson

about the beauty of diversity and the

power of working together.

Shaping the future of early years

education

Looking forward, I see a bright future

where increasing male participation in

early years education radically transforms

how we teach and care for our youngest

ones.

So, to my fellow leaders in early years

education, I say let’s champion this cause.

Let’s prioritise diversity in our hiring and

management practices. Together, we can

tear down old barriers and build learning

environments that truly reflect the

vibrant diversity of our society. ■


nmtlinguistic development

Tackle language delay

Sophie Hutton, speech and language therapist and chief executive of Nest Therapy nursery

provision, suggests ways to support early years educators in addressing speech, language

and communication delay

Are you seeing more children in

your settings who find it difficult

to answer a question, tell you

what they need, or chat to their friends?

If so, you’re not alone.

In fact, 84% of health visitors

reported an increase in children with

speech, language and communication

delay compared with the previous year,

according to a 2023 report from the

Institute of Health Visiting.

A worrying rise in language delay

There’s no clear consensus on why we’re

seeing this unprecedented increase in

language delay, but there are plenty of

theories for it. The long-term impact

of the pandemic, higher levels of

family poverty, a corresponding rise in

neurodiversity – all of which play a part.

Practitioners are certainly dealing with

heavier caseloads. Taking my own setting

as an example, we’ve got children from

a very diverse demographic coming to

us, and with that, we’re seeing a wide

range of different speech, language

and communication needs. Some

families come from more disadvantaged

backgrounds, while others have English

as an additional language.

“In my view, there’s

such a complex mix

of issues fuelling the

trend for language

delay that it’s difficult

for nurseries to

unpick individual

causes and set out to

address them.”

In my view, there’s such a complex mix

of issues fuelling the trend for language

delay that it’s difficult for nurseries to

unpick individual causes and set out to

address them.

These are some ways to help your

practitioners work with children who

have a language delay.

1. Help staff build close links with

families

To give your team a deeper

understanding of the children at your

setting, it’s important to encourage staff

to take every opportunity to engage with

parents and families.

If you guide your staff towards helping

parents interact with their children,

it makes such a difference to a child’s

communication skills. For instance,

when practitioners show parents how

to share stories, games and everyday

activities to help their children meet

developmental milestones.

We’ve seen some really positive

outcomes when we have referred parents

to the Solihull Parenting Approach,

which is delivered by our local early years

teams. This programme has supported

the work of our staff by giving parents

tools and techniques to use at home.

As a result, staff and parents are able

to share the strategies they’ve learnt, and

give children the continuity they need

to build communication skills at nursery

and at home.

2. Enable practitioners to tailor

support

As language delay is such a complex

issue, it can be difficult for nursery staff

to find the best ways to help children

with different needs.

To address the range of needs we

see at our nursery, we take a graduated

approach. This involves offering

Sophie Hutton

universal, targeted and specialist

support. Universal support works for

children of all abilities and involves

ways to boost communication skills for

everyone.

If we notice a child needs a little more

than just our universal strategies, we will

provide targeted interventions, which

might be aimed at building a child’s

vocabulary, for example. When specialist

support is called for, we usually have a

therapy plan and programme to deliver.

However, rather than sitting down

with a child to deliver a structured

intervention, we encourage staff to make

all activities accessible to every child,

whatever their needs.

If we’re reading The Hungry

Caterpillar, some children are able to sit,

listen and understand. We might give

another group more targeted help with

the themes and vocabulary to help them

access the story. Then we would have

a smaller group who explore the same

story through sensory play. Staff quickly

learn which children need which level of

support.


1 2

My home time routine

3

4

It's good to have

Collect bag

Collect coat

Wait patiently

different friends

Equipment away

and bottle

I can share myself with different children.

I can be partners with different children.

3. Teach staff to use non-verbal forms of

communication

When you build different methods of communication into the

everyday routine, it creates an inclusive environment where all

children learn.

It’s good to encourage all children to use signing or visual

communication because it not only helps children who are

pre-verbal, it also gives every child new skills they can use to

interact.

One way our team helps children navigate through

the nursery day, is with widgit symbols. These are simple

illustrations which can represent anything from an object like

a paintbrush, to an emotion such as feeling excited. If you

use a symbol alongside speech, it helps the child decode and

understand what you’re saying.

It’s best to introduce symbols as early as possible – we even

use them in our baby room for labelling items all around the

area. If you encourage staff to use symbols right through your

setting, and to help parents use them at home, children make

those vital connections to help them communicate.

4. Call on external support when available

Like many nursery owners, I explore external options for

training to give staff the skills they need.

Building connections with local speech and language

therapists is an effective way to provide support for staff. Also,

many local authorities have their own communication and

language teams, which offer advice which can be tailored to the

needs of the child and the setting.

While local authorities can access additional funding for

Education, Health and Care Plans for early years children, it

would be good to see more standardisation of that funding, so

nurseries can deliver support as early as possible in a child’s life.

In the meantime, the more you can do to help your staff

deliver consistent strategies, the more prepared they will be to

tackle the challenges of language delay.■

Everyone needs to share themselves sometimes.

Sometimes I share my toys.

Sometimes I share myself too.

Sometimes my friends share themselves too.

7

I can sit next to different children.

I can play with different children at playtime.

It is good to play with a group of friends together.

This is really fun!

Sharing myself with different children is fun.

This helps me to make new friends!

8

4

Blend technology with the

wonders of woodland habitats developed

products



nmtfunding


Over 4,000 in attendance

nmtlegal

ADVERTORIAL

Top Tips for Selling

your Nursery in 2024

Kush Birdi, managing partner of Birdi & Co Solicitors, shares his

essential insights into selling your nursery in 2024.

Are you thinking about selling your

nursery in 2024? The sale process

can be overwhelming but, with

the right guidance and preparation, it can

be a smooth and successful transition.

Here, we guide you on what to expect

from the legal process.

By the end you will have a better

understanding of what it takes to sell a

nursery and the importance of instructing

a specialist solicitor. So, let’s get started!

1. Agree the headline price

You will probably have been busy

preparing the business for sale and ready

to market the business to potential buyers

– it is prudent to discuss your proposed

sale with a broker or other advisor well in

advance.

The headline price is the initial sale

price that you and your buyer have

agreed upon. This can be determined

through various valuation methods but is

ultimately a negotiation between you and

your buyer.

It is important to consider a range of

factors when negotiating the headline

price, such as:

• the capacity, location and profitability

of the nursery

• the condition of the facilities

• the quality of the staff

• the local reputation of the business

We call it a “headline” price as it is

common for there to be an adjustment

to the price based on the final value of

the business, usually determined after

the sale takes place – see the section on

completion accounts below.

It is once the headline price is agreed

that solicitors are appointed. You may

choose to source your chosen solicitor

earlier on in the process – just make sure

to contact solicitors who are well-versed

“You wouldn’t visit an oral

surgeon for your heart

surgery – so you wouldn’t

appoint a residential

conveyancing solicitor to

sell your business…contact

a specialist corporate

solicitor!”

in nursery sales.

You wouldn’t visit an oral surgeon for

your heart surgery – so you wouldn’t

appoint a residential conveyancing

solicitor to sell your business…contact a

specialist corporate solicitor!

2. Sale structure and heads of terms

The next step is structuring the sale from

a legal perspective – is the buyer acquiring

an entire limited company (known as a

“share sale”)? Or merely the individual

components of the business (known as an

“asset sale”)? Sometimes it will be obvious

but other times it will require specific

negotiation with the buyer or their

solicitors.

The deal structure will be confirmed

within the heads of terms document. The

heads of terms is a short document that

is negotiated before moving to the main

phase of the legal process and will outline

the key terms and conditions of the sale.

The heads of terms will include

information about:

• the headline price

• payment terms

• conditions which must be met before

the sale can happen

• warranties and indemnities

Kush Birdi

• exclusivity arrangements and more

It is important to be comprehensive and

transparent in the heads of terms, as this

will help avoid misunderstandings and

potential disputes down the line which

could potentially compromise the sale.

Your solicitors will help you to

negotiate the heads of terms and ensure

that all necessary information is included.

3. Due diligence

Once the heads of terms are agreed,

the buyer will begin its due diligence

procedures – this is the process the buyer

undertakes to evaluate the business and

will involve legal, financial, tax as well as

operational aspects of your nursery.

The buyer’s objective here is to ensure

it is happy to acquire the nursery on the

terms it has agreed (including the price),

and to gain comfort that they won’t be

inheriting any material issues or liabilities.

During the due diligence phase, it will

be necessary for you to complete various

questionnaires and supply a range of

documentation to the buyer’s solicitors

– your solicitors will manage this process

with you and organise the documents in

an encrypted virtual data room. You and

the buyers and their advisors will have

access to the virtual data room.

The buyer’s advisors may have

additional questions once they

have reviewed your responses and

documentation, and this process will

continue until they are comfortable.

Sometimes there are additional

requirements if the buyer is using a lender

or investor.


4. Negotiating the legal documents

There will be several legal documents to

prepare as part of the sale, but the main

one is the asset purchase agreement

(in an asset sale) or the share purchase

agreement (in a share sale), depending on

how the sale has been structured.

They are quite different documents

but will generally cover things like the

purchase price, any price adjustment

mechanics, responsibilities of the

parties on completion, how the Ofsted

registrations are to be transitioned (e.g.,

nominated individuals) and more.

In particular, the purchase agreement

will include a schedule of warranties and

indemnities designed to give the buyer a

right to clawback some or all the price if

any undisclosed issues or liabilities drop

up within a certain time after the sale. The

purchase agreement can be lengthy and

will be unfamiliar to an inexperienced

seller, so it is essential for your solicitor

to carefully review and negotiate the

purchase agreement and ensure you

understand what you will be signing.

“The purchase agreement can

be fairly lengthy and will be

unfamiliar to an inexperienced

seller, so it is essential for your

solicitor to carefully review

and negotiate the purchase

agreement.”

You should expect the buyer to want

the security of an appropriate lease term if

the property occupied is leasehold. It may

be necessary to negotiate a lease extension

as part of the sale process as a short-term

remaining on the lease will be a concern

to the buyer.

If you own the freehold of the premises

then hopefully you will have negotiated

the position at heads of terms stage on

whether the freehold premises forms part

of the sale or if, perhaps, you prefer to

retain it and let the property to the buyer.

Whatever the situation, your solicitors

will ensure that the legal documents are

drafted to reflect the agreed terms.

Another important legal document is

the disclosure letter which will need to

be prepared and disclosed to the buyer’s

solicitors. The purpose of the disclosure

letter is to supply the buyer with specific

information that would be a breach of the

warranties in the purchase agreement if

not disclosed.

As a basic example, you will need to

give a warranty that the nursery has

complied with all laws and regulations.

It will be unreasonable to refuse this

so, if there was a known breach of

a legal requirement e.g., a breach of

data protection laws or the nursery

accidentally operated over its authorised

capacity, then you can bring this to the

buyer’s attention by way of disclosure as

part of the disclosure letter.

It is important to be transparent in the

disclosure letter to avoid any potential

legal claims against you in the future.

5. Completion

Once the legal documents are agreed, it’s

time to prepare the pack of documents for

signing by both parties. This will typically

involve your solicitors sending the suite of

documents to you and assisting you with

the signature process – nowadays this

process is conducted electronically.

There is a lot of preparatory work

involved in getting ready for completion

and so you might notice that your

solicitors becoming very busy at this

stage, as they make sure everything is

ready and do their final checks to protect

your interests.

Once ready, the legal documents will be

completed and dated, and the price will

be paid to your solicitors’ bank account.

If you need to repay a secured loan on

completion, your solicitors will already

have the relevant information by this

stage and will ensure the loan is repaid

and security removed.

6. Completion accounts

Following the sale, the completion

accounts process involves a set of accounts

(referred to as the “completion accounts”)

being drawn up to the date of sale and in

line with the terms agreed as part of the

purchase agreement – this is most needed

in a share sale.

The agreement will specify who

is responsible for preparing the first

draft, with the other party having an

“We provide legal

support to help nursery

owners realise their

dreams through smooth

acquisitions and exits.”

opportunity to review the completion

accounts and raise queries – usually the

parties’ accountants will be involved.

If the completion accounts cannot be

agreed within a certain period of time,

then the matter will continue to be

negotiated or, in some cases, either party

may refer the matter for determination by

an independent set of accountants.

The completion accounts will

ultimately show the final price to be paid

and, if different to the headline price, an

additional amount will be payable by the

buyer or an amount will be payable back

to the buyer.

Common items that the completion

accounts will address are:

• Cash at bank

• Accrued and deferred income – to

reflect fees received but which may be

earned or unearned during your period

of ownership

• Liabilities such as PAYE, NI

contributions and corporation tax

• Deferred tax – to reflect certain taxes

that are due in the future e.g. valuation

increased in freehold property

I hope this article has helped you to

understand the process of selling your

nursery business.

If you would like to discuss more about

this topic, please reach out to let me know

– I will be delighted to hear from you!

Please contact me if you would like a

confidential chat about your nursery:

Kush Birdi, Managing Partner

Birdi & Co Solicitors

(web): birdilaw.com

(phone): 07745 525 837

(email): kush@birdilaw.com

Let’s connect on LinkedIn:

@BirdiandCoSolicitors @KushBirdi


nmtbusiness development

Prevention better than cure

Simon John, a partner at real estate advisory business Gerald Eve, offers advice about dealing

with building disrepair and commonplace defects.

Every building is different” was

a sales pitch I was given when

researching my options about what

a career in surveying would look like.

This quote has never lost its impact since

I first heard it.

Over the past seven years, I’ve been

fortunate enough to undertake more

than 100 building acquisition surveys

within the nursery sector across the

country, spanning from Plymouth

to Peterborough, and Stockport to

Southampton. Some nursery groups and

settings have been very well attentive

as to general day-to-day property

maintenance, regular upkeep and

improvements, and some groups perhaps

not so much.

The key focus of every nursery up

and down the country revolves around

childcare – this is the core of the

business as it must be. Following, in

various priorities thereafter, are staff,

recruitment, finances, outdoor and

indoor facilities, food safety, insurance,

hygiene, training etc. Among all of

this is your property and its regular

maintenance and improvements.

A trend I’ve witnessed is generally how

low down the priority list the upkeep

and maintenance of a nursery and its

property have become. Whether nursery

groups are consolidating their existing

sites, or acquiring new sites, maintaining

“A trend I’ve witnessed

is generally how low

down the priority list the

upkeep and maintenance

of a nursery and its

property have become.”

your property has never been more

important. For the majority of business

owners up and down the country,

without a property, your business

wouldn’t survive. What would happen if

we removed all of Amazon’s fulfilment

centres? Its business would essentially

collapse overnight. Where would it

store and distribute the millions of stock

it delivers on a daily basis? This same

principle has to apply in the nursery

sector.

In-house property due diligence in

terms of reviewing your existing sites

is a necessity to ensure they remain fit

for purpose, provide a safe learning and

nurturing environment for your core

business, and promote an edge over any

local rival nursery groups. Frequently

I’ve inspected sites where a nursery

hasn’t seen a paintbrush for more than

20 years, or where floor coverings are

beyond their life expiry, the electrical

installation dates back to the 1970s,

or where ad-hoc ‘bodge’ jobs have

compromised health and safety. I’ve

often seen leaks in a classroom and the

manager or owner confused as to why

they continue. A cursory look on the

roof usually identifies the root cause of

the problem, whether it be leaking or

blocked rainwater, vandalism or removal

of lead flashings or, through the effluxion

of time, the waterproof roof covering

being at or beyond its expected useable

life. The vast majority of the defects

and items of disrepair encountered are

seen as preventable through proactive

property maintenance.

Capturing and undertaking

preventative work is a far less costly

exercise than permitting issues to

exacerbate and snowball into something

far larger. A case in point, last year I

witnessed a severely leaning chimney

stack on a converted Victorian building.

The prognosis was sulphate attack owing

Simon John

to long-standing wetting and drying

over a long period of time. The owner

was oblivious to this, and the impact,

should the chimney stack topple in

close proximity to the playground, was

unimaginable.

The reactive remediation was a full

reconstruction of the chimney stack.

This may appear quite an excessive repair,

however the reactive measure was the

only viable option given the pronounced

lean of the chimney. The preventative

alternative, upon witnessing failure of the

brickwork and mortar pointing, would

have simply been localised brickwork

repairs and repointing. This would have

given much needed stability to the

chimney. This is just one account of an

example of a preventative measure which

hands down trumps a reactive repair. It’s

not worth thinking about the ‘what if ’

if the chimney actually collapsed. Not

just the cost of it to rebuild following its

collapse, but also the health and safety

impact, or reputational damage to that

nursery group.

Whether nursery owners are too

financially constrained to keep a


“Capturing and

undertaking

preventative work is a

far less costly exercise

than permitting

issues to exacerbate

and snowball into

something far larger.”

property in a maintained condition or

commensurate as to the requirements

of their lease obligations, or whether

they hope these defects won’t be spotted

during an acquisition, I am unsure.

However, what I can assure is that,

part of any due diligence process, an

experienced surveyor will root these out.

A damning report will follow, which will

showcase the property being in the poor

condition it is displaying, highlighting

the lack of maintenance and investment

and the remedial costs to bring it back

into the expected condition. What this

will effectively do is: a) give the buyer

ammunition to renegotiate the asking

price and b) substantially delay the

acquisition process.

On numerous occasions, the

condition and severe lack of investment

in a property has been the reason for

transactions failing.

Over recent years we’ve seen an

ever-increasing appetite from funds

and investors entering the early-years

market, alongside organic growth and

expansion of existing nursery groups.

The opportunities therefore to acquire,

dispose, develop and expand have grown

tremendously. Therefore, the scrutiny of

your property’s maintenance and how

well it presents have become ever more

prominent.

A planned preventative maintenance

(PPM) plan is a useful tool to provide

foresight as to future remedial and

maintenance works, alongside providing

a budgetary estimate. This is something

your operations or facilities team, or a

surveyor can assist you to prepare. A

PPM will clearly illustrate and forecast

the building, mechanical, electrical and

public health (MEP) services, statutory

compliance, and health and safety

aspects which need attention based on a

priority basis considering their existing

condition.

Your property is a valuable piece in the

jigsaw of your business and its ongoing

operations. The significance of it and

its ongoing maintenance should not

be ignored. Whether or not you are

considering a sale in the near future, do

give your own property its necessary due

diligence. Although it may seem like

a cliche, ‘getting your house in order’

really does help to assist the transaction

process, making it more straightforward

and less combative if preventative

measures are taken now.■


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!

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Excel

BOOK YOUR

DEMO TODAY

BOOK YOUR

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nmtanalysis

Maximise your marketing

Justin Deaville, Receptional’s managing director shares insights from the marketing

agency’s latest ‘Nursery benchmarking report’.

A

comprehensive analysis from

Receptional offers insights

into the current state of digital

marketing within the nursery sector,

including local rankings, social media

engagement, and paid media results,

uncovering the top performers in the

industry.

The nursery sector contributes around

£6.7 billion to the economy, a 25%

growth since 2020 and, as the landscape

evolves, the report provides data to help

nurseries navigate challenges and optimise

their marketing strategies.

Key statistics on nurseries and

marketing engagement

In recent years, private equity and venture

capital involvement in the nursery sector

has surged. In 2022, 1,048 nurseries

were partially or fully controlled by

investment firms, accounting for 7.5% of

all nursery places, up from 4% in 2018.

This increased investment has led to more

professional and competitive marketing

efforts.

The top 10 brands of independent

operators own 80% of nurseries, yet

the larger groups continue to acquire

other providers. The largest operators by

number of locations (according to Savills)

are shown in the chart below. In this

report, we have focused our analysis on

these 10 operators.

Social media engagement

Instagram

Instagram is crucial for nurseries as it

showcases the quality of facilities and

satisfaction of staff and parents through

visual content. Our assessment reveals:

• Busy Bees leads with nearly 15,000

followers.

• Bright Horizons follows with 12,700

followers.

• Family First has just over 200 followers.

Instagram’s visual nature makes

it perfect for highlighting nursery

environments, staff activities and happy

children, which can build a strong

emotional connection with prospective

parents.

Facebook

Facebook remains one of the most widely

used platforms, offering extensive reach to

a diverse audience. Key findings include:

• Bright Horizons, Busy Bees, and

Grandir UK boast the largest

followings.

• Smaller operators like Family First,

Monkey Puzzle, and YMCA have fewer

than 1,000 followers.

Facebook’s community-building

capabilities allow nurseries to engage with

parents through posts, comments and

messages, fostering a sense of community

and trust.

YouTube

Video content is vital for capturing

attention and conveying information

effectively. Our findings show:

• Bright Horizons, Busy Bees and The

Old Station Nursery lead in video

usage.

• Just Childcare and Kindred Nurseries

lag with minimal video content.

Videos enhance credibility and provide

a dynamic way to present facilities, staff

interactions, and testimonials, significantly

impacting engagement and trust.

Benefits of each social media

platform

Instagram:

• Visual appeal: Perfect for showcasing

beautiful nursery environments.

• Engagement: High engagement rates

through photos and stories.

• Community: Builds a visually engaging

community for parents and staff.

Facebook:

• Reach: Access to a broad and diverse

audience.

• Community building: Facilitates direct

interaction with parents.

• Advertising: Effective targeted

advertising options.

YouTube:

• Credibility: Enhances trust through

authentic video content.

• SEO benefits: Improves search engine

rankings.

• Engagement: High engagement through

informative and emotional video

content.

Advertising best practise

The nursery sector is competitive. This

means that when campaigns are not

well-run, the cost of advertising can be

prohibitive. At the same time, well-run

campaigns can be a fantastic competitive

advantage.

Some brands are following best

practices better than others. Take a look

right.


By leveraging the below insights,

nurseries can enhance their paid media

efforts to drive engagement, increase

enrolment, and achieve better marketing

outcomes.

• Budget allocation and strategy:

Nurseries are allocating substantial

portions of their marketing budgets to

paid media. The report indicates that

a strategic mix of Google Ads, social

media advertising, and display ads are

most commonly used.

• Performance metrics: Paid media

campaigns are measured against various

performance metrics including clickthrough

rates, conversion rates, and

return on ad spend. The findings show

that well-targeted campaigns yield

high engagement and effective lead

generation.

• Google Ads: This remain a cornerstone

of paid media strategy, offering high

visibility and targeted reach. Keywords

and local search terms specific to

nursery-related queries are crucial for

maximising ad performance.

• Social media advertising: Platforms

such as Facebook and Instagram are

highly effective for nurseries due to

their visual and interactive nature.

These platforms facilitate engagement

through sponsored posts, carousel ads,

and stories that capture the interest of

parents and guardians.

• Display advertising: Display ads across

various websites and networks help

nurseries to increase brand awareness

and reach a broader audience.

Retargeting strategies are particularly

effective, reminding previous visitors of

their interest in the nursery.

• Cost-effectiveness: The report

emphasises the importance of

optimising paid media spend.

Campaigns that are continually

monitored and adjusted based on

performance data tend to yield better

results and higher return on investment.

• Target audience: Effective paid media

campaigns are those that accurately

target the demographic

profiles of parents,

focusing on geographic,

socioeconomic and

behavioural attributes to

ensure relevant reach.

• Challenges and

opportunities: Nurseries

face challenges such

as budget constraints

and competition for

keywords. However,

there are significant

opportunities for

those that invest in

understanding their

audience and refining

their paid media

strategies.

Monthly search volume insights

Our ‘Nursery benchmarking report’ delves

deeply into the monthly search volumes

related to nursery-specific keywords,

revealing key trends and opportunities for

the sector. With terms such as ‘nurseries

near me’ and ‘best nursery schools’

showing substantial monthly search

volumes, it’s clear that parents are actively

seeking quality nursery options online.

This high search volume highlights the

critical need for nurseries to optimise

their online presence to capture this

traffic. By strategically targeting these

high-volume keywords through SEO

and paid search campaigns, nurseries can

significantly enhance their visibility, attract

more inquiries, and ultimately increase

enrolments. The data showcases the

importance of a robust digital marketing

strategy that leverages the power of search

to connect with potential clients effectively.

Strategic recommendations

Based on our analysis, here are some

strategic recommendations for nurseries:

1. Consistent content: Maintain a

consistent posting schedule across all

platforms to keep the audience engaged.

2. Quality visuals: Invest in high-quality

images and videos to showcase the

nursery environment and activities.

3. Engage with followers: Actively

respond to comments and messages to

build a community and trust.

4. Leverage paid advertising: Utilise

Facebook and Instagram ads to target

specific demographics and increase reach.

5. Optimise videos: Ensure videos are

optimised with descriptive titles, tags

and transcripts for better SEO and

engagement.

Conclusion

The nursery sector’s digital landscape

is rapidly evolving, with increased

competition and professionalisation.

By leveraging the strengths of each

social media platform and following the

outlined strategies, nurseries can enhance

their online presence, engage with

parents, and ultimately drive enrolment.

Download the ‘Nursery benchmarking

report’ from Receptional’s website for an

in-depth understanding and actionable

strategies to enhance your nursery’s digital

presence.■


nmtnurseries

A bold new entrant

The UK childcare market remains resilient and has increasingly become attractive to investors and new

entrants, including kinderzimmer, which brought its childcare business to the UK in 2022 and has since

experienced strong growth

Karina and Melf Kruse founded

kinderzimmer in Germany in

2012, motivated by their desire

to enhance the quality of early years

education in Hamburg after starting

their own family. Over the past decade,

its mission has remained focused on

challenging existing sector norms and

redefining childcare for modern families.

This commitment to innovation and

high-quality education has been a driving

factor in the company’s evolution and

success.

Expansion into the UK

Following their success in Hamburg

and Munich, kinderzimmer identified

a market gap for high-quality early

years education in the UK and in 2022

the company began planning its UK

expansion, aiming to bring its approach

to early years education to London and

beyond. Vishav Roma, who formally

led the expansion of nursery group N

Family Club, was hired to spearhead the

kinderimmer UK strategy and expansion.

The decision was made to grow the UK

business organically, rather than build

via an M&A strategy. This would allow

kinderzimmer the opportunity to create

something new in the sector, while

focusing on its mission of being a peoplecentric

business with its own culture.

Launch and growth

kinderzimmer’s first UK nursery opened

in June last year in Muswell Hill, London,

within a beautifully restored Victorian

building. The opening strategy included

a staggered intake, resulting in a growing

waiting list and a strong, culture-driven

team. By the end of 2023, kinderzimmer

had expanded to Berkhamsted and

Walton-on-Thames, converting Grade II

listed buildings into exceptional learning

environments. The Berkhamsted setting

has gone on to receive a heritage award for

the quality of its design and conversion

and an Ofsted Outstanding rating upon

its first full inspection.

This year, kinderzimmer continued its

expansion with new nurseries in South

Kensington, Chelmsford, and Sunburyon-Thames,

aiming to reach 10 settings by

the end of the year, including upcoming

sites in Walthamstow, White City,

Amersham and Godalming.

Strategies and challenges

kinderzimmer’s growth strategy is

underpinned by a data-driven approach

to site selection, utilising external data

insights to identify areas with high

demand for quality early years education.

However, the rapid expansion presented

challenges and we have had to navigate

elements such as local authority planning

regulations, working with heritage

officers, and other external agencies where

there are limited controls on timings.

Additionally, there is a continuing

recruitment crisis in the UK. Vishav

notes: “As we have built our reputation

for high quality through every facet of

our business, we have seen a huge shift


in the number of applicants we receive

for vacancies. We are very proud of our

employee offer and people-centric culture.

Our packages include a free nursey place

for the benefit of our teams, as well as

benefits that consider wellbeing and metal

health. It is firmly our belief that we have

the best employee package in the sector.”

Market differences and adaptation

The transition from the German to the

UK market has led to an evolution of

the kinderzimmer offer. The German

early years education system is largely

funded by local authorities. This

means that parents often don’t have to

worry as much about the cost when

choosing a nursery. As a result, decisions

are typically based on factors like

proximity to home, convenience, and

the availability of spots rather than the

financial burden. The funding model

ensures a relatively uniform standard

of care and education across different

nurseries, with less variation in quality

due to funding disparities. In contrast

to this, the UK market is largely funded

privately by parents. This necessitated a

tailored approach to meet UK parents’

expectations relating to matters such as

curriculum, quality, environment and

nutrition, in addition to location.

Management team and career

development

kinderzimmer’s core management team,

based in its London support office in

Marylebone, has grown significantly since

2022. The support office which has design

influences from our nurseries, facilitates

collaboration across departments. The

company’s inverted pyramid hierarchy

places educators front and centre of the

business, supported by management.

Professional development throughout the

business is a priority, with opportunities

for training, apprenticeships and

promotion pathways available as part of a

tailored career growth plan.

As part of the kinderzimmer approach,

in each nursery’s management team there

is a community manager whose role is

to strengthen connections with parents

and the nursery community, reflecting

the company’s commitment to high

levels of customer service through clear

communication throughout the business.

Future goals and advice

By the end of this year, kinderzimmer

will operate 10 nurseries, with plans

for further growth in 2025 and beyond

already in motion – and the team will

have grown to around 200 members.

For other groups looking to grow,

the key advice is to leverage data for

decision-making and conduct thorough

due diligence. Understanding regulations,

timelines, planning, and the local

community, is crucial for successful

expansion.■


nmtfamily first

ADVERTORIAL

Putting a premium on the

health and wellbeing of nursery

teams can reap huge rewards

Family First are refocusing their attention on the health and wellbeing of

their nursery teams and asking their people where they need support.

Putting a premium on the health and

wellbeing of nursery teams can reap

huge rewards

Family First are refocusing their

attention on the health and wellbeing

of their nursery teams and asking their

people where they need support.

Nursery practitioners who are happy,

healthy, and thriving, are undoubtedly

going to be in a stronger position to

help children in their care achieve better

outcomes. To help its staff achieve this,

while providing additional support and

commitment to teams across more than

100 nurseries, Family First have put a

renewed focus on health and wellbeing

with a promise to create a culture which

places it as a top priority.

Their new Thrive at Work plan provides

a framework to help staff access support

with mental health issues and feel

empowered to discuss conditions like the

menopause and endometriosis.

Nursery Director Emily Burgess said:

“We want to be the best place for people

to work we possibly can be.

“Retaining our best people

is so important for the

success of our settings,

ensuring the children

have a secure and settled

environment is important

in helping them achieve

the best outcomes.”

“Our plan is to focus heavily on health

and wellbeing, with an emphasis on early

intervention so that people can access

help before their issue becomes a crisis.

“We feel like we have a social

responsibility for the people who have

joined us and want to help to build on

what is already a really positive culture.”

Part of the plan is to provide monthly

support tailored to any issues which are

being raised by the nursery teams to their

regional wellbeing champions, which will

then be assessed by Early Years Specialist

Charlotte Wardle – Family First’s mental

health and wellbeing lead.

Launched during Mental Health

Awareness Week in May initial topics

will include things like the importance of

good nutrition, tips for healthy sleep, the

difference between urgent and important,

coping strategies, guided meditations and

habit stacking.

Charlotte said: “We didn’t want this to

be a box-ticking exercise.

“We want to be proactive and have

teams who are healthy and feeling

mentally well.

“This is something I am passionate

about.

“I’ve been very transparent that I am

not a doctor, nor am I a psychiatrist but

I have had my own personal experiences

and ever since I was little, I have

absolutely loved meeting people and

talking to them.

“I still don’t think there are enough

discussions around mental health and

want to help people apply wellbeing

techniques so they can take control

themselves and find ways forward.

Emily Burgess

“People spend a lot of their lives at

work, so we have a duty to help them

somehow.”

Like many nurseries across the country,

the teams in Family First’s settings are

mostly female, meaning their focus on the

menopause and endometriosis - a chronic

condition where tissue similar to the

lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the

body - is paramount.

The team at Family First is keen to

break down the barriers that prevent

female-specific conditions being

discussed, which also includes the

menopause, which has a multitude of

symptoms that women can find difficult

to manage.

“I am someone who is impacted by

this very issue but despite this, when

I attended a recent conference on the

menopause, some of the very explicit

language used made me feel a little


uncomfortable,” Charlottle said.

“But I’ve now realised if we don’t

use those terms, we are reinforcing it as

something we shouldn’t talk about it.

“We need to break the stigma and break

down those barriers so the wording in our

policies is purposeful and meaningful.

“However, people are slowly starting to

feel more empowered to discuss it.

“We have now included a symptom

checker within our policy, and it has seen

people take a step back and think that

maybe they are experiencing some of

those things without realising what it was.

“Nationwide, a ridiculously high

number of women leave the workforce

directly or indirectly because of the

menopause.

“If we can help people recognise the

symptoms and signpost them to where

they can get help and support, we hope

we can keep our brilliant, experienced

practitioners.

“Retaining our best people is so

important for the success of our settings,

ensuring the children have a secure and

settled environment is important in

helping them achieve the best outcomes.”

Emily added: “Since we introduced

the plan, we have had five people come

forward and say they are suffering with

endometriosis.

“Some of those have spoken out and

said the reality is that sometimes they find

it hard to do anything over and above

leaving their house because of how much

pain they are in.

“This is the reality people are living

with, which we have to normalise, and

all be skilled in being able to support and

lead with empathy.

“In our Early Years settings, we have

curriculums that respect the individual

children, and the policies we are now

introducing for staff are putting us in a

position where we respect the individual

adults within our nurseries.”

Males working at Family First have also

received training on these issues, too, to

ensure they are up to speed and can offer

support.

“They have been so positive and

receptive,” Emily said.

“Support on matters like this are

welcome because it can help them when

people come and ask for help.

“They’ve also commented how useful

this will be in their personal lives when

their wives, daughters or other female

relatives experience it.”

Emily said she was delighted with the

reaction from the workforce about their

new plans, she said: “I am glad people are

recognising this isn’t tokenistic, we have

thought about what the managers and

teams need rather than forcing it upon

them, not rushing it, and going at a pace

we can commit to and achieve things at.

“I am immensely proud to be able to

push mental health and wellbeing to the

forefront. A big part of having happy

children is having happy staff.

“This is a really tough, stressful sector

so whenever we can, I think it is really

important for us to take a step back and

listen to our people to understand what it

is they want and what they need.

Family First are also reshaping their

external facing care for families by

introducing a dedicated Customer

Experience Team. They will possess

extensive childcare knowledge,

exceptional customer service skills, and

a passion for developing innovative

strategies to enhance their services for the

benefit of parents.

Customer Experience Manager

Gemma Craig said: “This is a fantastic

opportunity for us to strengthen our

position as a leading childcare provider.

“It’s important that our families and

colleagues have a voice and that we’re

always looking to continuously improve

so we can deliver exceptionally high

standards across all areas.

“By launching the Customer

Experience Team, we can begin to have

more meaningful interactions that will

positively impact on our mission to be the

most responsive and engaging childcare

provider in the UK.”■


nmtoperations

Nursery managers round-up

Whether it is sharing ideas, supporting their teams or getting involved in the local community, nursery

managers across the country are going that extra mile. We round up some of the things you’ve been

getting up to

extracurricular providers, ClickIT and

Kidslingo.

Ash Pajpani said: “When planning the

event, we asked our existing families who

their children would most love to meet,

and the answer was a resounding “Bluey”

so we knew it had to be her.”

honest you were.”

Hanley and Casserly took a tour of the

Houses of Parliament with Eastwood,

before attending a reception, which was

hosted by David Johnston, then minister

for children, families and wellbeing.

Chanelle Cochrane, senior nursery

manager at Tops Musgrove, also earned

recognition as a community childcare

champion at the event, after which she

enjoyed a tour of Parliament, observing a

debate in the House of Lords.

Fundraising with Bluey

Wembley Park Montessori held a Charity

Family Fun Day, attended by more than

200 children and parents, which included

a special appearance by children’s TV

character Bluey. The event raised £882

for Great Ormond Street hospital after

nursery owners Ash and Anila Pajpani

matched the total of £441 raised on the

day. The Fun Day also served to introduce

local families to the setting. Children

were able to take part in extracurricular

activities offered at the nursery, including

yoga, sports sessions, and community

sounds, an initiative to encourage

musicality in children from a young age.

Other activities included outdoor games,

arts and crafts, face-painting and some

Montessori activities.

Headteacher Priya Patel said: “It was

really important for us to give families,

who might not be aware of Montessori, an

insight into the huge educational benefits

this approach to learning offers, not to

mention the fun children have whilst

learning in this way. We were delighted to

share some fantastic Montessori activities

with so many visitors whilst raising

money for Great Ormond Street.”

Local businesses donated raffle prizes

and discount codes. Additional prizes

were provided by the nursery and

Childcare champions

The manager of a Huddersfield nursery

was among those attending a celebration

event for community childcare champions

at 10 Downing Street. Penny Hanley,

manager of Nurtured@Skelmanthorpe,

and Nurtured Childcare operations

director Rebecca Casserly were invited

to the reception after the nursery was

visited by then-education minister Claire

Coutinho and local MP Mark Eastwood.

Hanley said: “Our team showed them

around and answered their questions

honestly. I think they visited us because

they had seen so much about us on

Facebook, I post a lot.”

When the phone rang with an

invitation to visit 10 Downing Street,

Hanley initially thought it was a joke. “I

was trying to get a baby to sleep,” she said.

“I thought there are so many nurseries out

there, why would you want to invite little

old us? But they said we loved the bond

your team has with the children, and how

In the bag

Managers at Childbase settings celebrated

staff with a series of initiatives during

Mental Health Awareness Week. Lyndsey

Matthews and Susan Zaparaniuk,

managers at Westwood Day Nursery in

Coventry created gift bags to give every

colleague a boost, which included selfcare

items, trinkets with inspirational

messages, sweet treats and practical

advice and exercises for improving mental

wellbeing. At Devonshire Day Nursery

in Chiswick, West London, manager

Emmy Avery’s gift bags also included a

motivational key ring and postcards, a

stress ball, and a heartfelt handwritten

note of appreciation, bespoke to each staff

member.

Touched by the sentimental gesture,


colleagues took the time to read each

other their personalised messages during

breaks. Team leader Thevya Sutharman

said: “This has really made my day; these

notes always mean so much to me.”

Avery said: “I am a mental health first

aider and a big advocate for putting

mental health first. Supporting my staff

team is hugely important to me and I

want them to always feel they can come

to me with anything they need and be

assured that they are getting the right help

and guidance. These bags were a token to

let them know how valued they are and

a reminder to prioritise taking care of

themselves, so I’m glad they were so well

received.”

Matthews added: “As leaders in

early childhood education, we have a

responsibility to create a positive and

supportive work environment for our

teams. This includes promoting open and

honest discussions about mental health,

providing resources and training to help

staff cope with stress and anxiety, and

fostering a culture of compassion and

understanding. We are so grateful for our

colleagues and all that they do and want

to ensure our nursery is a safe space and

inviting space for all.”

The staff also enjoyed dress down days

and sharing tables in the staff room, where

they enjoyed lunches as a team while

making time to talk about their emotions

and exchanging the things that they

valued most about each other.

Childbase has two programmes

supporting staff all year round: The

Health Assured Employee Assistance

Programme was introduced last year

to extend support to immediate family

members and help everyone to deal with

anything affecting wellbeing at home

and in work. It currently runs alongside

Thrive, an NHS-accredited support app

for colleagues.

Who let the dogs out?

Staff and children at Children 1st @

Grantham enjoyed a special performance

from a Britain’s Got Talent act. The

setting’s celebration of National Pet

Week, during which the children learned

about how to care for their pets, came to

a stunning close when the nursery was

fortunate to have a visit from a famous

trio of dogs. Lucy Heath, the human

element of The Trickstars, which also

includes dogs Strike, Trip Hazard, Tempo

and Peach, has a son who attends the

setting. Manager Paula Bunnsaid: “Trip

Hazard, Dizzy and Peach have been

performing on Britain’s Got Talent with

their owner Lucy who happens to be one

of our parents. Ethan was really excited

that his mummy and the dogs were going

to perform for us. Aided by Ethan’s

daddy, Ross, the very talented Lucy

and her extremely clever dogs gave us a

fantastic performance which the children

thoroughly enjoyed. It was wonderful to

see the dogs perform to music.”

Reach for the sky

The team at Bright Horizons North

Cheam Day Nursery and Preschool in

London took part in a skydive, raising

more than £4,000 to create a ‘Bright

Space’ in memory of their nursery

manager, Sarah, who died in October.

Bright Horizons’ Bright Spaces are

enriching play environments for children

affected by domestic violence, abuse,

homelessness, parental imprisonment and

ill-health, and are designed to help

children heal from trauma through

play.

The skydive took place in Salisbury

where colleagues Olivia, Abi, Rachel,

Paige, Zaharah, Caitlin and Yasmin

bravely made the 13,500-foot jump

for charity. Deputy manager Yasmin

said: “It was a great achievement for

me and the team to do the jump in

memory of our wonderful manager

Sarah who sadly passed away. Sarah

was involved with opening a Bright

Space which provided a safe place for

vulnerable children and families who

needed support.”

She added: “We felt inspired by her

and wanted to carry on raising money

for an important cause and to carry on

the creation of Bright Spaces which are

so important to so many families. We

feel so proud of ourselves that the money

raised will be used to open a Bright Space

located in a police station in London to

help put children at ease, so they are able

to give the best evidence possible against

perpetrators of abuse.”■

We know managers are doing

fantastic things all around the

country, If you have an achievement

or a new initiative you’d like to

share, contact: charlotte.goddard@

nexusgroup.co.uk

The wonderful world of

coding for EYFS

developed

products



nmtcareer development

Be prepared

Nursery and pre-school group Storal recently launched its authentic leadership programme for

managers to share their stories, embrace their whole selves, and learn to lead with integrity

and empathy. Chief executive Sarah Mackenzie explains

What is authentic leadership?

To define authentic leadership, we need

to recognise what traditional leadership

is. According to Harvard Business School,

traditional leadership is leading with

goals, leading with a selfish agenda, and

leading by imposing power and authority.

On the other hand, authentic leaders

strive to create a meaningful relationship

with their team; they lead with values

and principles; they lead with purpose;

and they lead with heart. Our authentic

leaders thrive by sharing knowledge and

ideas across our community and working

together towards a shared goal.

Authentic leadership conference

We kicked-off our mission to create

authentic leaders with our two-day

Authentic Leadership Conference, where

managers from our 30 nurseries gathered

to share information, discuss what it

means to them to be authentic and how to

be more confident in their roles.

Nursery manager Zareena Rashid said:

“The Authentic Leadership Conference

was a great opportunity to network and

discuss the importance of empowering,

not just ourselves, but our teams who look

up to us as managers and gaining a clear

perspective on how we can raise the bar

collectively.”

What does the rest of the

programme look like?

Following the in-person conference

we launched our authentic leadership

programme. The programme recognises

the Storal pillars that centre everything we

do at Storal and equips our leaders from

across the group with the skills to succeed

within these pillars.

Quality

Through various methods of support and

quality assurance, nurseries are held to high

standards when it comes to the quality of

their setting, including the education that

they provide through the Storal curriculum

and the relationships they have with both

children and parents. For example, one

session within the programme looks at

how we engage parents in the education

of their children outside nursery life.

Our learning approaches are responsive

to the differences in every child, and our

programme equips leaders with the skills to

ensure children learn in a way that is right

for them both at nursery and at home.

Team

Nurturing personal development and

extending opportunities for learning is

a key part of the authentic leadership

programme. Our sessions relating to team

encourage our inspirational people to

explore how to be an effective leader and

how our own unique management styles

affect the way we lead our teams.

Customer

A good reputation in a nursery’s local

community is crutial and building parents

as advocates is key. We know that it takes

time and consistency to build credible and

genuine relationships with parents and so

within the programme,

we identify how our

managers can regularly

make improvements

to their customer

experience through acts

of kindness, offering clear

and transparent advice

around fees and funding,

and gaining insight

through parent forums.

Commercial

Alongside understanding

children and helping their

special stories unfold, it’s

important that our nursery

leadership teams are driving positive

commercial performance. Our commercial

modules look to combat imposter

syndrome around commercial management

and highlight the tools our managers have

at their disposal to drive performance.

Why are we creating authentic

leaders?

We don’t want our leaders just to fit in, we

want them to be themselves too and by

creating authentic leaders we’re creating a

culture where celebrating individuality is

encouraged. Our leaders are prepped with

the tools they need to cope with change

and uncertainty, and they feel empowered

to focus on what matters, allowing

children’s stories to grow and develop

with richness and purpose.

Authentic leadership in the early years

sector is about more than just leading;

it’s about enabling teams to enhance the

quality of care and education we provide

for our children but also nurturing a

community of empowered, genuine

leaders who will inspire and shape the

future. Together, we can create a brighter

future for our children, our teams and our

communities.■


Manage your pre-school,

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Don’t just take our word for it...

“We moved over to Child Paths at Codsall

Community Nursery and couldn’t be

happier. The onboarding process was

smooth and staff training was really

effective. Parent feedback has been

positive and we’re looking forward to

using more of the system to support the

children’s development.”

Kelly Hill, Director

Codsall Community Nursery

Wolverhampton, Staffordshire

“Following the excellent Child Paths

training, our staff were so excited about

the future with Child Paths and how it

would free up so much more time with the

children. Just an amazing feeling to have

the staff all on board. Thank you so much;

this really is going to transform Barney

Bear’s Nurseries”

Leah Clarke, Director,

Barney Bear’s Nurseries,

London

“We looked at many different apps and

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without Food, Child Activities, Paths now.” Nappy and and Sleep Logs or o

Becky & Steph, Directors,

Chy Lowen Early Years

Newquay, Cornwall

Call 020 3744 4486

or visit childpaths.co.uk

nmt-magazine.co.uk March/April 2024 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY 45

nmtleadership

Meet the manager

In our series showcasing the sector’s nursery managers, we talk to Amina Ahmed, nursery manager

at Kids Planet Salford Quays, Greater Manchester

Why did you want to work in early

years?

Growing up, I always had a love for babies

and young children. I had a lot of siblings

and cousins around me and I loved

spending time with them. As I got older,

my love for early years grew and I realised

how critical the early stages of life are for

a child’s development and I wanted to be

a part of that impact. It is an incredibly

rewarding career and you can see the

difference you are making.

What was your route to becoming

a manager?

I began my journey with Kids Planet in

2017 when I worked as a supply member

of staff alongside studying at university.

In my first year as supply, I learnt so much

and began to fall in love with Kids Planet

as a company, and in turn my passion

for working with childcare grew each

day. I transferred to Kids Planet Higher

Broughton, where I got promoted to

senior practitioner of the toddler room. I

loved my job and began gaining the skills

and knowledge needed to lead a team.

My passion for progressing grew when I

applied for the position of room leader in

our tots room.

My manager was a fantastic support

and all the skills and experience I gained

“The team ethos of Kids

Planet is incredible; there

are so many opportunities

for progression and career

development; there is

unlimited support available

from other nurseries in your

region and it just feels like

one big family.”

allowed me to flourish. I moved over to

Salford Quays, where I took on the role of

deputy and then I was recently promoted

to manager. The team ethos of Kids

Planet is incredible; there are so many

opportunities for progression and career

development; there is unlimited support

available from other nurseries in your

region and it just feels like one big family.

What are you most proud of

achieving as a manager?

I am most proud of creating an inclusive

and nurturing environment that supports

both children and staff and allows them

to thrive. I am passionate about our

nursery being a welcoming environment

where parents feel confident and happy to

bring their children.

What is the most challenging part

of being a nursery manager?

Balancing administrative responsibilities,

supporting your team, and ensuring

high-quality care and education for the

children, can sometimes be a juggling act.

What is the best thing about the

setting you work for?

Its commitment to creating a warm,

inclusive and stimulating environment

for children. We prioritise individualised

attention, ensuring each child’s unique

needs and interests are met and fostering

their growth and development. Salford

Quays also boasts a highly qualified

and passionate team of educators that

collaborae effectively to provide enriching

learning experiences.

What is the best training you have

taken part in?

Designated safeguarding lead training

with Salford City Council – giving me a

clear understanding of what my role as a

designated safeguarding lead is and how

I can ensure the safety of the staff and

children in my care.

Amina Ahmed

If you could invite three people

to dinner, who would they be and

why?

Malala Yousafzai – her advocacy for

education and children’s rights, coupled

with her inspiring resilience and global

perspective, would be incredibly

motivating and would underscore the

importance of education in transforming

lives. Princess Diana – so she could

reveal all the secrets about the royal

family. James Corden – he is just

hilarious and knows how to have a good

time.

What three things would you take

to a desert island?

Water, a fire-starting tool and music.

What is the one thing you would

change about the early years

sector?

Increasing access to high-quality

affordable early childhood education

and care for all children regardless of

socioeconomic background. This would

ensure that every child has a strong

foundation for lifelong learning and

development.■


Do you want to make a

difference in your career?

Join our incredible team at

the Arcadia Nursery Kings

Building! We’re not your

average nursery; we’re a

place where imaginations

soar, muddy puddles

become epic adventures,

and every day is a chance to

learn something new.

Here’s why Arcadia Nursery is a great place to work:

Nurture young minds (ages 3 months to 5 years) and help them

blossom in a fun and caring environment.

We’re all about laughter, creativity, and making every day an

adventure.

Join our supportive and diverse crew who are passionate about

early learning.

Competitive salaries.

A generous 32-day holiday allowance, plus closed Christmas and

New Year’s.

Full-time chefs, cleaners, and a brilliant management team

mean you can focus on what matters most – the amazing kids!

Arcadia is all about growth. We support your development and

encourage leadership at all levels.

Does this sound like your kind of place?

Apply today! Scan the QR code to find out more

about job opportunities at Arcadia or visit:

nmt-magazine.co.uk March/April 2024 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY 47

nmtsafeguarding

Build a robust culture

Nicole Williamson, chief executive of Education Child Protection explores how to embed

safeguarding effectively in your nursery setting

The belief that “it could happen

here” is the cornerstone of a robust

safeguarding culture. This mindset

not only prepares us to act swiftly

and effectively but also underpins the

development of an environment where

the safety and wellbeing of every child

is paramount. Building this culture

is multifaceted, requiring dedication,

vigilance and a commitment to

continuous improvement.

Embracing professional curiosity

Professional curiosity is crucial in

safeguarding. This involves an ongoing,

inquisitive approach where staff remain

vigilant and attentive to subtle signs of

distress or changes in behaviour that may

indicate harm. It’s about not taking things

at face value and always being prepared

to ask open questions to understand the

full picture. Regular training sessions

and reflective practice discussions can

help maintain this level of awareness,

encouraging staff to remain actively

engaged in safeguarding efforts.

Safeguarding children online

and offline

In today’s digital age, protecting children

extends beyond the physical environment

to the virtual world. Early years settings

must implement robust measures to

ensure children’s safety online, including

stringent controls on digital devices and

“It’s about not taking

things at face value and

always being prepared

to ask open questions

to understand the full

picture.”

educating staff and parents about the

risks of internet use. Offline, the same

vigilance applies: regular risk assessments,

secure environments, and a culture where

children feel safe to express their concerns

are essential.

Training and duty of care

A well-trained staff team is the backbone

of effective safeguarding. Regular,

comprehensive training ensures that all

team members understand their duty of

care and the specific systems and processes

in place within their settings. This

training should cover not just the basics

of safeguarding, but also include updates

on new policies, emerging risks, and

practical scenarios to test understanding

and preparedness. A clear understanding

of these processes helps in identifying and

responding to potential threats swiftly

and effectively. And always reflecting on

how the training is embedded on a regular

basis to keep the topic area alive.

Openness, transparency and

information sharing

Creating a culture of openness and

transparency is vital. Staff should feel

comfortable discussing safeguarding

issues without fear of repercussion. This

includes having a clear understanding of

how to share information appropriately

and effectively. Safeguarding is often

about piecing together information

from various sources to form a complete

picture to enable an effective assessment

of risk. Clear protocols for information

sharing, within the statutory framework,

both within the setting and with external

agencies, are essential to this process.

Empowering staff to speak out

Staff must feel confident and supported

to speak out if they have concerns relating

to safeguarding. This involves establishing

clear channels for reporting concerns and

ensuring that staff know their concerns will

be taken seriously and addressed promptly.

Regular supervision and an open-door

policy with management can help reinforce

this culture of openness and support.

Listening to children, parents and

staff

An effective safeguarding culture actively

seeks and listens to the views of children,

parents and staff. Children can provide

valuable insights into their own wellbeing

and safety, and in early years both

verbal and non-verbal communication

observation is critical. Similarly, parents

and staff should be encouraged to share

their observations and concerns, with the

assurance that their input is crucial to

maintaining a safe environment.

Timely child protection

arrangements

Appropriate child protection

arrangements are critical in securing help

in a timely manner. This means having

clear procedures for identifying, reporting

and responding to concerns, and ensuring

these procedures are followed diligently.

Timeliness can be the difference between

a child being protected from harm and

a child remaining at risk. Regular audits

and reviews of child protection policies

and practices can help ensure that they

remain effective and up to date.

Safer recruitment and managing

allegations

Safer recruitment practices are essential

in preventing unsuitable individuals from

working with children. This includes

thorough background checks, rigorous

interview processes, and ongoing vigilance

even after employment. Establishing

a culture where low-level concerns are

shared openly can prevent potential

issues from escalating, and aid trend

identification and timely response.


Whistleblowing policies should be

clear, and staff should be assured that

they can report concerns without fear

of retaliation. Equally important is the

management of allegations against staff.

Creating a robust safeguarding culture

in early years settings is an ongoing

journey that requires commitment from

everyone involved. It’s about fostering

an environment where the belief that

“it could happen here” drives proactive

and preventative measures. Through

professional curiosity, comprehensive

training, open communication, and

timely action, we can ensure that our

settings are places where children are

protected and can thrive. The safety and

wellbeing of every child depends on our

unwavering dedication to safeguarding,

both online and offline, every single day.

Join me, at the Nursery Managers Show

for an interactive workshop where we

will delve deeper into creating a robust

safeguarding culture, equipping you with

practical tools and insights to ensure the

effective implementation of your duty of

care. ■


New product launches!

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The Wobble Board can be

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develop core muscles.

Providing climbing challenges and

improving problem solving skills.


nmtapprenticeships

ADVERTORIAL

Empowering the future

of childcare: Ambitious

apprenticeship initiative

In a bold and transformative move,

Paragon Skills has pledged to nurture

the potential of 10,000 young adults

aged 16 to 25 through apprenticeships

in the early years sector by 2030. This

initiative is not just a response to the

increasing demand for skilled childcare

professionals, but also a proactive effort to

address workforce needs in this vital sector.

Aligned with government campaigns that

promote careers in childcare, Paragon

Skills is positioning apprenticeships as a

crucial solution to the challenges faced by

the industry.

The ‘Make a BIG difference to

LITTLE lives’ campaign is the flagship

of this initiative, aiming to illustrate the

transformative power of apprenticeships

in the childcare sector. By engaging

stakeholders across England, Paragon Skills

hopes to inspire learners and employers to

join in shaping the future of childcare. This

campaign is a call to action, encouraging

everyone involved in the sector to see

apprenticeships not just as a means to

an end, but as a pathway to meaningful,

impactful careers and part of the solution

to bringing more talented young people

into a career in childcare.

Paragon Skills’ commitment to early

childhood education goes beyond merely

filling job vacancies. It is about nurturing

talent, fostering growth, and ensuring the

childcare workforce is well-trained and

highly skilled. By supporting early years

settings in training their staff at all levels,

Paragon Skills underscores the importance

of transparent progression pathways. This

approach not only enhances skills but also

aids in retaining valuable staff, creating a

stable and competent workforce dedicated

to providing high-quality care and

education during children’s formative years.

One of the key elements of this initiative

is the goal to enrol 2,000 new apprentices

by the end of 2024. This ambitious target

highlights Paragon Skills’ dedication

to fostering talent and contributing to

economic development. Apprenticeships

bridge education and employment,

equipping young adults with the skills

and knowledge needed to thrive in the

childcare sector. This practical, handson

approach to learning ensures that

apprentices are job-ready from day one,

meeting the immediate needs of childcare

providers while also preparing for future

demands.

Recent government policy updates have

created a more favourable environment

for apprenticeship expansion. By

eliminating financial barriers for SMEs and

increasing the flexibility of levy funds, the

government has paved the way for greater

innovation and growth in apprenticeship

programmes. Paragon Skills fully endorses

these changes, recognising apprenticeship’s

pivotal role in developing talent and

shaping the future workforce.

Mark Botha, chief executive of Paragon

Skills, encapsulates the organisation’s

vision: “Our pledge to nurture 10,000

ambitious young adults through

apprenticeships in the early years sector

by 2030 reflects our commitment to

shaping the future of childcare. With our

‘Make a BIG difference to LITTLE lives’

campaign, we’re rallying stakeholders to

join us in this journey. Apprenticeships

are not just about bridging education and

employment, but about fostering talent

and propelling economic growth. We’re

proud to announce our goal of enrolling

2,000 new early years apprentices by 2024

as we continue to champion the profound

impact of childcare apprenticeships and

support the crucial role of employers

in early years education. We’re building

a brighter future for our children and

workforce.”

The focus on high-quality care and

education during the early years is crucial.

The formative years of a child’s life lay the

foundation for their future development,

and having a well-trained, dedicated

workforce is essential to providing the

best start in life. Paragon Skills’ initiative

ensures that the sector is not only prepared

to meet current demands but is also

resilient and adaptable to future challenges.

Moreover, apprenticeships’ impact

extends beyond individual learners.

By investing in young adults and

equipping them with the necessary skills,

apprenticeships contribute to broader

economic growth. A skilled workforce

drives innovation, increases productivity

and enhances the overall quality of services

provided. This ripple effect benefits the

entire community, making apprenticeships

a valuable investment in the future.

Paragon Skills’ pledge is a significant

step towards addressing the skills gap in

the childcare sector. It is a comprehensive

approach that combines immediate

action with long-term vision, ensuring

that the sector is equipped to provide

high-quality care and education for years

to come. By fostering talent, supporting

employers, and championing the value of

apprenticeships, Paragon Skills is making

a lasting impact on the future of childcare

in England.

The commitment to develop 10,000

young adults through apprenticeships

by 2030 is a testament to Paragon Skills’

dedication to early years education. The

‘Make a BIG difference to LITTLE lives’

campaign is a powerful call to action,

highlighting the importance of investing

in the future of childcare. With ambitious

goals, a clear vision, and the support of

recent government policies, Paragon

Skills is poised to make a significant

impact, shaping the future of the childcare

workforce and ensuring that every child

has access to the high-quality care and

education they deserve.■


Nurturing young minds

starts with your team

Leading providers of:

• Apprenticeships

• AEB funded training

• Skills Bootcamps

Recruit, upskill and retain talented staff with Realise

We know early years settings face unique staffing challenges. Realise offers

a supportive solution:

Find the perfect fit: Identify those who share your passion and equip them with the skills

to excel through apprenticeships or funded training.

Invest and retain: We deliver programmes that lead to valuable qualifications, boosting

morale, reducing turnover and supporting career progression.

Exceptional results: Our apprentices consistently outperform national averages, with

a remarkable 70% distinction rate at level 3.

Dedicated local support: Experienced trainers provide personalised support with at least

one face-to-face session a month to ensure your staff thrive.

Streamlined results process: End point assessment results are delivered within just 5-6

weeks, allowing you to plan confidently.

Funding expertise: Help to navigate Government funding, apprenticeships employer

benefits (AEB), cash incentives and reduce payroll costs to maximise efficiency.

Scan the QR code or email

Lianne.Bullock@realisetraining.com to find out

more about how we can support your setting.

nmttraining

First step on the career ladder

The early years sector needs to recruit 40,000 extra practitioners by 2025. Charlotte Goddard finds out

how the government-funded Skills Bootcamps can help nursery managers find qualified staff

Recruitment has been a massive

topic of concern for nursery

managers for years, as settings

struggle to find and retain the qualified

staff they need to meet ratios and

deliver high-quality early education and

childcare. With the roll-out of funded

places to children from the age of nine

months, it is estimated that nurseries

need to find 40,000 extra staff by 2025 to

meet childcare entitlements in England.

“It is not just about retention of staff,

or recruiting to fill gaps, we also need

to be planning for those future children

coming in,” says Heidi Dorrington,

recruitment and training manager at

Kindred Nurseries.

Kindred is one of three nursery

groups currently working with The

Skills Network and Hawk Training on

a government-funded Skills Bootcamp

initiative to boost the number of

qualified staff in the sector. Skills

Bootcamps have been around for a while

in other sectors which are struggling to

recruit, including health and social care,

HGV driving and data engineering, but

this is the first time they have been rolled

out across the early years sector.

“We have been delivering bootcamps

for two years now, but until recently

our focus has been on digital, care,

and project management,” says Wendy

Dodson, partnerships director at The

Skills Network. “In the last year we

“It is not just about

retention of staff, or

recruiting to fill gaps, we

also need to be planning

for those future children

coming in,”

started looking at early years. Skills

Bootcamps are designed to be shorter

courses, a quick way of upskilling.”

Early years Skills Bootcamps are

offered by a range of training providers,

including Impact Futures and Realise, as

well as The Skills Network. Content and

delivery methods vary, but in general the

courses are flexible, take up to 16 weeks

to complete, and guarantee participants

a job interview at the end. Learners must

be aged 19 or over, and have been in the

country for at least three years, and the

course is free to learners who are new

to the sector. Employers can also send

existing staff members on the courses,

but will need to part-fund this.

The Skills Network bootcamps are

delivered online with a mixture of

live sessions and sessions which can

be accessed at any time. Learners are

given a choice of weekdays, weekends

or evenings. “Our courses for early

years are 12 weeks long,” says Dodson.

“The live sessions will be five hours each

week, and the learner is then expected

to do additional hours in their own

time. It is easy for them to fit it around

their current employment, or other

commitments.”

Student cohorts are generally between

10 and 15, and never more than 20.

Students have access to personal tutors

and learning support advisors, who are

contactable by phone or email. “The

courses also include other elements such

as supporting learners with CVs and job

applications,” says Dodson. “We offer

mock interviews.”

Learners going through early years

Skills Bootcamps do not leave with a

qualification, but The Skills Network

has teamed up with Hawk Training to

support new practitioners through an

accelerated Level 3 early years educator

apprenticeship once they complete their

course. “The bootcamp is not a full Level

3 qualification but it is Level 3 standard,”

says Dodson. “Once they have got to the

end, hopefully they have demonstrated

the ability to work at that level, and the

apprenticeship is a little bit shorter.”

Recruiting through the bootcamp

scheme has a number of benefits to

nurseries, says Kindred’s Dorrington.

“We know we are getting tried-andtested

enthusiastic learners who want

to do the apprenticeship, because they

have already gone through that 14-week

period,” she says. “If they didn’t like it,

they would have taken themselves off to

do something else.”

New recruits will become Level 3

qualified in a shorter period of time

than if they were starting from scratch,

and managers can count them as Level

2 in ratio while they are completing the

apprenticeship. “This will give employers

access to a pool of talent where we have

already done a lot of the groundwork,”

says Crawford Knott, managing director

at Hawk Training. “Our curriculum

leader was able to work closely with

colleagues at The Skills Network to

map the content of the bootcamp

and how it translates into that Level

3 apprenticeship, so these learners are

effectively getting a head start.”

The Skills Network and Hawk

Training are working with Kindred,

Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries

and The Co-operative Childcare, who

will host learners for a day’s work

experience, and then offer them an

interview and potentially a job. “The

employers have already committed to

this programme and to providing the

vacancies for successful completers of the

bootcamp and we will then deliver that

apprenticeship as an Ofsted-outstanding

provider,” says Knott.

“We are heading close to having our

first two learners that will be coming on

their work experience placements with


“The employers have

already committed to

this programme and to

providing the vacancies

for successful completers

of the bootcamp and

we will then deliver

that apprenticeship as

an Ofsted-outstanding

provider.”

us, where they will have a day in the life

of an early years educator, and we will

be able to see how they get on with our

children and our team,” says Dodson.

“Although they are coming through the

bootcamp process, we will still follow

our safer recruitment process and ensure

they are suitable for our setting.”

Nursery managers with vacancies are

encouraged to get in touch with local

providers running Skills Bootcamps.

“They can approach Hawk or ourselves

and we can look to see if we have learners

in that region who are suitable,” says

Dodson. “We could do some marketing

to say we have this nursery that has X

amount of vacancies, are you interested

in a career in early years? We can

accelerate your access into it.”

The Skills Network requires

participants to hold Level 1 English and

maths as a minimum. “Employers are

really looking for Level 2, but we think

we are cutting out a lot of potential

learners there,” says Dodson. “We have

said if they have Level 1 and are willing

to work towards Level 2 as part of their

apprenticeship, they will be OK.” As the

course is delivered online, learners could

come from anywhere in the country,

but recruitment is centring around areas

where the three participating nursery

groups have vacancies.

The Skills Network’s initial contract

for delivering the Bootcamp runs

until 2025 and can support up to 380

learners. Kindred’s Dorrington believes

the initiative is a positive move for

society as a whole, as well as for the early

years sector and her nursery group in

particular.

“It is not just providing opportunities

for learners, it will provide more nursery

spaces eventually and help local parents

return to work,” she says. “Kindred is a

growing company, and we want to have

really good-quality team members from

different walks of life, including young

school-leavers, parents who want to get

back into childcare now their children

are in school, or people who working in

other sectors with transferrable skills.

One of the reasons we are working with

Hawk and The Skills Network is to

broaden the diversity of people in our

teams. This is a really cost-effective way

of getting people in.”■


nmtproperty sold

properties

recently sold

YMCA sells childcare setting in Hampshire

Vicky Morey has purchased a 45-place YMCA childcare

setting located at St Vincent’s College in Gosport,

Hampshire.

The disposal is part of a wider ongoing project, as the

YMCA looks to close a number of settings across the

south of the country.

Morey, who also owns Rosie Little Blessing Nurseries in

the same town, said: “I am delighted to have been able

to take over this lovely setting and continue the care for

the children and families in the community, offering a

nurturing and enabling environment for the children to

thrive.”

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the

sale.

Nick Brown, director and head of brokerage, childcare

and education at Christie & Co, commented: “This is now

the fifth site we have been able to help the YMCA sell,

ensuring that childcare provision across these locations

continues to operate. What better buyer for this welllocated

setting than a successful, local operator looking

to build on her current operation and reputation.”

This YMCA setting was sold for an undisclosed price.

Lochgelly private nursery sold for the first time

New entrants, brothers Amir and Saqib Sadiq, have

purchased Noah’s Ark Children’s Private Nursery in

Lochgelly, Fife.

Established in 2004, the nursery provides day care for

up to 30 children aged from newborn to five years,

occupying a single-storey, purpose-built property.

The business has been owned by Beverley Wilson since

2004 and was brought to market to allow her to pursue

other business interests.

Wilson said: “I established the business 19 years ago

when I started with two customers and quickly got

the nursery to full capacity. I’m pleased to be handing

the setting over to Amir and Saqib and wish them all

the best with their plans. I look forward to seeing the

nursery continue to grow with prolonged success.”

The Sadiq brothers commented: “We explored several

nurseries that piqued our interest. Upon careful

consideration, we found the setting to be highly

appealing and consequently made the decision

to acquire it. A primary factor contributing to our

contentment with this acquisition is its freehold status,

coupled with the opportunity for modernisation and

expansion to a second floor, despite already operating

at nearly 100% occupancy. We firmly believed that

we could achieve substantial improvements, and our

initial weeks of ownership have proven to be highly

promising.’’

Specialist business property advisor Christie & Co

facilitated the sale.

Callum Lancaster, business agent, childcare and

education at Christie & Co, said: “Noah’s Ark garnered

considerable attention from a diverse pool of

prospective buyers, signifying a robust demand for

nurseries in the region. This heightened interest can be

attributed to the setting’s advantageous location with

excellent commuter links and commendable CI grades.

These attributes not only attract potential investors

but also resonate strongly with parents seeking quality

childcare options.

“A telling example of this appeal can be observed

through Beverley’s experiences during the Covid

pandemic. On two occasions when the setting had to

temporarily close due to the pandemic, the subsequent

reopening witnessed an overwhelming surge in

placement requests. This further underscores the

desirability of Noah’s Ark as a trusted and sought-after

facility in the area.’’

Noah’s Ark Children’s Private Nursery was sold for an

undisclosed price.

Kindred Nurseries acquires Cambridgeshire setting

Kindred Nurseries has purchased the leasehold of

Snap4Kids in Hauxton, Cambridgeshire, which has the

capacity to care for up to 46 children aged from newborn

to four years.

The business operates from a bungalow-style property

with a spacious outdoor area. It was founded by Kenny

Forrest and Janet Robertson in 2004 and was brought to

market to allow the pair to focus on their other business

interests.

Established in 2015, Kindred operates 37 settings across

Greater London, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire,

Wiltshire and Dorset.

Ruth Pimentel, chief executive at Kindred Nurseries,

commented: “Snap4Kids further extends our footprint in

Cambridgeshire, and we know it will be a great match for

the rest of our group.”

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR CHILDREN’S DAY NURSERY? SPEAK TO THE EXPERTS:

Contact our award-winning team on: 0333 034 1751 or

childcareandeducation@christie.com

christie.com


properties

recently sold

nmtproperty sold

Manchester day nursery sold to first-time buyers

First time buyers, wife-and-husband team, Majd Heweiti

and Mohammed Chater, have purchased Your Nursery in

Openshaw, Greater Manchester, a 98-place children’s day

nursery operating from a former school property.

The business has been owned and operated by Sue Saxton

since 2009 and has undergone numerous improvements,

with a large renovation of the property taking place in 2017.

Saxton said: “I opened Your Nursery Ltd in September 2010,

after acquiring St Vincent’s School House lower floor on

lease in June 2009. Since becoming a childminder in 1983,

it was my dream to own my own nursery. I really enjoyed

developing a disused building into a unique early years

nursery that was desperately required in the area. After

dedicating 39 years to my career, the time was right for me

to step back and have a well-earned rest and retirement.”


Sofia Beck, director, childcare and education at Christie &

Co, said: “As a result of the current market, buyers are faced

with more thorough due diligence processes with their

bank which is lengthening the average deal timeline.”.

Legal advice was provided to the buyer by Davis Blank

Furniss.

Your Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.

Blue Sky Day Nurseries acquires Yorkshire day nursery

Blue Sky Day Nurseries has acquired Wishing Well Day

Care in Cottingham, Yorkshire. a 49-place day nursery

catering to children aged from six weeks to five years.

The nursery was established in 2002 by Victoria

Wheeldon, who is selling due to family commitments.

The acquisition is Blue Sky Day Nurseries’ fourth setting

in East and North Yorkshire.

Wheeldon said: “Owning Wishing Well Day Care for

over 21 years has been extremely rewarding, seeing so

many lovely young children develop and grow, whilst

providing care for parents/carers. Selling the nursery

was a very difficult decision to make, but I am now at

the time in my life where I want to take some time out

with my family and see what the future holds.”

Pooleman commented: “Wishing Well is a wonderful

setting with an amazing team and, as such, is a great

match to the other Blue Sky nurseries. The team are

remaining in their roles and so parents can rest assured

that their children will continue to get the same great

care as they are used to.”

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the

sale.

Vicky Marsland, associate director, childcare and

education at Christie & Co, said: This is a beautiful,

profitable nursery which I truly believe will flourish

under the ownership of Blue Sky and could even lead

to creating more opportunities for career development

for the staff.”

Wishing Well Day Care was sold for an undisclosed

price.

New owners for Surrey day nursery

Neal Chamberlain and John Wardle have purchased Bear

Hugs Nursery in Addlestone, Surrey, which operates from

a Methodist church hall and garden, with capacity to care

for up to 33 children aged from two to five years.

The nursery was established in 2015, with Fiona Fox as the

manager and becoming the owner in 2016.

Fox said: “I am confident the nursery and its staff are in safe

hands with Neal and John. I look forward to seeing how

they take the nursery forward in the future.”

Chamberlain and Wardle own Youngstars, a London-based

nursery, after-school club, and holiday camp business.

Wardle said: “We’re delighted to add Bear Hugs to our

growing chain of settings and look forward to continuing

the incredible work of Fiona and her team in maintaining

Bear Hugs’ outstanding reputation and high standards.”


Sophie Willcox, director, childcare and education at

Christie & Co, commented: “So far this year, we have

completed freehold and leasehold nurseries, an afterschool

club, group portfolios, and nurseries that operate

from a variety of settings including a church, like here,

proving that there is a market for all types of business.”

Bear Hugs Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR CHILDREN’S DAY NURSERY? SPEAK TO THE EXPERTS:

Contact our award-winning team on: 0333 034 1751 or

childcareandeducation@christie.com

christie.com


nmtproperty sold

properties

recently sold

County Durham nursery acquired by first-time buyer

A first-time buyer has acquired Secret Garden Children’s

Day Nursery in Darlington, County Durham, which

provides care for children aged from newborn through

to five years, along with a out-of-school provision for

children up to the age of 11.

The buyer stated an intention initially to learn how the

business operates and to strive to provide quality care

and learning for the children.

The buyer said: “As a new entrant to the childcare

industry I believe nurturing children from an early age in

the right way can make a huge difference to society as

well as the wellbeing of the children themselves and their

families.”

Childcare and education business broker Redwoods

Dowling Kerr facilitated the sale.

Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s childcare broker Stephanie

Quinn said: “It was a pleasure to help the buyer with his

first purchase in the sector. I wish him all the success in

the future.”

Kids Planet Day Nurseries acquires East Yorkshire setting

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has acquired Turnbridge Day

Nursery in East Cowick, East Yorkshire, which operates

from a, purpose-built property. The nursery opened in

2003.

Clare Roberts, chief executive at Kids Planet, said: “We are

delighted to announce the acquisition of Turnbridge Day

Nursery, expanding our presence and offering in the East

Riding of Yorkshire. I am excited to welcome Turnbridge

into the Kids Planet family. The nursery fits well into our

group, coming with a well-established team and quality

education and care indoors and out. We look forward to

supporting the whole team and families moving forward.”

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has grown to 191 settings

across the UK through a combination of acquisition and

greenfield developments.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s childcare broker Sarah Ellison

stated: “We are delighted for our client to see the sale

of Turnbridge Day Nursery and it has been a pleasure to

support Kids Planet with another acquisition. We know

Kids Planet is focused on nursery settings that fit with

their values for the highest quality in childcare and we

are certain they will continue to build on the success of

Turnbridge Day Nursery over the coming years.

North Yorkshire nursery sold to first-time buyer

First-time buyer Josh Harrison has acquired The Wooden

Horse Nursery in Whitby, North Yorkshire, which is

registered for 37 children aged from newborn to five

years and offers a before- and after-school club for

children aged up to eight years.

Harrison has worked in the nursery for many years.

Having owned the business for the past decade, vendor

Charlotte Knight wants to start on a new adventure.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s childcare broker Laura Ryan

said: “I am so happy for both my client and the buyer who

will now start their new business adventures. Both parties

have been a delight to work with and I wish them every

success in the future.”

iStep Learning acquires Devon nursery

iStep Learning has purchased Stepping Stones Day

Nursery & Pre-School in Okehampton, Devon, a

nursery and pre-school registered for up to 85 children,

established 24 years ago.

Stepping Stones came onto the market following the

owners’ decision to retire from the childcare sector.

iStep Learning operates more than 20 nurseries.

iStep Learning stated: “We are delighted to have added

Stepping Stones to the iStep family of nurseries. Stepping

Stones delivers an outstanding level of care, backed by

a well-established and highly qualified team that can

continue on the setting’s successes. We look forward to

supporting the team and families through the transition

and beyond.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s senior sales negotiator Karrina

Lee said: “It’s been a pleasure assisting the vendors with

the sale of their nursery and I wish them all the very best

for the future. I also wish iStep Learning every success

with their latest acquisition and I look forward to working

with them in future dealings.”


properties

recently sold

Quackers Day Nursery acquires Oxfordshire setting

nmtproperty sold

Quackers Day Nursery has purchased Rainbows Day

Nursery in Banbury, Oxfordshire, which has capacity

for 54 children aged from three months to five years,

operating out of a substantial semi-detached property.

Quackers Day Nursery is a family-run childcare operator

with two existing settings.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s childcare broker Sarah Ellison

commented: “I am pleased to have come to a successful

sale for our client. We wish her a well-deserved

retirement. We would also like to wish [the buyer] and his

family all the best with their latest acquisitions and are

confident the business will continue to go from strength

to strength.”

First-time buyer acquires Montessori kindergarten in Essex

A first-time buyer has purchased Sunflower Montessori

Kindergarten in Hutton, Essex, which is registered for 26

children aged from two to five years.

The vendor. who is moving onto new ventures within

the industry, is delighted to see Sunflower Montessori

transfer to new owners who will continue to nurture the

setting and provide high-quality childcare within the local

community.

The vendor commented: “The setting has a reputation for

providing quality childcare and we are very proud of all

our staff, children and parents. The new owners have the

right experience to take the setting forward and build on

the existing reputation. We wish them the best for the

future.”



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s senior sales negotiator Karrina

Lee commented: “It was a pleasure to work with our

clients to help them secure a sale. We would like to wish

them all the best in their new ventures.”

To find out more details about the businesses available for sale, and sold,

through Redwoods Dowling Kerr please visit: www.redwoodsdk.com

CONTACT SUMMARY

CHRISTIE & CO

SCOTLAND

Martin Daw ........................................ 0131 524 3406

Rosie Adlem ........................................ 0131 524 3401

CHESHIRE / NORTH WEST

Sofia Beck .............................................. 0161 833 6915

EAST MIDLANDS

David Eaves ........................................... 07711 767094

WEST MIDLANDS

Jassi Sunner ........................................ 0121 452 3708

YORKSHIRE / NORTH EAST

Vicky Marsland ................................ 0161 833 6914

LONDON

Sophie Willcox ............................. 0203 846 0619

David Eaves ........................................... 07711 767094

SOUTH WEST

Jassie Sunner ..................................... 0121 452 3708

Rachel Godwin ................................ 07701 315 061

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Courteney Donaldson ......... 07831 099 985

Nick Brown .......................................... 07764 241 316

REDWOODS DOWLING KERR

SPECIALIST NURSERY TEAM

Jenna.Caldwell@redwoodsdk.com

Karrina.Lee@redwoodsdk.com

Sarah.Ellison@redwoodsdk.com

Kim.Emsley@redwoodsdk.com

Robert.Yates@redwoodsdk.com

REGIONAL DIRECTORS

Bryan.Fotheringham@redwoodsdk.com

Mark.Phillips@redwoodsdk.com

Matthew.Preston@redwoodsdk.com

Mathew.Parkinson@redwoodsdk.com

Head Office Telephone: 08442 488 322 / 01772 775 780 Email: sales@redwoodsdk.com

COULTER CONSULTING

Tel: 01525 860716 Email: info@coulter-consulting.co.uk


Know your local agent.

Know your market.

Know your options.

The specialist Childcare and Education team at Christie & Co can

provide unrivalled insight, expertise, and answers to any question

you may have.

If you are considering your exit strategy or maybe looking to expand, one

of the specialist Childcare and Education team is always on hand to provide

their expertise, insights, support and balanced advice. Our business is built

around relationships.

SPEAK TO THE EXPERTS: T: 0333 034 1751 | E: childcareandeducation@christie.com

Your Specialist Business and Property Advisers

DAY NURSERIES FOR SALE

5880129 - Shropshire

FOR SALE

Freehold, £1,400,000

• Capacity for c.138

• Group of two

• Adjusted net profit: c. £140,000

T: 07791 979 343

5880051 - Devon

FOR SALE

Leasehold, £180,000

• Capacity for c. 65

• Rural affluent location

• Turnover: £365,000

T: 07791 979 343

Project Academy - Nottinghamshire

FOR SALE



• Freehold available

• Adjusted net profit: £170,000

T: 07791 979 343

4280717 - Merseyside 4280863 - West Sussex



FOR SALE



FOR SALE

• T/O for Y/E April 2024:

c. £514,000

• Purpose built

• EBITDA: £63,000

• Management team in

place

T: 07736 616 687

T: 07736 620 855

4280605 - West Sussex

FOR SALE


• Capacity for c.50

• ‘Good’ Care Inspectorate grades

• In partnership with Local

Authority

T: 07754 559 529

5280047 - East of Scotland

FOR SALE

Leasehold, £60,000

• Capacity for 24

• Ofsted rated 'Outstanding'

• YE 2023 EBITDA: c. £21k

T: 07736 620 855

5280067 - East of Scotland

FOR SALE



• Management Run with a long

serving manager

• Turnover for Y/E 2023:

c. £1,200,000

T: 07754 559 529

christie.com

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