Nursery Management Today, March-April 2025

3/2025

March/April 2025

Growing

new talent

The changing training

landscape

Leadership skills

Market analysis

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nmtcontents

Inside this issue...

MARCH/APRIL 2025 •

VOLUME 24 NUMBER 2

21

32

35

40

43

Editor’s comment ............................................................................ 5

News ............................................................................................................................... 6-9

Leadership ............................................................................................. 10-11

In this leadership series we hear from Purnima Tanuku,

executive chair of the National Day Nurseries Association,

as she steps into a new role

Legal ........................................................................................................................................ 13

Alice Thursfield describes how proposed changes to

Ofsted inspections could affect the early years market

Insurance ................................................................................................................. 14

Jenny Hyde explains the importance of understanding the

terms of your lease

Property ...................................................................................................................... 15

Jenna Caldwell looks at the newest M&A statistics and

offers insights into current market trends and buyer

behaviour

Training spotlight

Rageena Tahir explains the thinking behind Fennies’

new training programme for nursery managers .......................... 16

Charlotte Goddard rounds up the latest changes to the

training landscape, including the experience-based route

and the removal of maths from apprenticeships.............. 18-19

Gill Mason describes the benefits of Kids Planet Day

Nurseries early years leadership qualification........................ 21-23

Human resources .......................................................... 26-27

Alison King explains how to maintain staff morale and

avoid costly legal disputes when buying a nursery

Nutrition

Registered nutritionist Catherine Lippe explores how to

get the most out of mealtimes in your setting................... 30-31

Jo Makosinski talks to award-winning chef Pete Ttofis to

find out how Tops Day Nurseries is transforming nutrition in

early years.......................................................................................................................... 32-33

Technology ...................................................................................................... 35

Angelica de Assis explains how Little Elms Day Care uses

artificial intelligence in everyday operations to enhance

human expertise

3/2025

March/April 2025

Growing

new talent

The changing training

landscape

Leadership skills

Market analysis

nmt-magazine.co.uk

Staff wellbeing ...................................................................... 36-37

Samantha Dholakia explores the role beliefs and balance

play in our approach to leadership

Diversity .................................................................................................................. 40

Stephanie Mensah explores the importance of diversity in

early years education and asks if we are doing enough.

Managers support .................................................... 43-45

We round up the top news about nursery managers across

the country

Meet the manager .................................................................. 46

In our series showcasing the sector’s nursery managers, we

find out about Claire Mills, manager at Newhouse Nursery

in Blackpool

Award winners ................................................................... 48-53

The second in a two-part round-up celebrating the

inspirational winners of the NMT National Nursery Awards

nmt-magazine.co.uk March/April 2025 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY 3

Free to attend for Nursery owners

& Directors

1 May

NMT Owners Club Midlands

The Belfry

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Sustainability under threat

Chief executive officer

Alex Dampier

Chief operating officer

Sarah Hyman

Chief marketing officer

Julia Payne

Advertising & event sales director

Caroline Bowern

0797 4643292

caroline.bowern@nexusgroup.co.uk

Editor

Charlotte Goddard

Subeditor

Charles Wheeldon

Publisher

Harry Hyman

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Springtime is traditionally a time

of change and new growth. In

the early years sector changes

are coming thick and fast, but nursery

owners and managers are concerned that

they are not leading to growth – quite

the opposite, in fact.

The recent publication of government

guidance for local authorities which

clamps down on nurseries charging

“extras” on top of the funded entitlement,

such as nappies, meals, craft materials, and

trips, has caused a palpable sense of anger

and alarm within the sector.

Back in October, the Department for

Education said it would be engaging

with local authorities and providers

“in the coming months” to clarify

its statutory guidance on charging.

However, providers say there has been no

engagement around the new guidance,

and certainly no consultation.

The government says there is nothing

new in this guidance – it is just clarifying

what has always been the case. However,

rather than clarification, the guidance

seems to have plunged the sector into

confusion, with different local authorities

interpreting it in different ways.

Nursery owners attending NMT’s

most recent Owners Club, at Celtic

Manor in Newport, Wales, heard from

Jo Morris, director of Playsteps Day

Nursery and spokesperson for the

campaign group Champagne Nurseries

on Lemonade Funding, which aims

to highlight the underfunding of

nurseries in the UK. Morris talked about

providers’ concerns about their current

offers being compliant and highlighted

the parts of the provider agreement that

settings need to pay particular attention

to when reviewing funding offers.

It does seem as though the refreshed

guidance could have the opposite effect

to what is intended. A survey from the

Early Years Alliance found 41% of early

years settings said they were likely to

reduce the number of funded three- and

four-year-old places they offer over the

next year, and 18% said that they could

opt out of the three-and four-yearold

scheme altogether, with the new

guidance cited as the top driving factor

in this decision. The vast majority (94%)

of providers said they were likely to

increase fees for non-government funded

hours over the next year, and 77% are

actually likely to introduce or increase

the price of optional extras, such as

nappies, meals and trips.

Many nurseries already make it clear

that additional charges are voluntary,

but they say that parents who were

previously happy to pay for enhanced

provision now want to opt out due to

recent communications from the DfE

talking about “cheaper childcare” and

“preventing overcharging”.

Of course, nurseries recognise the

need to ensure clarity and transparency

for parents when it comes to additional

charges for entitlement places, but

without the ability to make additional

charges many cannot survive, as the

funding they receive from their local

authority is not enough to deliver highquality

early education.

Charlotte Goddard

Editor, Nursery Management Today

charlotte.goddard@nexusgroup.co.uk

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nmtnews

News in brief

POLITICS & POLICY

Government guidance which aims to

prevent childcare providers from what

it describes as “overcharging” could

“seriously threaten sustainability” in the

sector, according to the National Day

Nurseries Association. The new guidance

aims to support local authorities to ensure

providers make all additional charges clear

and upfront to parents, and makes it clear

that these charges must not be included

as a condition for parents accessing their

hours. Local authorities are called on

to ensure providers’ invoices to parents

are clearly itemised by January 2026 and

that providers offering funded places do

not charge top-up fees or charge extra for

non-itemised “enrichment charges” or

“sustainability charges”.

Nurseries will be able to count

experienced practitioners in the

staff:child ratio at Level 3 without

the need to hold a full and relevant

qualification from September this

year. Early years providers were able to

begin assessing practitioners using the

government’s new experience-based route

from 3 March. They will not be able to

be included in ratio until September

due to the time required to complete a

supervised practice period and planned

changes to ratio requirements in the

Early Years Foundation Stage statutory

framework.

Ofsted has opened a consultation into

its new report cards, replacing the single

effectiveness grade. The inspectorate

proposes to replace the current early

years inspection system with report

cards, including a colour coded five-point

grading scale to evaluate more areas of

a provider’s work. The consultation for

early years, schools and further education

runs until 22 April, and the new system

will launch in November.

Apprentices over the age of 19 will no

longer be required to complete a Level

2 qualification in maths and English,

following government reforms. The

minimum length of an apprenticeship

has also been lowered from 12 months to

eight months. The government removed

the requirement for Level 3 practitioners

to hold a maths GCSE in order to

count as qualified in the staff:child ratio

in January this year. However, until

now, Level 3 learners have still needed

to complete a maths qualification

to complete the early years educator

apprenticeship.

The government is rolling out a

supervised toothbrushing programme

for up to 600,000 three- to five-year-olds

in deprived areas, to help children develop

positive habits and protect them from

tooth decay. The £11 million programme

is launched in collaboration with Colgate-

Palmolive, which is donating more than

23 million toothbrushes and toothpastes

as well as educational materials and a

children’s oral health campaign.

Increases to National Insurance

contributions will force nurseries to raise

fees by 10% and put one in seven settings

at risk, according to research from the

National Day Nurseries Association. A

survey of 728 nurseries in England found

nursery staffing costs are set to rise by

an average of 15%. Respondents said

that more than half of this rise is due to

increases in employer National Insurance

contribution.

Nurseries no longer have to pay £250

to check whether overseas qualifications

allow early years practitioners to count

as qualified in staff:child ratios. The

Department for Education removed the

fee for the service, which is delivered

by education service provider Ecctis, to

make it more accessible to applicants,

and support the growth of the early years

workforce,

Councillors in Falkirk, Stirlingshire

voted against cost-saving proposals to

remove 150 funded places from private

providers in a tight vote, instead deciding

6 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY March/April 2025 nmt-magazine.co.uk

nmtnews

to raise council tax by 15.6%. The council

had proposed to reduce the number of

places it funds for three-and four-yearolds

in private provision as a cost saving

measure, instead offering the places in

council-run settings.

A report from charity Kindred

Squared found 49% of teachers say the

school readiness problem is worse than in

September 2023, highlighting the scale

of the challenge in meeting the prime

minister’s target of 75% of children being

“school ready” by 2028. In the 2024

Reception cohort, teachers report over a

third (36%) of children struggle to play/

share with other children, 34% don’t

know how to listen or respond to simple

instruction, and a quarter (25%) are not

toilet trained.

PEOPLE NEWS

The National Day Nurseries Association

(NDNA) has appointed a new chief

executive as Purnima Tanuku becomes

executive chair. NDNA’s trustees

appointed Tim McLachlan, former chief

executive of the Institute of Food Science

and Technology, to take over as chief

executive from 31 March. In her role as

executive chair Tanuku will lead NDNA’s

strategic work, including managing key

external relationships with ministers,

senior officials and policy work across the

UK.

NURSERY NEWS

Nursery provider Partou is set to install

new external displays in all 106 UK

settings as part of a major rebrand. The

provider has already unveiled new signs at

its Nursery Support Centre in Manchester

as part of a rebrand following the merger

of Just Childcare and All About Children

under the Partou banner. Partou acquired

All About Children in 2022 and Just

Childcare in 2021.

A childhood education expert at

The Open University has found Busy

Bees’ curriculum “improves the

knowledge and confidence of educators”

in an independent report. Dr Jackie

Musgrave, associate head of school with

responsibility for learning and teaching

at the Open University’s School of

Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport,

carried out research into the nursery

group’s Bee Curious curriculum, including

a questionnaire sent to educators, nursery

visits and meetings with Busy Bees area

managers.

Commercial property investor and

developer The Harkalm Group is

acquiring eight nursery properties across

the UK, following a £2.1 million loan

from OakNorth Bank. The company will

continue to let the sites to in-situ nursery

operator The Old Station Nursery Group,

which has provided nursery care from

these properties since 2022.

Nursery group First Friends has

opened a setting in partnership with

Denmead Infant and Junior School in

First Friends leadership team

Waterlooville, Hampshire. The nursery

will provide early years education and

care for 35 children aged from six months

to five years. First Friends was selected

after a rigorous tender process, with the

school citing the nursery group’s approach

and shared values as key factors in the

decision.

SECTOR SUPPORT

Nottingham City Council is funding

50 settings to take part in an outdoor

play project aimed at closing the gender

attainment gap in the early years


nmtproperty

ADVERTORIAL

A trusted property partner

The Harkalm Group, a leading property investment and development company and specialist

in the educational sector, is proud to introduce Alex Ringer, who will drive the expansion of its

educational portfolio. With a wealth of experience in the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

(SEND) and Day Nursery sectors, Alex’s appointment strengthens Harkalm’s commitment to being

the trusted property partner for educational operators.

A Strategic Move for Growth

Recognised as an award-winning property

company, Harkalm has completed more

than 50 acquisitions in the educational

sector over the past five years.

The multi-faceted property company

has helped educational operators grow in

the following ways:

• Site Acquisitions – Identifying and

securing new locations for expanding

operators. Harkalm’s nationwide reach,

driven by its reputation, extensive

network, and dedicated in-house

research team, enables us to consistently

source high-quality, off-market

opportunities.

• Sale and Leasebacks – When the

property is owned by the operator,

they then sell the property to Harkalm

and simultaneously take a lease for an

agreed long term fixed period. This

allows the operator to free up capital

while continuing to use the property for

its operations.

• Property Disposals – When the

property is owned by the operator,

they want to dispose of the property

but no longer wish to operate from

the premises. Harkalm can acquire the

building and repurpose it to maximise

its value for alternative use. With our

expertise in property acquisition and

redevelopment, we ensure a seamless

transition while unlocking new

opportunities for the site.

Recent Successes and Future

Ambitions

A recent example of Harkalm’s impact

in the sector is the successful sale and

leaseback of eight properties with The Old

Station Nursery group, which was recently

marketed through Nursery Management

Today (NMT). This deal reflects the

company’s ability to execute strategic

transactions that align with the long-term

goals of educational operators.

Looking ahead, Harkalm aims to

expand its reach by working with

more educational institutions to offer

innovative property solutions that align

with the evolving needs of the sector. The

firm’s expertise in facilitating property

deals that benefit both operators and

investors will remain a key focus in their

ongoing growth strategy.

Why Educational Operators Should

Take Notice

For nurseries, SEN schools, and

independent schools looking to optimise

their property strategies, Harkalm

provides an unparalleled level of expertise.

With Alex Ringer, institutions now

have access to a dedicated specialist who

understands the unique challenges and

opportunities within the sector.

Whether an institution is looking

to expand its footprint, restructure its

property portfolio, or secure financial

flexibility through sale and leasebacks,

Harkalm’s services are tailored to

provide tangible benefits. The company’s

experience in matching educational

operators with the right property

Alex Ringer

solutions ensures that institutions can

focus on what matters most – delivering

quality education.

A Call to Action for Educational

Operators

Harkalm invites educational operators to

reach out and explore how their expert

property team can support growth and

long-term sustainability. “If you’re looking

to grow organically, seeking sale and

leaseback opportunities, or need to release

capital via property disposals, we are here

to help,” says Daniel Goodman, director

and head of developments.

With Alex Ringer’s expertise, Harkalm

is set to reinforce its position as a trusted

partner in the educational property sector,

ensuring that nurseries, SEN schools,

and independent institutions have the

property solutions they need to thrive in

an ever-changing landscape.

For further information, please contact

Alex Ringer at aringer@harkalm.com

or 020 7435 2535


nmtnews

sector. In Nottingham 55.5% of boys

achieved a good level of development at

the end of the Early Years Foundation

Stage in 2023/4, compared with 71.9%

of girls. The ‘With Boys in Mind’ project

was developed in collaboration with

consultant Greg Bottrill, author of Can I

Go And Play Now?

The Greater Manchester Combined

Authority has launched a package of

support for early years workers. GM

Reflect is a training and support package

which aims to strengthen the skills and

knowledge of those working across

the early years workforce in Greater

Manchester.

delivery. The Department for Education

has published the Early Years Teacher

Degree Apprenticeship standard.

However, starts on the apprenticeship will

only be possible once a suitable end-point

assessment organisation has joined the

Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment

Register.

Awarding organisation NCFE has

launched a Level 3 qualification to address

the need for high-quality baby care across

the UK. The Level 3 award in working

with babies and young children under

two years has been developed to close

the gap in specialist training, equipping

practitioners with the skills needed to

meet the unique needs of infants and

toddlers.

The Department for Education

has partnered with Channel 4 to

promote the benefits of a career in early

education and childcare. The series

‘How To Love Your Job’ features on

Channel 4’s YouTube, Instagram and

Facebook channels and is also available via

streaming. ‘How To Love Your Job’ talks

to early years workers to find out what

viewers could expect from a role in this

sector.

The Education Endowment

Foundation has published guidance

to help nurseries make the most of

the increase in funding for the most

disadvantaged children. Following a 45%

increase in Early Years Pupil Premium

funding, eligible early years settings

in England will be able to claim up to

£570 per child per year from April. The

EEF Guide to the Early Years Pupil

Premium is based on the best available

evidence of what works to support socioeconomically

disadvantaged children.■

Claudio Sisera, founder, Male

Childcare & Teaching Jobs

The Childcare Company has partnered

with Male Childcare and Teaching

Jobs to launch an apprenticeship aimed

at male childcare workers. The Level 3

early years educator (Men in Childcare

pathway) apprenticeship aims to promote

gender diversity, challenge stereotypes,

increase male representation in childcare

roles across the UK, tackle staff shortages

and create inclusive environments for

educators and learners.

Childcare Works has launched

two free toolkits to help early years

and wraparound providers develop

their business. The toolkits, funded by

the Department for Education, cover

business planning, running childcare

provision, business growth, leadership and

management, partnership working, and

SEND and inclusive practice.

The Level 6 early years teacher degree

apprenticeship has been approved for


nmtleadership

Celebrate the sector

Purnima Tanuku became executive chair of the National Day Nurseries Association in March after

20 years as chief executive, and in January was awarded the CBE in the New Year Honours List, for

services to early years education

Purnima Tanuku’s career has taken

her from working with young

offenders in prisons to training

owners of small and medium-sized

businesses in Romania and Poland, all

the while building the skills that allow

her to oversee the National Day Nurseries

Association’s (NDNA) support for

nurseries across the UK and abroad.

“My mum used to say I was born with

wheels on my feet,” she laughs. “Every job

I have taken, there is travelling involved.”

Born in the state of Andhra Pradesh in

India, Tanuku was raised and educated

there before moving to the UK to join her

husband, a doctor. She took on a number

of roles in the private and local authority

sector, where she sometimes found herself

battling stereotypes, for example as the

first Asian female managing director of an

environmental regeneration trust. “There

was an image of Asian women being shy

and quiet, walking 10 steps behind their

husbands,” recalls Tanuku. “That really

was not me.”

In one of her roles working for local

authorities in West and South Yorkshire,

Tanuku was responsible for youth and

education services within three prisons

and a young offender institution.

“Walking into a prison with prison

governors who are six foot tall, and there’s

me, five foot, it wasn’t the norm in those

“I think sometimes

that is not really well

understood by the

government, the way

legislation changes can

make or break their

businesses.”

days,” she laughs.

Moving to Lancashire, she took on a

role as managing director of a regeneration

trust. As part of the trust’s mission of

social, economic and environmental

regeneration, Tanuku was involved in

delivering training to small and medium

sized enterprises in Poland and Romania

about EU legislation. This was done in

partnership with the Department for

International Development and energy

company BP. “We worked with very

disaffected young people in some of the

rough estates within East Lancashire to get

them back on track, give them a purpose,

and sense of belonging,” she says. “Some

of them had issues with drugs and petty

crime, so you needed a lot of patience.”

Tanuku is passionate about the

performing arts, having been a trained

dancer from the age of five. “My father

passed away very young and I think my

mother got me involved in classical Indian

dancing to distract me,” she says. In the

UK she volunteered to run dance classes,

later becoming a trustee and chair of the

South Asian Academy of Performing Arts

in Bradford. “We grew that organisation

into a major performing arts centre from

nothing,” she says. “So I know the kind of

challenges that face charities and not-forprofits,

but equally, what they contribute

to society in general, which is sometimes

not really acknowledged.”

When she saw the ad for the role

of deputy chief executive at NDNA,

Tanuku was actually planning to take

a career break, but she was drawn to

the organisation. “I have always been a

working mum, so I know the challenges

working parents face,” she says. At the

time, the NDNA, headed by the late

Rosemary Murphy, was based “in a small

business park in Huddersfield with just

under 20 staff.” Today the organisation is

located in Huddersfield’s National Early

Purnima Tanuku

Years Enterprise Centre, a purpose-built

light and airy modern venue with meeting

and training rooms which can be hired

by external organisations. “It is the hub

of activity for the whole of the UK,” says

Tanuku.

In her time at the organisation Tanuku

has overseen the development of NDNA

Cymru, and the launch of NDNA

Scotland, as well as the development

of a wide-ranging training offering,

including online, face-to-face and virtual

classrooms. “The quality and availability

of training for the sector was very hit and

miss at the time,” says Tanuku. “Last year

alone, we delivered training to around

40,000 people, not only across the UK,

but internationally. Around 20 countries

use our services, whether it’s our quality

accreditation programme eQuality

Counts, or our Maths Champions

programme.”

Maths Champions builds the

knowledge of nursery practitioners to

support children’s early mathematical

development. An independent evaluation

found receiving the programme resulted

in an average of three additional months’

progress in maths and language compared


nmtleadership

to children in settings that didn’t receive

the programme.

Another major achievement was the

launch of the Institute of Early Years

Education in 2023. “That’s been in the

making for a number of years, and aims to

raise the status of the sector,” says Tanuku.

“We don’t want to wait for anybody else

to do it; we have to do it ourselves.”

Sometimes people who work in the

early sector underestimate their own

expertise, she thinks. “But in fact they

have fantastic multidisciplinary skills,

and that is something worth celebrating

and acknowledging, and supporting

those people to move forwards,” she

says. “We’ve seen people who started as a

nursery assistant, moved up and became a

manager, and are now a regional director

for a chain, or a chief executive.”

Tanuku believes her background in

the SME sector has been useful when it

comes to supporting nurseries. “In the

nursery sector, the majority are private

sector providers, and a lot of them are

single site settings in the community, set

up by women who couldn’t find adequate

childcare for their own children,” she says.

“I think sometimes that is not really well

understood by the government, the way

legislation changes can make or break

their businesses.”

In March Tanuku stepped into the role

of executive chair at the NDNA, after 20

years as chief executive. Tim McLachlan,

former chief executive of the Institute of

Food Science and Technology (IFST),

stepped into her shoes as chief executive of

the organisation. In her role as executive

chair Tanuku will lead NDNA’s strategic

work, including managing key external

relationships with ministers, senior officials

and policy work across the UK.

Much of Tanuku’s role involves lobbying

and campaigning on behalf of the early

years sector, with a hefty percentage of

her time spent talking to ministers and

government officials. She believes the best

way to make nurseries’ voices heard is to

take a professional, constructive approach,

backed by evidence.

“There are more and more challenges

coming through, so it’s about how we

can support providers when they haven’t

got time to make their voices heard

themselves,” she says. “What we do is

twofold, offering support to members in

terms of what they need, but equally, from

a policy perspective, fighting their corner

and making a difference.”

The difference between the money

nurseries receive to deliver funded places

and the amount it costs to deliver those

places is the perennial issue facing the

sector. It seems as though whenever

funding rates rise, as they have done this

year, nurseries are faced with new costs

– in this case rises in National Insurance

contributions. “

National Insurance contributions

is a big, big issue,” says Tanuku. “Even

though the government says the funding

that’s been announced covers the cost

of living and National Minimum Wage

increases, NIC rises are a big challenge.

From September 2025 80% of funded

places will be government-funded, with

the majority delivered by private and

voluntary nurseries and the only way they

can survive is by increasing fees, which

completely negates the object in terms of

the government policy.”

Tanuku believes it is also important to

promote early education as a benefit to

children, as well as parents. “The whole

expansion programme is highlighted as

a big benefit for parents to get back into

work,” she says. “But there are children

who need high-quality education and

care and who are not able to access it, and

I think that’s something that we need

to really focus on. There’s an element

of raising awareness of the value of that

investment in early years.”

With the numerous changes the

sector is facing in everything from

Ofsted inspections to staff:child ratios,

nursery owners and practitioners can feel

increasingly overwhelmed. “The next few

months are going to be pretty difficult,

it’s going to be a tough time, not only

from the economy perspective, but from

the changes being piled onto the sector

as well,” says Tanuku. “The government is

eager to get things done quickly and move

forward, but all these changes are coming

at a time when settings are struggling

with recruitment, funding issues and

sustainability. One member was telling

me last week that the admin associated

with the funded hours alone keeps her

awake at night, the amount of work that is

involved.”

Despite all the challenges, however,

Tanuku remains optimistic. “I’ve seen a

lot of changes, but I think the capacity

in the sector is absolutely wonderful,

they just get on with the work,” she says.

“Governments come and go, ministers

come and go, but what is consistent is the

wonderful, high-quality early education,

and care that nurseries offer despite all

these challenges. You know, that’s really

worth celebrating.”■


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All change for inspections

nmtlegal

Alice Thursfield, associate solicitor at Lester Aldridge, looks at how proposed changes to Ofsted

inspections could affect the early years market

Many early years providers

will be aware of the changes

taking place within Ofsted as

a consequence of ‘The Big Listen’ public

consultation which asked for views

on Ofsted’s work across a number of

sectors. At the end of last year, Ofsted

announced that it will stop using singleword

judgments for children’s social

care providers and early years settings.

Inspections of state schools immediately

stopped the use of single-word judgments

in September last year, but the practice

was maintained in the interim for early

years settings.

Going forwards, it is intended that all

Ofsted judgments will be replaced with a

‘report card’, which will give more detail on

the performance of a setting across a range

of different evaluation areas including

achievement, leadership and governance,

personal development and wellbeing.

The report card will use a new five-point

grading scale for each of the evaluation

criteria.

Ofsted also seeks to place more

emphasis on early years settings’

circumstances and local context. The

toolkits aim to provide more clarity and

detail about what will be considered

during an inspection, to improve

consistency across inspections of early

years settings, and to assist providers

with what is expected of them during an

Ofsted inspection.

Ofsted launched a consultation into

this new approach at the beginning of

February and views are being sought from

parents, carers, professionals and wider

stakeholders. The consultation runs for 12

weeks from 3 February to 28 April.

Ofsted has stated that it will publish a

report on the outcome of the consultation

in the summer and will reflect on the

feedback. The final agreed reforms will be

piloted, and formally implemented in the

autumn term this year.

Effect on the market

Given that Ofsted confirmed in a recent

Select Committee appearance that a

provider will not lose its existing rating,

there will inevitably be a transitionary

period where some providers will

maintain their current single-word rating

at the same time as the new report card

system is being introduced.

This may have an effect on the nuances

of transactional due diligence work,

the comprehensive investigation and

analysis of a company’s financial, legal,

operational, and other relevant aspects,

conducted before a significant business

transaction to assess potential risks and

opportunities.

Specialist knowledge of the practical

implications of those changes, will be

critically important when nursery owners

are looking at mergers and acquisitions

because of the potential impact of the

new rating mechanism – the nuance in

the new score card ratings, and what that

could mean for the value of a provider at

sale.

Ofsted and the early years sector may be

able to learn from the chaos that has been

created in the adult health and social care

sector by the roll out of the Care Quality

Commission’s new single assessment

framework. The new framework has had a

detrimental effect on the meaningfulness

and accuracy of ratings for adult social

care providers. The head of the CQC

recently admitted that care home ratings

could no longer be trusted.

It is not in any way suggested that the

same colossal problems will flow through

to the Ofsted inspection changes. However,

the very significant problems that the

CQC has faced by changing its inspection

framework so dramatically serves as a

warning that specialist understanding of

the market (including the changes and

the impact and meaning of those changes

to the risk of an early years setting) is

Alice Thursfield,

crucial to the success of sales, purchase and

investments within the sector.

Providers will also no doubt be aware

of the contractual implications of the

judgment changes. The Department

for Education has developed and

prescribes a model agreement for local

authorities to use in their provider

agreements with nurseries relating to

free early years provision and childcare

to ensure consistency. Many of these

contracts will have specific quality clauses

relating to the existing ‘Inadequate’,

‘Requires improvement to be good’,

‘Good’, ‘Outstanding’ ratings and, as we

understand it, will also have to be updated

in line with the proposals.

This could lead to some initial

inconsistency and so specialist advice is

recommended here where there are any

contractual concerns or disputes with

local authorities, the Department for

Education or the Education and Skills

Funding Agency (if applicable). It is

of note that the Education and Skills

Funding Agency closed in March, with its

functions moving over to the Department

for Education.■


nmtinsurance

Know your lease

Jenny Hyde, associate director at dot2dot Nursery Insurance, explains the

importance of understanding the terms of your lease when arranging insurance

The proportion of leasehold nursery

sales continues to increase, with

61% of day nurseries sold last year

being leasehold, compared with 57% in

2023 according to Christie & Co’s latest

report. It is therefore even more important

that nurseries understand their lease when

arranging insurance.

When a building is leased and a claim

occurs, insurers will always request a copy

of the lease to determine whose insurance

policy can respond to the damage – tenant

or landlord? The lease agreement sets out

who should insure what, so it’s important

that this is fully understood before

insurance is arranged.

Who should insure the building?

Typically, the lease will allow the landlord

to insure the building and any loss of

rent, and it’s not uncommon for the cost

of this insurance to be passed onto the

tenant. Alternatively, the lease can make

it the tenant’s responsibility to insure the

building, with a request that the landlord’s

interest in the property is noted on the

insurance policy.

Irrespective of who insures the building,

it is critical that the ‘sum insured’ (the

maximum amount an insurance company

will pay out if you make a claim) is

an accurate reflection of how much it

would cost to rebuild. The sum insured

should include demolition, site clearance

and professional fees, as well taking

into account Value Added Tax if the

policyholder is not VAT-registered. It

is strongly recommended that a formal

reinstatement valuation (a professional

assessment of how much it would cost

to rebuild a property completely from

scratch) is obtained at least every three

years to ensure the sum is accurate, and

avoid any risk of underinsurance.

Leases are usually drafted on behalf

of landlords to protect their interests.

Therefore, if tenants are responsible for

insuring the building, it is highly likely there

will be a clause requiring them to make sure

that the sum insured is set correctly.

The potential consequences of a tenant

not correctly insuring a building are:

1. The cost of the repair to the building may

not be met in full by the insurance claim

leaving the tenant to pay any shortfall.

2. There will be a delay in restoring the

building and the business returning to its

normal operation, if at all.

3. There will be a breach of contract as the

obligations of the lease have not been met.

If the landlord is responsible for the

insurance of the building, unfortunately

there will not be the same obligations

within the lease to ensure the sum insured

is accurate. However, as the tenant, the

risks of repair costs not being met in full

and delays in reopening are still a risk to

you and your business. It would be good

practice to request confirmation of how

the landlord has set the sum insured. It is

also worth asking your own legal advisors

to review your leases to ensure they meet

your needs as well as the landlord’s.

Do I need to insure Tenant’s

Improvements?

Cover for Tenant’s Improvements protects

any funds that you have invested into the

property or anything that you may be

responsible for as tenant under the terms of

your lease.

Some tenants may spend significant

sums in converting a building to be suitable

for their nursery business, such as adding

children’s lavatories, flooring or installing

additional kitchens. Where there’s been a

Jenny Hyde

complete change of use, we have known

clients to spend hundreds of thousands

of pounds. These costs will need to be

protected by the tenant’s insurance as it’s

unlikely the landlord’s policy will extend to

cover them.

Tenant’s Improvements cover may still

be required for tenants who haven’t made

significant changes, to insure what they are

responsible for under the terms of the lease,

such as redecoration costs.

Acquisitions

Issues with claims can arise following an

acquisition of an existing nursery where

the lease is inherited. It is not always clear

what work the previous tenants carried out

to the building. These changes can have

occurred over many years and unknowingly

be transferred to the new tenant under the

terms of the existing lease.

In these circumstances, the Tenant’s

Improvements sum can be difficult to

calculate. Following an acquisition it is

advisable either to agree a new lease or

have an addendum to the existing lease

clarifying who needs to insure what.

Leases can vary greatly in the insurance

obligations placed on the tenant and must

therefore be reviewed very carefully to

ensure your protection in the event of an

insurance claim.■


nmtproperty

A strong start

Jenna Caldwell, director of operations at Redwoods Dowling Kerr, reveals the company’s latest

childcare M&A statistics, offering insights into current market trends and buyer behaviour

Fresh data from our internal

group data team, Altius Business

Intelligence, highlights opportunities

for growth in mergers and acquisitions,

as the childcare market prepares for a

dynamic year in 2025.

Drawing on insights from Ofsted, the

Scottish and Welsh Care Inspectorates

and Companies House, in addition to our

proprietary data, the latest figures reveal

a maturing ownership profile, a steady

pace of consolidation and promise real

improvements in operational standards.

Ageing ownership fuels M&A

potential

The ageing demographic of childcare

business owners continues to shape

the market. By the end of the 2023-24

academic year, 55% were aged over 50,

compared to 54% in 2022-23. Notably,

over a quarter of business owners are

now over 60 years of age, marking a trend

towards retirement planning.

Barriers to entry for younger

entrepreneurs remain high, with increased

costs for construction, leases, regulatory

compliance and labour. The decline

in childcare business owners under 40

underscores the challenges new entrants

face without substantial financial backing.

This shifting demographic creates fertile

ground for mergers and acquisitions.

As seasoned business owners plan exits,

the market is ripe for consolidation,

particularly for operators with the

expertise and resources to scale efficiently.

Consolidation in group sizes

The structure of the market is evolving,

with single-setting operators experiencing

a significant decline. By the end of 2024,

just 36% of settings in England were

single-site operations, down from 38% in

the 2022-23 academic year. Meanwhile,

groups managing between two and 14

settings increased their market presence

during the same period, with 67% of the

market now controlled by operators with

fewer than four settings. This reflects

a fragmented market with room for

mid-sized operators to grow through

acquisitions.

Corporate operators with more than

15 settings saw market share stabilise at

just under 20%. This levelling-off suggests

opportunities for mid-sized groups and

private equity-backed operators to expand

their group sizes.

During 2024, Redwoods Dowling Kerr

facilitated a number of sales to group

buyers. For example, Little Tots Nurseries

was sold to Muddy Puddles Nurseries, a

business with several existing sites and its

own clothing brand.

In another deal, Angels by Day was

sold to Kids Planet. The sale followed a

number of acquisitions by Kids Planet

handled by RDK’s childcare team,

including Fledglings and The Wendy

House Day Nursery earlier last year.

Larger settings take the lead

The trend toward larger settings is

accelerating, with 19% of the market

offering more than 80 places in the

2023-24 academic year, up from 17% in

2020-21. Smaller settings continue to

shrink as a proportion, with those offering

fewer than 20 places declining to just 3%

in 2024.

This shift reflects broader operational

efficiencies sought by operators, as larger

settings often provide better economies

of scale. Despite challenges such as

rising costs of capital, this trend signals

opportunities for investors focused on

long-term returns in larger operations.

Strong standards and rebounding

openings

The quality of childcare in England

continues to increase. In the 2023-24

period, more than 97% of settings were

rated Good or Outstanding, aligning with

a reduction in Requires improvement

or Inadequate ratings which fell to less

than 3% of the market – a clear testament

to the sector’s commitment to high

standards.

After a challenging 2023, during

which Ofsted published a net loss of 502

settings, the tide turned in 2024 with a

net gain of 96 nurseries. However, data

compiled by Altius BI suggests that 2022-

23 remained stable for private settings

with little change in the net position,

followed by a net increase in private

nurseries and pre-schools of 50 in the

2023-24 academic year.

We believe that the loss reported by

Ofsted in part reflects the non-private

sector, where we estimate a net loss of

around 250 settings during the 2023-24

academic year, and around 400 settings

in 2022-23. While childcare settings

have experienced a decline in the market

in previous years, we believe that this is

not reflective of private settings, which

have been bolstered by rising fees and

increased demand as more parents return

to work amid the continuing cost of

living crisis.

The childcare sector is entering 2025

with renewed confidence and optimism.

The combination of ageing ownership,

high operational standards and steady

consolidation positions the market for

significant M&A. For childcare business

owners contemplating their next steps,

2025 offers a promising environment to

achieve successful exits and contribute to

the sector’s continued evolution.

With more than 81% of the market

controlled by operators with fewer

than 15 settings, there’s ample room for

consolidation.

2025 has started with a bang, with

RDK completing seven childcare sales

in January, with a strong first-quarter

pipeline.■


nmttraining

Confident leadership

Rageena Tahir, director of early years at Fennies, explains the thinking behind its new

Inspire Leadership Training Programme for nursery managers

In early years education, professional

development is often centred on

educators, ensuring they have the

knowledge and skills to support children’s

learning. However, the role of the nursery

manager is just as important. Strong,

confident leadership creates a ripple effect,

as well-supported managers who lead wellequipped

teams have a direct influence on

the quality of early education.

At Fennies, we recognise that leadership

is not static; it requires continuous

development, reflection and growth. That’s

why we have introduced a bespoke Inspire

Leadership Training Programme designed

specifically for our nursery managers. This

initiative supports them in refining their

skills, deepening their knowledge and

ultimately becoming even more effective

leaders.

Management modules

Our training programme is made up

of 16 carefully-designed modules, each

addressing essential aspects of leadership

and management. Topics range from

health and safety leadership to time

management and leadership styles.

Recognising that nursery managers are not

just leaders but are also role models and

mentors, we have also incorporated a Train

the Trainer module, ensuring they have the

skills to confidently share their knowledge

and support their teams.

Alongside these structured modules, we

also provide CPD events, sector seminars

and external speaker sessions, allowing

us to expose our managers to specialist

insights and industry-best practice. This

multi-faceted approach ensures they

stay informed and are ready to lead with

confidence.

Why did we decide to launch this?

Nursery managers are expected to guide

their teams in best practice, across all areas

of nursery life. However, opportunities for

managers to revisit and deepen their own

knowledge can be limited. Investing in

their CPD ensures they remain up to date

with the latest research, allowing them to

confidently lead their teams in delivering

high-quality early years education.

Moreover, leadership isn’t just about

knowledge, it’s about the ability to

motivate, mentor and develop others.

While some managers naturally excel

in this area, others may need support in

refining these skills. That’s why our training

includes modules that focus on coaching,

communication and team development.

This helps managers become more effective

within their leadership roles.

Continual learning

A key consideration was embedding the

learning for lasting impact. CPD shouldn’t

be a one-off event, it needs to be an

ongoing process. Just because something

has been taught once doesn’t mean it has

been fully mastered. By revisiting key

concepts and sharing insights with peers,

managers develop confidence, competence

and consistency in their leadership.

At Fennies, we ensure that the learning

from our training programme doesn’t stop at

the end of a session. Each nursery manager

is encouraged to integrate their training into

their nursery development plans, turning

knowledge into action. Our education

team follows up during site visits, offering

support to help monitor the real-world

impact of the training. We are already seeing

enthusiasm, engagement and motivation

from our managers. They are applying their

learning, sharing insights with their teams

and demonstrating increased confidence in

their leadership abilities.

At the end of the nine month

programme, managers present their

learning journey to their peers, showcasing

not only what they have learned but also

how they have applied this knowledge

to enhance their settings. This reflective

process strengthens their confidence and

reinforces the importance of continuous

professional growth.

Providing all our managers with equal

access to high-quality training is part of

our commitment to their development.

Skilled managers lead skilled teams,

and skilled teams create exceptional

learning environments for children.

By supplementing their individual

development journeys with standardised

leadership training across our nurseries, we

ensure that high standards are embedded

across all of our settings.

Our Inspire Leadership Training

Programme is just one example of how

ongoing CPD can empower leaders and

elevate the quality of early years education.

By recognising the importance of

continuous learning, reflective practice and

leadership development, we are not only

investing in our managers, we are investing

in the future of early years education.■


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nmttraining

Bring in the new

The training landscape is changing rapidly in early years. Charlotte Goddard

rounds up some of the new developments

The government has introduced a

number of reforms to the training

landscape over the last few months.

Some changes, such as the removal of

the maths and English requirement in

apprenticeships, affect all sectors, while

others, such as the introduction of the

experience-based route, are solely aimed at

the early years sector.

Removal of maths requirement

Apprentices over the age of 19 in

all sectors are no longer required to

complete a Level 2 qualification in maths

and English. The government made

the announcement during National

Apprenticeship Week (10-14 February),

and it came into force immediately for

new sign-ups. Existing apprentices had

to agree with employers and training

providers as to whether they would opt

out of the maths and English requirement

by 1 April this year.

In the early years sector, things are not

quite so clear cut. Under the statutory

framework for the early years sector, Level

3 practitioners still require an English

GCSE or equivalent. The government

had already announced that Level 3

practitioners would no longer need to

have a maths GCSE or equivalent to

count in ratios, moving the requirement

to managers, but apprentices still needed

the maths qualifications to complete their

apprenticeship. The removal of maths

from apprenticeship requirements has

“The minute the news

came in I thought of

five or six people who

can now go onto the

Level 3.”

removed that obstacle.

In general, the sector has welcomed the

move, with many owners and managers

identifying experienced and valued staff

who had been prevented from progressing

their careers until now.

“I was so happy to see the maths go,

I did a little happy dance,” says Kate

Bickley, head of apprenticeships at nursery

chain Storal. “It has been a massive

stumbling block for people moving from

Level 2 to Level 3.”

She adds: “We have seen people come

to us who have had up to eight attempts

to gain their maths qualification. The

minute the news came in I immediately

thought of five or six people who can now

go onto the Level 3.”

Just because the qualification is

no longer required as part of an

apprenticeship does not mean students

can’t study for it if they want to, and

many training providers will continue

to offer maths as part of the course. This

is particularly the case for practitioners

who may wish to progress to become a

manager, or early years teacher.

“If someone wants to progress within

early years, then why wait to gain those

qualifications?” asks Michelle Phoenix,

head of quality and curriculum at training

provider CT Skills. “Get them while you’re

young, rather than getting to a point and

looking back and thinking, I want to be a

nursery manager now, and I can’t, because I

haven’t done those qualifications.”

“In terms of the future this may create

an issue for future managers, but not

everyone will be a manager,” says Sophie

Hayter, qualification lead at nursery

group Kido. “Looking at the percentage

of apprentices I see who do have maths, I

would hope that there will still be enough

to meet the criteria. As long as apprentices

are aware at the outset they will need

maths to progress to leadership roles I

think it will work.”

Kate Bickley

Sophie Hayter

Michelle Phoenix


nmttraining

Experience-based route

Nurseries will be able to count

experienced practitioners in the staff:child

ratio at Level 3 without the need to hold

a “full and relevant” qualification from

September 2025, using the government’s

new experience-based route. “Full and

relevant” qualifications are those listed by

the Department for Education (DfE) as

qualifying practitioners to be counted in

the staff: child ratio at a particular level,

such as the Level 3 Early Years Educator

apprenticeship.

The government has published

guidance for early years settings which

includes recommended approaches

around deciding if they want to offer this

route to their staff, which members of

staff this route might be suitable for, and

how to assess if an applicant meets the

eligibility criteria to access it.

Staff wishing to undertake the

experience-based route must hold either

a full and relevant Level 2 qualification,

or a Level 3 or above that is relevant to

the care or education of children, but

is not full and relevant. Staff must also

have worked with children aged five and

under in an early years setting or a related

sector in England, for a minimum of one

year, and early years providers must have

received a good or outstanding judgement

for overall effectiveness in their most

recent Ofsted inspection.

The DfE said it intends to develop

an assessment-only route to a full and

relevant qualification which staff holding

experience-based route status will likely

need to take in order to continue working

at Level 3.

Many in the sector welcomed the

reform when it was introduced, but some

felt it was rendered unnecessary due to the

removal of maths requirement just a few

months later, seen as the main obstacle to

Level 3 qualification.

“There are numerous people in settings

across the country that don’t have a full

and relevant qualification but are more

than capable of practising as a Level 3

early years educator based on experience,

age, other kinds of qualifications,” says

Bickley. “However, I wonder now maths

is no longer the issue it always has been,

whether there is a huge need for an

experience based route.”

There are also concerns about the

fact that the experience-based Level 3

status gained in one setting may not be

transferrable to another. Debbie Harris,

chief operating officer at CT Skills, says

this could disadvantage practitioners.

“Their development is being put on

hold. They don’t need to be qualified at

this point, but they will in the future, so

they’re sat in limbo for a couple of years,”

she says. “I think it’s meeting the employer

need, and the skills gap that they’ve got

at the moment to meet the demands of

ratios, but it’s not necessarily meeting the

learner’s needs.”

On the other hand, the evidence-based

route could prove a lifeline to many

practitioners with qualifications they

thought were “full and relevant” but

turned out not to be. “Every day of my

life I must tell someone their qualification

is not full and relevant, even though

they have paid for a degree and are in

£30,000 worth of debt. There are so

many qualifications that were mis-sold

during Covid, such as online-only Level

3 qualifications which are not full and

relevant,” says Gill Mason, director of

Kids Planet Training Academy.

“During the pandemic, there were lots

of learners who undertook knowledgebased

qualifications, because they couldn’t

be assessed in the workplace, but these

qualifications were not ‘full and relevant’,”

says Phoenix. “However, because they

had too much prior learning, they weren’t

eligible to go on to do an apprenticeship.

For those types of learners, this route

means that they could still get into the

workplace and be counted in ratio.”

Nursery owner Robert Fox says he is

keeping a close eye on the experiencebased

route as a potential pathway for

his team at Happy Bunnies Shepreth.

“Recognising the value of hands-on

experience is long overdue in early

years, and this approach could provide a

much-needed solution to qualification

barriers while supporting retention

and career growth,” he comments.

“That said, we’d want to ensure the

process is rigorous enough to maintain

high standards. Supporting staff with

portfolio building, reflective practice,

and assessment preparation would be key.

We’re considering trialling it with select

team members first to see how well it

integrates with our current structure. If

done right, this could be a game-changer

for workforce development in our sector.”

Assessment for the experience-based

route will be based on the judgement of

managers, with no external body to check

their decision. “I would I love to think we

live in a world where every nursery will do

that correctly but will they?” asks Bickley.

“I can’t see who will check the checker, as

the guidance specifically says Ofsted will

not ask to look at any paperwork.”

“Some employers are worried about

how it would work within different

settings,” says Phoenix. “How is it

standardised? Are some employers are

going to use it responsibly, and others

not? Somebody independent needs to

have their eyes on it, because it’s like

marking your own homework. It is the

employer who is saying that person is

competent - but if you need that staff

member to be competent, to fill a vacancy,

then there is a temptation to tick boxes.”

Level 6 early years teacher degree

apprenticeship

In January the Department for Education

published the Early Years Teacher Degree

Apprenticeship standard. However,

starts on the apprenticeship will only

be possible once a suitable end-point

assessment organisation (EPAO) has

joined the Apprenticeship Provider and

Assessment Register (APAR).

This graduate-level qualification

will give everyone from school leavers

and junior staff to senior leaders the

opportunity to move into a specialist

career in the early years sector.

Employers involved in creating the

standard include Bright Horizons,

Kids Planet Day Nurseries, Storal, Our

Monkey Club, Pen Green Children’s

Centre and Little Pips Nursery, as well as

the National Day Nurseries Association

and the Early Years Alliance.

“I think it is fabulous to see a degree

level apprenticeship for early years, that

is a great recognition for the sector,” says

Bickley. “We have some qualified Early

Years Teachers in our settings already, so

to think we can open it up to more people

is lovely. We have Level 3 practitioners,

Level 5 lead practitioners, and if we want

to keep hold of them – which we do – it

is important to be able to offer them the

next step.”■



nmttraining

Do it yourself

Kids Planet Day Nurseries worked closely with University College London to create a bespoke

leadership qualification. Training academy director Gill Mason describes the benefits for

learners and the nursery group as a whole

When Kids Planet Day Nurseries

rewrote the values that

underpin the company’s

approach, learning and development

were at the core. The new value

statements include: “We are always

learning, and reflecting on our practices

and performance is important for our

continued success” as well as “we get

better every day as a team”.

As part of this continuing professional

development, Kids Planet has worked

with University College London (UCL)

to create a bespoke National Professional

Qualification for Early Years Leadership

(NPQEYL). The first cohort to undertake

the 18-month qualification, including area

and nursery managers, childcare directors,

and nursery practitioners, graduated

earlier this year at Kids Planet Training

Academy in Knutsford, Cheshire.

During the graduation day, the 14

learners presented the findings of the

research they had carried out as part of

the course. “It was a really exciting day

and there was a good buzz in the office

and the training academy,” recalls Gill

Mason, training academy director at Kids

Planet.

Clare Roberts, chief executive and

co-founder of Kids Planet attended

“This qualification has

been available to schools

for some time, and

the early years sector

wanted to empower

their leaders and give

them something to aim

for that validates what

they are doing.”

Gill Mason at Kids Planet NPQEYL celebration

the day. “This has been our first step at

rolling this qualification out to colleagues

and it’s amazing for us to have this

opportunity to be part of something that’s

groundbreaking for the early years sector,”

she says. “Speaking with the graduates has

shown that this course has been successful

in encouraging and teaching people how

to be more strategic, how to work more

collaboratively, while also expanding their

own professional development. We’ve

had examples from people who’ve said it’s

really helped build their confidence and

their ability to reflect which is fantastic.”

NPQEYL history

The NPQEYL launched in 2022 as

part of a suite of eight professional

development programmes created by

the Education Development Trust on

behalf of the Department for Education.

Mason was part of the national steering

group charged with developing the new

qualification, which was welcomed by the

sector for positioning early years leaders

at the same professional level as head

teachers and school leaders.

“This qualification has been available

to schools for some time, and the early

years sector wanted to empower their

leaders and give them something to aim

for that validates what they are doing,”

says Mason. “The sector has been fighting

for this recognition that it is equal with

schools, that we are also teachers and

leaders of education, for a long time.”

As part of the steering group, Mason

was able to ensure the framework met

the needs of the sector. “It looked very

different when we first met,” she recalls.

“I remember sitting in the first meeting

saying ‘where is the care and the love?’

It was very outcomes-based, and we did

ameliorate that to make it more suitable

for early years.”

The NPQEYL, which is delivered by a

number of different providers, aims to help

current or aspiring managers of nurseries

develop expertise in leading early years

education and staff, and organisational

management skills. It covers areas

including delivering high-quality early


education and care, organisational

management and staff development, giving

constructive feedback to parents and

carers, working with children who have

additional and special educational needs

and implementing improvements in the

setting.

The course is not set at a specific

academic level, although those signing

up must hold a full and relevant Level 3

qualification.

Bespoke content

The course covers seven topics set out

by the Department for Education, but

within that framework training providers

can design their own course. Mason

worked closely with the team at UCL to

ensure the course content met the specific

needs of Kids Planet.

“Convergence of the vocational with

the academic is always a really interesting

journey,” she says. “This course brings

both sides together in a safe space.”

“It has been an exciting journey,

working with a university of such calibre,”

she adds. “It was a long journey to find the

right partner whose values resonated with

ours. UCL has a dedicated early years

team, its tutors have come from the sector,

and they understand the importance of

this status and qualification.”

The course was delivered through faceto-face

sessions at the training centre as

well as online. “We wanted the learners

to feel that group dynamic,” says Mason.

“While online study is great, you don’t get

those conversations over coffee which can

really extend learning, so we have gone for

a blended approach. When the students

are online they are always in the same

groups and have the same two tutors.”

“While online study is

great, you don’t get

those conversations over

coffee which can really

extend learning, so we

have gone for a blended

approach.”

Fourteen of the original 18 students

graduated from the course. “That is a

really good retention rate for something

so new that people were perhaps unsure

about embarking on,” says Mason.

Research benefits

While the students have clearly benefited

from their exposure to new knowledge,

Kids Planet has also benefited as a group.

As part of the qualification, learners are

asked to undertake their own research

project. After some trial and error, Kids

Planet decided to ensure all the students’

research combined into one large project,

so it would have greater value.

“The learners who took part in the

qualification were given the opportunity

to delve into a specific aspect of what

we do,” explains Mason. “We had a lot

of conversations about research, and we

learned that rather than have managers

from different nurseries covering different

topics, we can choose one topic which will

impact on everything we do here at Kids

Planet. Everyone took an aspect of that

research project.”

The group decided to focus on the

impact of its rapid growth on staff

retention. “We delved down and looked

at our acquisition process, because we

are a growing group of nurseries, and on

how that has impacted on retention,” says

Mason. “We delved into our induction

process, and how that resonated with

our newly-written care values. We want

to be a great place to work, because if

practitioners stay, the children will benefit

from the consistency. So what can we do

to make that happen?”

Students interviewed everyone from

managers to apprentices. “We really

listened and really changed our processes,

our retention rate has gone up by about

10% because of all the things we have

been doing,” says Mason.

Alex Hesketh, internal training lead

at Kids Planet, graduated from the

NPQEYL. “One of the key elements of

nursery management that we unpacked

is the induction process and how we can

make improvements on it for everyone

involved,” he says. “As a team leader,

understanding the needs of our nursery

managers and practitioners has been

Alex Hesketh, Kids Planet

really important while applying change

theory and upskilling opportunities. I’m

really looking forward to the next steps of

applying what we’ve learnt and put it into

practice.”

Hesketh believes the NVQEYP helped

“to ignite our belief again that what we’re

doing for the children is right – it’s nice

to have that reinforced and to have a bit

more confidence day-to-day,” he says.

“We don’t always take inspiration from

our own knowledge so the collaboration

aspect and sharing of ideas in-person has

been absolutely incredible. For others

taking part in the next cohort, I’d say to

take it on with open arms. It’s fantastic

for meeting new people, gaining new

experiences and learning about different

scenarios from other professionals while

building on your own professional

development.”

Clare Roberts, Kids Planet


Kids Planet NPQEYL celebration

The second NPQEYL cohort started

in November 2024 and will graduate next

year. “More nursery managers came forward

to be part of this cohort, as they have seen

the impact the course has had,” says Mason.

“Some of the tutors from our academy are

also on the course because they are teaching

our managers, we want them to have that

knowledge so they can pass it on.”

The Kids Planet training academy

offers a wide range of qualifications and

training, from Level 2 apprenticeships to

Early Years Initial Teacher Training and

other degree-level courses. “We are trying

to create career routes from entry level

upwards, so an aspiring early years leader

can see their pathway mapped out for

them,” says Mason, “The NPQEYL sits

at the pinnacle of that, bringing together

the management side with the early years

side. Sometimes you get promoted to be

an early years manager, and you might

be amazing with children but lack the

leadership side.”

Professional development at Kids

Planet never stops, even at the most senior

levels. Mason has just introduced the

Level 7 Senior Leaders Apprenticeship.

“I was conscious some of our directors

need to be upskilled, but they also need

that opportunity to be an apprentice

themselves and understand what it

means,” says Mason. “So we have 12 of

our very senior leaders doing that. It is

our way of putting our money where out

mouth is and saying ‘we are committed to

apprenticeships’.”

One of those taking the journey is

NVQEYP graduate Hesketh. “I’m

going to be embarking on a Level 7

apprenticeship later on this year to

strengthen my skills further in leadership,”

he says. “It’s another realm where I can

build more confidence and expose myself

to further opportunities.”■

NurseryCare


nmttraining

ADVERTORIAL

Save money through

apprenticeships

For many nurseries finances are tight, but that doesn’t mean training has to be put

on the back burner. The Childcare Company explains how settings can actually save

money through engaging with apprenticeship programmes

Hikes in National Insurance rates

from April this year, increases in

the National Living Wage and new

statutory guidance on additional charges

have left many nursery owners and

managers in a financial quandary.

However, apprenticeships can offer a

solution which nurseries might not even

have realised was there. By engaging with

apprenticeship programmes, settings

can save tens of thousands of pounds

in recruitment, training and National

Insurance contributions.

Cut employment costs: Zero

National Insurance for under-25s on

an apprenticeship

From April this year, two things are going

to happen regarding National Insurance

(NI) contributions. First, employer NI

contributions are set to increase from

13.8%, to 15%. Second, the per-employee

threshold above which an employer has to

start paying NI will reduce from £9,100

to £5,000 per year.

However, businesses do not need to

pay any Employer National Insurance

“By engaging with

apprenticeship

programmes, settings

can save tens of

thousands of pounds

in recruitment, training

and National Insurance

contributions.”

contributions for apprentices under the

age of 25 on annual earnings of up to

£50,270. Developing a training strategy

that places as many of your staff members

onto apprenticeship programmes as

possible will help a nursery offset the

upcoming NI and Living Wage increases

and free up additional funds that can be

invested in other areas of the business.

This is not just a strategy for entry-level

staff. In addition to the Level 2 early years

practitioner, Level 3 early years educator

and Level 5 early years lead practitioner

there are numerous other apprenticeships

covering specialisms such as leadership

and management, special educational

needs, human resources, chef, and many

others.

The Childcare Company

has a calculator on its website

(thechildcarecompany.com) which allows

an employer to calculate exactly how

much they could save by entering a staff

member’s annual wage. Savings average at

around £3,000 per apprentice.

Claim back money you have

already paid

Nurseries might be unaware that if they

have already paid National Insurance

contributions for apprentices from 2016

onwards, they can claim this money

back.

Ali Franklin, client partnership

manager at The Childcare Company,

worked closely with Natasha Kirby,

director at Boys and Girls nurseries in

South Hertfordshire and North London.

Franklin was able to guide and signpost

Kirby to claim back £27, 513 from

His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs

(HMRC) for apprentices on payroll

Natalie Nunn

dating back to 2016 who were eligible for

National Insurance savings.

Bonus funding

A nursery can obtain £1,000 to support

an apprentice in the workplace if, at the

start of their apprenticeship training, they

are one of the following:

• 16 to 18 years old (or 15 years old if the

apprentice’s 16th birthday is between

the last Friday of June and 31 August).

• 19 to 24 years old with an education,

health and care (EHC) plan.

• 19 to 24 years old and have been in care.

Levy transfer

Apprenticeships are heavily backed by

the government, as opposed to other

types of training. Businesses with an

annual pay bill of less than £3 million are

able to access apprenticeships that are

95% funded by the government. Larger

businesses (2% of all employers) pay an

apprenticeship levy of 0.5% of their pay

bill, and this funds their apprenticeships.


Levy-paying employers who can’t

make full use of their own levy funds

can pledge them to smaller businesses to

support them to invest in apprenticeship

programmes. Transferring levy funds is

a way for large organisations to support

other businesses by deciding which

sectors, skills or local areas they would like

to fund. For example, large levy paying

organisations could support nurseries

by funding apprenticeships in a local

area, or support any apprenticeships in a

particular town or city.

The Childcare Company has extensive

experience working with large levy-paying

organisations, many of whom are its

own clients, to facilitate levy transfers

to smaller businesses. “Recently, we

successfully facilitated two transactions:

one for £200,000 and another for

£400,000,” says Gareth Reichers, director

of growth and partnerships at the

provider. “These funds have been used to

support apprenticeships in critical sectors

we serve. We encourage nurseries to get

in touch to see how we can help cover

the cost of training via apprenticeships,

utilising our extensive network of large

levy payers who can offer assistance.”

Some of The Childcare Company’s levy

transfer clients include Access Group,

Southampton Football Club and Essex

How to save £20,853

In these challenging times, any cost saving is welcome, but the Childcare

Company has calculated that taking on one of its Level 3 apprentices can save a

nursery up to £20,853 when compared to a traditional hire.

COSTS

Recruitment: Non-apprentice: £6,125 (according to the CIPD), Apprentice: £0

National Insurance contributions: Non-apprentice: £3,114.15, Apprentice: £0

Salary: Non-apprentice: £25,761 (average salary for a nursery practitioner in the

UK), Apprentice: £17,271 (average salary for an apprentice nursery practitioner

in the UK)

Paediatric First Aid: Non-apprentice: £200, Apprentice: £0

Level 2 SEND qualification: Non-apprentice: £299, Apprentice: £0

Level 3 EYE diploma: Non apprentice: £1,975, Apprentice: £0

PAYMENTS

Bonus (see feature): Non-apprentice: £0, Apprentice: £1,000

TOTAL

Non-apprentice £37,474, Apprentice £16,621

County Council.

• Gloucester NHS transferred levy funds

to Kate Consultancy, a residential

children’s home.

• Kent County Council transferred levy

funds to Haven Children Services and

Majestic Family Services.

• De Montfort University transferred

levy finds of £48,000 to children’s home

provider Aditi to fund eight learners

completing children, young people

and families Level 4 apprenticeship

qualifications

• West Sussex County Council transferred

£21,000 to a children’s service provider

to fund three Level 3 Teaching

Assistant apprenticeships.

Other training costs

In order to count in ratio, Level 2 and

3 qualified staff must hold a paediatric

first aid certificate. The Childcare

Company offers this as part of the EYE

apprenticeship, meaning that there is

no extra cost. From March this year the

organisation has also embedded a Level

2 SEND qualification within the Level 3

early years educator apprenticeship, also

saving money on further training.

Save on recruitment costs

Recruitment costs are an ongoing

drain on most nursery businesses. The

Chartered Institute of Personnel and

Development (CIPD) estimates the

average cost of filling a vacancy is £6,125,

rising to £19,000 for a manager role.

The Childcare Company offers a

free apprenticeship recruitment service

allowing settings to find the right talent,

effortlessly. Candidates are selected

specifically to fit a nursery’s culture and

goals.

There is no doubt that nurseries

are facing challenging times, but

apprenticeships could be the best kept

secret in the money-making toolkit.■


nmthuman resources

Smooth transfer

Alison King, managing director at Bespoke HR, explains how to maintain staff morale and

avoid costly legal disputes when buying a nursery

Buying a nursery is an exciting

opportunity, but there are legal

complexities when it comes to

taking on existing employees. Whether a

business employs one person or hundreds,

understanding Transfer of Undertakings

(Protection of Employment) regulations

(TUPE) is crucial.

What is TUPE?

TUPE applies where there is a business

transfer or a service provider change. In

the context of buying a nursery, this means

all qualifying employees working for the

business at the time of sale moving to the

new ownership under their existing terms

and conditions.

Challenges to consider

Ultimately, TUPE is designed to

protect staff and ensure they are not

unfairly dismissed due to the transfer of

a business or service. However, this can

pose challenges for new owners if there

are existing staff issues that need to be

addressed.

Some of the HR challenges we’ve dealt

with following an acquisition include:

• The effect on staff morale due to the

uncertainty and change of ownership,

leading to increased sickness and absence

rates.

• Whether there’s enough work for staff

and how the transfer may affect existing

“The effect on staff

morale due to the

uncertainty and change

of ownership, leading to

increased sickness and

absence rates”

employees. This is unlikely to be the

case for practitioners, as staff from the

acquired nursery will probably continue

to look after the children from that

setting (although some parents may not

support the change in ownership and

give notice). However, this could apply if

there are duplicate admin, marketing or

management employees.

• Managing staff who may have different

terms and conditions. Incoming

employees may have a more generous

holiday allowance or a higher rate of

pay than the existing employees. You

should consider where possible aligning

the two contracts, although the changes

should always be more favourable. If

this is not possible, then be transparent

about why you can’t increase the holiday

entitlement when asked, for example,

cost or operational reasons.

• Existing HR issues such as conflict

between team members or dealing with

poor performance.

Key facts about TUPE

• The size of the organisation doesn’t

matter. It could be a large business with

many employees or a small business

with one just one employee, TUPE still

applies.

• Where there’s a transfer, TUPE applies

to both the old employer (making the

transfer) and the new employer (taking

on the transfer).

• Employees automatically transfer with

their existing contracts. This includes

their existing salary, holiday entitlement

and any other benefits.

• Employees preserve their rights including

continuous service history and any

other statutory protections (such as

redundancy rights).

• TUPE regulations do not protect agency

workers or self-employed individuals.

• The old employer cannot make

employees redundant before the transfer

Alison King

if the reason relates to the transfer. This

would constitute unfair dismissal.

• Likewise, the new employer cannot make

employees redundant before the transfer

as they don’t yet own the incoming

business. If the new employer needs to

make employees redundant the employer

should wait until the transfer is complete

and ensure there’s a strong economic,

technical or organisational reason for

making the redundancies.

• If 20 or more employees are at risk, a

redundancy consultation can start before

the transfer. However, both the old and

new employer must agree to this.

• The old and new employers are

obliged by law to inform and consult

with affected employees (and their

representatives) before a TUPE transfer.

Navigating the process smoothly

It’s essential to prepare not only to assess

the risk, but to identify any potential

employment costs and plan how to handle

the transition with care. Here’s what to

consider:

Conduct due diligence.

Before finalising a purchase, investigate


the existing workforce structure including

contracts and any outstanding employment

issues. A clear picture of the workforce

will help you address challenges and plan

accordingly. This should include:

• Contract reviews – looking at pay

structures, working hours and staff

benefits such as bonuses.

• Details of any enhanced or contractual

leave or pay, such as parental leave or

redundancy.

• Pension arrangements and any employer

obligations.

• Details of any claims (historical or

recent) such as unresolved disputes or

tribunal cases.

• Employment checks to ensure that

all employees have the necessary

qualifications, for example the right to

work in the UK or DBS checks.

By law, the old employer is obliged to

provide the new employer with details

of employees’ names, ages, and written

statement of employment particulars,

otherwise known as the employment

contract (this should include: job title,

start date, pay details, hours of work,

holiday entitlement, sick pay entitlement,

pension arrangements and notice periods

for termination). The old employer should

also supply details of any disciplinary and

grievance records from the past two years

and collective agreements with a trade

union.

Communicate clearly with employees

The old and new employer should have

a transfer plan that is shared with all

employees. This will help to reduce

concerns staff may have and help define

and shape the process to follow.

• Identify a lead individual to manage the

transfer and be the main point of contact

for employees.

• Engage early with employees, introducing

the main point of contact and team.

• Address concerns and be prepared to

answer questions about changes to job

roles or the workplace culture.

• Engage and communicate with staff

throughout the transition to address

issues as soon as they arise.

• Use an induction process to introduce

standards, policies and rules.

• Ensure that all employees understand the

terms that transferred across with them.

Be aware of cultural changes

When acquiring a business and its

employees; it’s not just contracts that

transfer – company culture does too.

Employees may be used to certain

processes, leadership styles and specific

ways of communicating.

If new owners have fresh ideas and

want to make improvements, they need

to be mindful of not only whether these

would affect the employment contract

and therefore would not be allowed under

TUPE, but also ensuring the morale of the

transferred employees is considered with

the aim of having an engaged workforce.

The challenge lies in implementing

changes, while protecting employee rights.

Start by understanding the existing

workplace culture. How do employees

communicate? What are their expectations

around management, flexibility and

decision-making? If the previous

owners had a hands-off approach, but

your leadership style is more hands-on,

employees may feel micromanaged.

Likewise, if they had a close-knit, familystyle

environment and you introduce a

corporate structure, morale may take a hit.

Where necessary consider investing in

training to ensure that staff are familiar

with, and align with, your business’s

standards.

Involve staff in the decision-making

process to create a positive workplace

culture. Acknowledge the changes, listen

to employee concerns and involve team

members in shaping the future culture.

Managing staff who don’t want to

transfer

Employees can refuse if they don’t want

to transfer across to the new employer.

However, if they refuse to transfer, they

can’t usually claim redundancy pay or

unfair dismissal. Instead, they must tell the

current employer in writing of their plans.

In this case, the employer needs to put in

writing what happens if they don’t transfer

and ensure that they have had all the facts

before making a final decision. The old

employer must then communicate with

the new employer, informing them that

the employee will not transfer. This should

be treated as a resignation, and you should

agree a notice period, leaving date and

pay any outstanding wages and holiday. If

the transfer occurs before the empoyee’s

notice period ends, they don’t have to work

beyond this date and the employer doesn’t

have to pay for the rest of the notice period.

It’s important to be aware that employees

could claim constructive dismissal if they

believe their working conditions would be

substantially worse and it would be to their

“mental detriment” to make the transfer.

While it can sound like a minefield, with

the right approach a TUPE transfer can

result in a well-supported team ready to

help the business flourish.■


nmtfamily first

ADVERTORIAL

From neuroscience to

leadership development,

training is crucial for

nursery teams

Family First has revamped its in-house training offering to make it fit for

a modern, large nursery group. Early education training lead Leighanne

Queenbarrows discusses the importance of carrying on continuous

learning.

Training and developing your teams

has never been more important in

early years than it is now.

Offering practitioners a chance to

develop their careers and knowledge

will provide better outcomes and

opportunities for children, but also give

teams a confidence boost and allow them

to unlock potential they may never have

thought they had.

Leighanne Queenbarrows is now

spearheading training across the Family

First group, having been promoted to

early childhood training lead at the start

of the year.

She has started developing a number

of new training modules which are being

rolled out to people across their group.

One of these sessions is Behaviour, - a

Means of Communication which aims to

encourage team members to consider the

‘why’ when exploring behaviours which

on the surface may have previously been

recognised as problematic or undesirable.

“We are trying to get practitioners to

“We are trying to get

practitioners to understand

what children are trying to

tell us when they behave in

certain ways.”

understand what children are trying to tell

us when they behave in certain ways,” she

says. “Our aim is to change their thought

process and consider these behaviours as

an unmet need, and as the adults, it’s then

our job to unpick that need and work out

what it is.

“We often hear comments around

‘challenging’ or ‘difficult behaviours’, but

we are now moving to use words such as

‘distressed’ or ‘dysregulated’. This language

has more empathy and frames it as

something we need to support our children

with, rather than something they are doing

wrong or something we need to tackle. “

The training also discusses simple

neuroscience, building on the earlier

Nurturing Beginnings sessions, and

teaches practitioners that sometimes the

‘why’ behind those behaviours are simply

due to the different stages and elements of

the brain development.

There are also discussions around

validating children’s feelings so they

have an understanding that it is OK to

feel, sad, frustrated, angry or nervous. In

addition practitioners are taught to share

those physiological reactions to those

feelings with the children, so they can

begin to understand their own emotions.

“We’ve had feedback from people who

have worked with children for many years

and after recently attending the training

they feel as though so much more makes

sense, and they wished they had this

knowledge sooner,” says Queenbarrows.

“It’s like a lightbulb moment for them.”

Neuro-affirming Practice

Family First has also begun delivering

sessions on neuro-affirming practice,

touching on topics such as how all

children are different, with unique

strengths and needs.

“Children who have passions or their

own play patterns may have previously


be considered as having obsessions or not

being able to play, but we are developing

the knowledge across our teams that

this is their way, and its essential that we

understand how to join this or be led by

this, not try to change it to suit us and our

expectations,” Queenbarrows says.

“We want our teams to recognise that

our neurodivergent children have their

very own super powers, rather than

thinking there is something they need to

fix, let’s support and nurture every child’s

unique potential.”

Queenbarrows has teamed up with

Family First’s outdoor learning specialist

Jack Pye to deliver a new programme,

-School Skills - Ready for School. The

programme consists of various activities

and opportunities the team provides for

the children which will support a smooth

transition to school.

Each of the opportunities will sit inside

a passport and be stamped off by the

children and their key person when they

experience them.

“What we have found by talking to

primary school teachers is that by the

time children arrive into reception class,

amongst other things, they want them

to be able to put their coat on, take

themselves to the bathroom, carry their

meal tray and recognise their own name,”

Queenbarrows explains.

“These are the sorts of skills which are

useful when you increase the ratio of the

class from 1:8 to what may be 1:30. We’ve

also created activities and experiences to

support that learning. For example, if they

need to count to ten, we’ve tried to map

that onto more fun, real-life activities like

counting the cutlery on the table before

mealtimes or counting the leaves they can

see in the garden.

“If we are looking having a sense of

belonging, we would be considering if

children are comfortable to ask for help

or are beginning to understand their own

likes and dislikes. Although the training

is necessary, it is also very loose as we have

many amazing practitioners across all

of our settings who will have their own

ideas, interpret things differently and

make it work for them, their children and

community.

“We are also encouraging this

programme to be accompanied by a

parents evening where the team can explain

School Skills - Ready for School, and

share how we prepare their children for the

smoothest school transition possible”

“Parents may often have a pre-conceived

idea of what ‘school readiness’ is, and what

children need to be able to do before they

arrive. We ensure we work closely with

them sharing the information we have

gathered from teachers themselves which

is a great support.”

Leadership development

Family First is also about to launch a new

leadership development programme,

designed specifically for people in the

organisation who have been identified as

having the potential to grow and progress.

These six face-to-face sessions each have

a distinct theme ranging from emotional

intelligence and optimising the team to

mastering your own individual growth

mindset and practical tasks for leadership.

Tia Claridge, Family First’s regulatory,

safeguarding & policy lead, says: “We

are so excited about this. We will be

combining these six distinct sessions

with mentorship throughout for the

delegates so they have a truly tailored and

individualised approach.

“The first cohort will consist of a dozen

aspiring leaders from across three different

regions and I am sure it will make a

significant difference. Developing our

own leaders is so important for us.”

Queenbarrows said the greater

emphasis on training had been led by a

request from managers, which led to her

moving into a more specialist role.

“Previously, we would have the early

years team delivering training alongside

their other responsibilities but now that

has moved to myself and our others

training team,” she says. “We are making

more of our training mandatory, not just

when it is a legal requirement, but when

we think it is important. I personally love

to learn and the research around childcare

is changing all the time. We have to keep

up to speed with it.

“When I started my career I

never thought I’d be learning about

neuroscience, and I don’t think a lot of

our practitioners did either, but it’s great

to have that knowledge and to understand

why children behave in certain ways.

“My ambition is for our team members

to feel upskilled and empowered, and fully

equipped to provide our children with the

best possible start in life. I am excited to

create a training package offerings where

team members complete module type

sessions, and eventually graduate after

completing the entire course.

“I am hopeful that this will create a

strong sense of achievement for the

teams members, - that they’ve kept going

and seen something through to the end,

and can then use that learning each day.

I know it will be incredibly rewarding.” ■

For more information about Family First

visit https://familyfirstnurseries.co.uk/


nmtnutrition

Mealtimes are for learning

Catherine Lippe, registered nutritionist at Nursery Kitchen, explores how to get the most

out of mealtimes in your setting

As an early years educator you

might not be involved in planning

menus, cooking or even preparing

food for the children in your setting, but

your role in supporting and promoting

positive eating behaviours is just as

important, if not more so.

While nutritional quality and variety

are incredibly important in the early years,

we must not overlook the importance of

how, as well as what, a child is fed. There’s

a wealth of evidence demonstrating

that the early years are a crucial window

for developing eating habits and food

preferences which set the foundations for

future health.

Early years educators are uniquely

placed to have a positive influence on how

children perceive food, how they enjoy

mealtimes and how they interact with

food. Food is likely to be offered several

times a day in childcare settings and, for

some children, might be the only place

they are exposed to certain foods and the

only opportunity they have to eat with

peers.

We must take this responsibility

seriously. Meal and snack times are not

just an opportunity to fill children’s

tummies. They are an opportunity to

instil a joyful and positive approach

to eating. It’s important to seize this

opportunity and help nurture a healthy

relationship with food that will last a

lifetime.

Veggie shepherd’s pie with seeds

The following important strategies can

help promote healthy eating habits in

your setting:

Consider your mealtime

environment

Learning to eat is one of the most

complex sensory tasks we do. It takes

years to master and just like any other

developing skill, children need the

right environment and tools to succeed.

Everything from seating position to

using appropriate utensils and a calm

environment can influence a child’s ability

to engage with food.

Mealtimes should be an opportunity for

children to learn from one another and

from the adults around them. Reducing

distractions such as toys, activities and

noise at mealtimes can help create a

suitable learning environment, allow

children to focus on the food and benefit

from useful food exposures.

Creating a warm, inviting mealtime

atmosphere can further enhance

engagement. Simple touches like

tablecloths, placemats, offering familystyle

serving (where children are

encouraged to serve themselves from

dishes placed in the centre of the table)

or even using paper flowers can all help

to transform mealtimes into a social

event where children feel connected

and empowered to learn about food.

Older children can be invited to prepare

the table which not only encourages

independence but also increases interest

and participation in the meal itself.

A stable and supportive seating

position is essential for both comfort

and concentration. When children feel

secure in their seats, they are less likely

to fidget or become fatigued, allowing

them to approach meals with curiosity

and confidence. Ensuring the child’s

feet are supported (not dangling from

a highchair), chairs are at the correct

Catherine Lippe

height, and seating is appropriately

adjusted can make a significant difference

in a child’s mealtime experience.

The right tools can also empower

children to feed themselves successfully.

If utensils or serving tools are too difficult

to use, children may become frustrated,

discouraged, or reluctant to participate

in meals. Providing developmentally

appropriate cutlery and ensuring children

have the skills to use them can foster

independence and build confidence at

mealtimes.

Exposure and variety

Exposure and variety are important when

it comes to food. Children naturally

prefer what they know – familiarity

provides comfort and security. However,

to build healthy eating habits, it’s

important to introduce a wide variety

of foods, textures and flavours from an

early age. This helps set the expectation

that meals and snacks will always bring

something different, encouraging

flexibility and openness to new foods.

It’s easy to fall into the habit of serving

children their favourites – these meals

require less planning, often lead to less

waste, and make it easier to report back


Mushroom pasata with garnish and peas

Coco amngo and chana masala

to parents that their child “ate well today.”

While this may feel reassuring in the

short term, it doesn’t necessarily support

balanced nutrition or a positive longterm

relationship with food. Instead,

normalising variety and regularly offering

new and seasonal foods helps children

develop a broader palate and encourages

better nutritional intake.

Children may not accept a new food

the first or even the tenth time they see it.

Research suggests that it can take between

15 and 18 exposures before a child is

willing to eat a new or previously rejected

food. Instead of assuming that a child’s

initial refusal means they’ll never like a

food, it’s important to keep offering it in

a neutral, pressure-free way. Over time,

familiarity increases, and acceptance is

more likely to follow.

Exposure doesn’t have to be limited

to mealtimes. Engaging with food in

different ways allows children to explore

new foods without pressure and can lead

to gradual food acceptance. Activities

like cooking, planting and growing seeds,

role-playing with food, messy play, arts

and crafts, or even looking at pictures

of foods can all build familiarity and

curiosity. The goal is to make food a

positive and engaging experience because

when children feel comfortable around

a food, they’re more likely to try it when

they are ready.

You provide, the child decides

As early years educators, it’s natural to

want children to eat well. Many of us use

familiar tactics to encourage eating such

as “open wide – here comes the aeroplane”

or “Try your broccoli, then you can have

pudding”. While these approaches come

from a place of care, they can put pressure

on children to eat and interfere with

their innate ability to regulate their own

appetite.

The culture of adults determining

how much a child should eat creates

controlling feeding practices. It

encourages children to eat according to

what their caregiver tells them rather

than listening to their body’s cues.

Research shows that this can contribute to

increased fussiness, mealtime reluctance,

unhealthy relationships with food and in

some cases excess weight gain.

Instead, recognising and respecting a

child’s natural hunger and fullness cues

helps them develop a healthy relationship

with food. A useful framework to

support this is Ellyn Satter’s Division of

Responsibility, which follows the simple

principle:

• Adults decide what, when and where

food is provided.

• Children decide if and how much they

eat.

This ‘you provide, the child decides’

approach discourages pressure, restriction,

and using food as a reward or punishment.

Instead, it promotes a positive, structured

and responsive feeding environment

where children can listen to their bodies

and eat according to internal signals.

When practitioners adopt this method,

they not only support children’s selfregulation

but also lay the foundations

for lifelong healthy eating habits and a

positive relationship with food.

Role modelling

Children learn about food by watching

those around them. Parents, siblings,

caregivers and friends all play a powerful

role in shaping eating habits. Young

children naturally imitate the behaviours

they observe, meaning that simply eating

a variety of foods in their presence can

encourage them to do the same over time.

Every bite, every smile (or frown), and

every subtle interaction with food in front

of children sends a message.

Research shows that children whose

parents eat plenty of fruits and vegetables

tend to eat more of these foods themselves.

On the other hand, when adults frequently

eat unhealthy snacks, children are likely to

mirror those habits too. The same applies

to early years settings – practitioners who

demonstrate enthusiasm for balanced,

varied meals can positively influence

children’s food choices.

How to be a positive role model

at mealtimes

• Forget personal dislikes – Avoid

negative facial expressions, body

language, or comments like “I don’t like

this” or “Ooh that fish is really smelly”.

Children pick up on even the subtlest

cues.

• Keep the conversation positive –

Mealtime talk doesn’t always have to

be about food. Discussing other topics

helps create a relaxed atmosphere and,

for anxious eaters, reduces the pressure

to engage with new foods.

• Focus on connection – Mealtimes

should be enjoyable and social. Showing

interest in children’s experiences,

engaging in conversation, and making

the table a welcoming place can help

build positive associations with food.

Mealtimes in early years settings are

about so much more than just food,

they are a vital part of a child’s learning,

development and overall wellbeing. Just

as early years educators carefully plan

activities to support speech, motor skills

and social development, we must give

mealtimes the same level of importance.

By embracing mealtimes as a key learning

opportunity, we have the power to

nurture confident, curious eaters and set

children on a path toward lifelong healthy

relationships with food.■


nmtnutrition

Food for thought

Jo Makosinski, editor of NMT’s sister title Education Property, talks to Pete Ttofis of Tops Day

Nurseries, winner of NMT’s national award for ‘Nursery chef of the year’ to find out what the group

is doing to transform nutrition in early years

Ayear ago, Pete Ttofis, catering

manager at Tops Day Nurseries,

made waves in the education

sector when he announced he was

sourcing venison from the South Downs

National Park to put on the menu across

the early years group’s 33 settings.

A bold move, the decision is evidence

of his forward-thinking approach to

environmental sustainability and, most

importantly, improved nutrition for our

youngest learners.

It is this thinking outside the box

attitude that won him the title of

‘Nursery chef of the year’ at the 2024

national NMT Nursery Awards, held in

London in November.

“I joined Tops Day Nurseries in 2020

and I had always understood food and

the importance of using good produce,”

says Ttofis. “I just couldn’t understand

why children didn’t have access to that.

We need to be having uncomfortable

conversations, and we need to challenge

the status quo.”

Ttofis’ career in catering began when

he was 16. After completing a specialised

chef course at Bournemouth and Poole

College, he went to work for Boodles

gentleman’s club in London where he

built a solid foundation for progressing in

the industry.

After several years working in top

restaurants in the capital, he wanted to

move back to the Southwest where he

was raised and took on a chef position at

Chewton Glen Hotel in the New Forest.

From there he worked in other fine dining

establishments and at the age of 26 had

won two AA rosettes.

“The industry really swallowed me up,”

he says. “I did nothing outside of that.

My life revolved around food, and I was

happy it did that. I worked 16-hour days,

five days a week, for 20 years, dedicating a

good portion of my life to food and that

was a wonderful journey.”

A change of pace

While working as head chef at The

Museum Inn in Dorset, the world was

rocked by the Covid-19 pandemic and

the restaurant industry ceased almost

overnight.

“We were shut for three months and I

spent that time at home,” he recalls. “For

the first couple of weeks I was ill, not with

Covid, but I think for the first time I had

stopped and I had no idea what that was

like. It was bizarre and I lost direction.

But in those three months I spent

time with my young son and that was

incredible. When lockdown was relaxed

I went back to The Museum Inn, but I

found I had lost that drive to be there

and I didn’t have that same passion. You

can’t have that in a kitchen. I was doing a

disservice to my team.”

As he began to reevaluate his career, he

applied for a role at Tops Day Nurseries,

meeting Diane Wycherley, chief operating

officer.

Taking steps

“Diane explained where food was in early

years and where the company wanted it to

go, showing huge trust and belief in me,”

he says. “That really resonated with me.

Good food is not all about Michelin stars

and scallops and caviar. Fundamentally it’s

about good produce.

“It was a big step to take, but if I

was really going to be able to make a

difference and give back, then who better

to give it back to than children?”

Across the UK, educational

establishments are routinely giving

children produce which is high in sugar

and fats, which has been scientifically

proven to affect concentration levels,

behaviour, and overall health and

wellbeing.

“What are we gaining by feeding

children processed foods full of sugar

when we can change that?” Ttofis asks.

“Food is the most natural thing in the


world. We have been producing food for

thousands of years and we have only got it

wrong in the last 30 or 40 years.

“We now have an unhealthy

relationship with food and I want to

change that – and it’s better to start

with children as we are building the

foundations for later life. Many menus in

schools and nurseries are full of sugar.

“Sugar is cheaper and more cost

effective than fruit or natural yoghurt and

it fills children up for a short period of

time, but then they get an insulin crash.

We know this and yet we don’t offer

anything different.”

However, since joining Tops, Ttofis

has worked to change this and is hoping

his approach will filter through to other

providers.

“There have to be uncomfortable

conversations,” he says. “I always

ask people why they are still serving

unhealthy options and they haven’t been

able to give me a good reason. I’m not

saying children cannot have treats – it

builds memories that will stay with them

throughout their lives – but we have to

start thinking differently.”

On the menu

Across Tops Day Nurseries’ 33 settings

and eight kitchens, on an average day

chefs provide three meals and a range of

snacks. Breakfast will offer options such as

no-added-sugar cereals, wholemeal bread,

boiled eggs, and natural yoghurt and fruit.

For mid-morning and afternoon snacks,

fruit and vegetable crudites are on offer.

The main meal of the day includes dishes

such as venison and orzo Mediterranean

bake, which is packed with tomatoes and

mozzarella and served with sourdough

bread. Tuscan potato gnocchi is among

the dishes served to children at Tops Day

Nurseries.

In the late afternoon a lighter meal is

provided, such as a broccoli, sweet potato,

and mascarpone quiche.

“They have a lot of food throughout the

day,” says Ttofis. “Children have smaller

tummies and if we fill them up with carbs

there will be an initial energy boost, but

they will burn through that and will be

left with low energy.

“Our meals are packed with good fats

and the only sugar we use is naturally

occurring in the food when produced

such as bread. The body knows how

to digest this effectively and, unlike

processed sugars, it is not stored as fat.

“Due to being an eco-conscious

company we choose to serve meat twice

a week and no beef is used due to the

carbon footprint beef produces; all meat

is also Red Tractor and RSPCA endorsed.

“Our venison is sourced from the game

park, where the animals have 3,500 acres

to roam freely and they are not packed

full of antibiotics. It’s really important to

us that the meat we source comes from

an ethical source and is packed full of

nutrients.”

Within reach

While there may be a small cost increase

when choosing more sustainably sourced

produce, Ttofis believes it is in the reach

of all education providers.

“Good food and good recipes are all

out there and the information is there to

create good, simple, healthy meals using

wholefoods,” he says.

“You can still put cottage pie or

Bolognese on the menu – children love

those dishes – but we swap beef for

locally-sourced venison and use fresh,

seasonal ingredients.

“It’s very easily done, and it should be

done. Pardon the pun, but the proof is

in the pudding. Children at Tops Day

Nurseries are thriving and developing

these incredible palettes and there is no

added sugar or processed foods.

“The feedback from parents is also

increasingly positive. We did get some

resistance at the beginning, but you just

have to take things slowly and create trust.

You need to acknowledge that it will be

different and a slow change, but that we

will do it together.

“We had so many messages and

enquiries from parents who said their

children didn’t eat the same variety of

foods at home, so we produced recipe

cards and recorded cook-alongs on

YouTube.”

Now his work has been recognised

at NMT’s Awards, Ttofis hopes other

operators will follow suit.

“Winning ‘Nursery chef of the year’

is an incredible honour,” he says. “It’s a

privilege to be recognised for doing what

I love, creating nutritious, sustainable and

exciting meals that fuel young minds and

bodies.

“This award reflects not just my

passion, but also the support of my

incredible team and the smiles of the

children we cook for every day. It is an

award for them too.”■


nmtsustainability

ADVERTORIAL

Sustainable action

As part of the government’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy education settings

should have a climate action plan in place by 2025. Chris Leonard, environmental, social and

governance manager at Findel, sets out what nurseries can do to source sustainable resources

Why is sustainability important

when it comes to buying resources?

Sustainability is really important when

selecting resources because it ensures that

the choices we make today won’t negatively

impact future generations. For educational

resources, this means choosing materials

that are ethically sourced, responsibly

produced, and built to last.

At Findel, we understand the huge

role early years education plays in

shaping children’s attitudes towards the

environment. By selecting sustainable

resources, nurseries and schools can help

reduce their carbon footprint, cut down on

waste, and teach children about responsible

consumption.

Sustainable purchasing also supports

wider environmental, social and

governance (ESG) goals, like reducing

deforestation, lowering emissions, and

promoting fair labour practices. It’s not

just about meeting regulations – it’s about

leading positive change.

What should nurseries think about

when sourcing resources?

When it comes to sourcing resources,

nurseries should aim to strike a balance

between sustainability, durability, and

educational value. Choosing products

made from recycled or responsibly sourced

materials, like Forest Stewardship Council

(FSC)-certified wood or plastic-free

options, helps reduce environmental impact

and sets a great example for children.

Durability is just as important; investing

in high-quality, long-lasting resources

not only saves money but also cuts down

on waste. Ethical sourcing is another key

consideration to ensure products are made

responsibly.

Finally, nurseries should always think

about safety and packaging. Opting for

non-toxic materials that meet UK/EU

safety standards, along with reducing

plastic packaging, not only protects

children’s wellbeing but also supports a

more sustainable future.

What are some ways in which your

products are sustainable?

We’re always looking for ways to reduce

our environmental impact and offering

more eco-friendly alternatives is a key

part of that. In fact, it’s one of our main

sustainability performance targets that we

track closely.

A lot of our resources are made from

recycled or sustainably sourced materials,

like FSC-certified wood and recycled

plastics. We’ve also rolled out plastic-free

alternatives in some of our key product

lines, replacing traditional materials with

biodegradable or bio-based options. On

top of that, we’re working to cut down on

single-use plastics in our packaging and are

actively looking at ways to extend product

lifecycles and encourage a circular economy.


packaging is sustainable?

We’re really focused on reducing the

environmental impact of our packaging

by making it both more sustainable and

efficient. Unlike many retailers that use

oversized boxes with lots of unnecessary

infill, we use on-demand packaging to

create custom cartons for each order.

This helps reduce waste, prevents transit

damage, and allows us to fit more packages

onto delivery vehicles, which helps lower

carbon emissions.

Alongside this, we’ve made a big push to

cut down on single-use plastics, replacing

them with recyclable or biodegradable

alternatives wherever possible. It’s all part

of our commitment to reducing waste and

creating a more sustainable future.


company as a whole is sustainable?

Sustainability is really at the heart of

everything we do at Findel, and we’re

proud to lead the way with sector-first

initiatives. We’ve set ambitious targets,

like achieving carbon neutrality by 2030

and net-zero emissions by 2040 – 10 years

ahead of the Paris Agreement. We’re also

the first in our sector to align with the

Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and

have joined The Climate Pledge, which

demonstrates our commitment to reducing

carbon emissions and tackling climate

change.

But it’s not just about setting goals. We’re

making real strides in areas like sustainable

product development, achieving zero waste

to landfill, and increasing the number

of parcels delivered using electric-only

vehicles. We’re also focused on giving back

to the environment, planting thousands of

trees through our partnership with climate

action platform Ecologi.

At Findel, we are genuinely passionate

about leading by example and setting

new standards for sustainability in the

educational supplies sector.■


nmttechnology

How AI can help

Angelica de Assis, chief operating officer at Little Elms Day Care, explains how the nursery

group uses artificial intelligence in everyday operations to enhance human expertise

The early years sector is built on

relationships, care, and a deep

understanding of children’s needs.

However, like any other industry, we

must also embrace innovation to enhance

efficiency, improve decision-making,

and ensure we provide the best possible

environment for children, families and

staff. Artificial intelligence is often seen as

a futuristic concept, but the truth is, we

have been using AI-driven technology for

sometimes without even realising it.

AI in everyday operations

Many of us use AI more than we think.

Excel formulas that automate calculations,

spell-check functions and grammar

suggestions in emails, and even predictive

text on our phones all rely on AI. These

tools don’t replace our expertise, they help

us work more efficiently and accurately.

At Little Elms, we have embraced

AI-driven solutions to streamline our

operations while ensuring that the human

touch remains at the heart of everything

we do. Some key areas where AI has had a

significant impact include:

Note-taking and documentation –

AI-powered transcription tools help senior

leadership to take notes on meetings more

efficiently. This reduces the time spent on

writing during meetings and allows them

to be more fully present, allowing for better

discussions, which can then lead to better

ways to solve problems and create change

in the setting.

Task prioritisation and scheduling –

AI-based systems can automate reminders,

organise to-do lists, and prioritise urgent

tasks, ensuring that key responsibilities are

managed effectively.

Video recording for reflection and

training – Secure AI-driven video analysis

helps with staff training, self-reflection

and continuous improvement. This

enables teams to refine their practices

while ensuring high standards of care

and education. At Little Elms we are

planning to start to create video training by

recording best practices in the setting, and

AI will help us to edit those videos.

Child development assessments – We

are exploring this area to enable us to use

AI-assisted software that can help track

children’s progress, suggest potential areas

for intervention, and provide data-driven

insights, supporting educators in making

informed decisions.

The pros and cons of AI in early

years settings

Like any tool, AI has its advantages and

limitations.

Pros

In addition to the benefits mentioned

above, AI tools help manage workload,

preventing burnout and improving worklife

balance.

Cons

Loss of personal connection –

Over-reliance on AI can reduce human

interactions, which are essential in early

years settings.

Data privacy concerns – Using AI in

assessments or video recording requires

careful consideration of security and

compliance. It is extremely important to

ensure there is a clear policy and procedure

in place that covers how AI technology use

is safe in the workplace.

Initial learning curve – Staff may need

time and training to understand and

embrace AI tools fully.

A balanced approach – AI as a

support, not a replacement

AI should not replace the human touch

that defines early years education. Instead,

it should enhance our work, ensuring

that staff have more time for meaningful

interactions with children. The key is to

use AI as a supportive tool rather than a

decision-maker.

For example, while an AI system might

Angelica de Assis

flag a child’s developmental delay based on

data, it is the trained educator who makes

the final assessment, considering context,

emotions, and individual circumstances.

Similarly, while AI can help organise tasks,

it is human judgment that determines

priorities based on real-life needs.

Looking ahead

The early years sector is already benefiting

from AI in small but powerful ways.

Rather than fearing its impact, we should

embrace it thoughtfully, ensuring that

technology enhances and not replaces the

warmth, empathy and expertise that makes

our sector so special.

By leveraging AI wisely, we can create

a future where educators are empowered,

operations are streamlined, and children

receive the best possible care and education.

The key is balance allowing AI to support

us while keeping the heart of early years

education firmly in human hands.■


nmtstaff wellbeing

Formula for effective leadership

Trainer and consultant Samantha Dholakia explores the role played by beliefs

and balance in our approach to leadership

What we believe to be true, is our

truth. In early years settings,

leadership is about much more

than overseeing operations – it’s about

shaping the culture, systems and ethos

that define our environments.

Our beliefs influence the way we

lead, the structures we implement, and

ultimately, the experiences of both children

and staff. This responsibility requires us

to create a balanced management system

that nurtures wellbeing while maintaining

accountability.

Fostering an environment that

encourages emotional regulation, selfawareness

and positive relationships paves

the way to success, not just for children,

but for the adults guiding them too. We

have the incredible privilege of shaping

young minds and nurturing the wellbeing

of the people around us, and with such

privilege comes a deep responsibility.

The way we show up as leaders directly

shapes the experiences of our teams, which

in turn influences the learning experiences,

emotional security, and overall happiness

of every child in our care.

Beliefs build everything

At the core of effective leadership lies

the understanding that our beliefs shape

the systems we create. If we believe in a

culture of connection, development and

emotional intelligence, our policies and

management style will reflect this.

A strong ethos is built on trust,

respect, and a commitment to fostering a

supportive environment for both children

and staff. Although this may sound

obvious, many of us still find ourselves

focusing on compliance and control

rather than fostering relationships where

emotional regulation, self-awareness, and

meaningful interactions are valued.

Connection before correction – a

leadership mindset

The belief that connection should come

before correction is central to a balanced

leadership approach. Children – and staff

– thrive in environments where they feel

understood and valued.

Leaders who prioritise emotional

wellbeing create teams that are more

engaged, effective, and committed to

delivering high-quality care. When

leaders model emotional intelligence and

self-regulation, they set the tone for their

teams. A workplace where practitioners

are able to be touch with their emotions,

recognising and expressing them in a

healthy way, and maintain a balanced

connection between feelings and

rational thinking, encourages staff to

be adaptable, reflective and solutionfocused.

Young children depend on the adults

around them to help them navigate their

emotions. When we model emotional

regulation and empathy, we’re not just

soothing them in that moment, we’re

teaching them how to regulate their own

feelings over time.

As leaders, we must recognise that this

process begins with us. Our responses, our

tone, and our ability to stay present all set

the stage for how both staff and children

navigate their emotions.

The power of emotional fitness

Leadership isn’t about telling people what

to do – it’s about showing them how to

do it. One of the most effective leadership

principles in early years is: “I do, we do,

you do”.

First, we model the behaviour we

want to see. Then, we guide our teams

through practising those behaviours

together. Finally, we empower them to

take ownership and apply those principles

independently.

This approach takes time, patience,

and a belief in the power of example.

US motivational speaker and life coach

Tony Robbins talks about developing

“emotional fitness” in the same way we

build any other muscle. Knowledge alone

isn’t enough to create real change, it has

to be applied and practised, which is why

ongoing training, coaching, and hands-on

support are so important.

It’s not just about telling staff why

emotional regulation matters; it’s about

giving them the tools and confidence to

use it in practice. Just as we encourage

children to build emotional resilience, we

need to do the same for our teams. That

means fostering a workplace where staff

can share challenges, learn from mistakes,

and grow without fear of judgment.

Striking a balance – wellbeing and

accountability

While wellbeing is essential,

accountability matters too. High

expectations and strong leadership

don’t mean being overly critical or

micromanaging. It’s about setting clear,

fair standards and offering the right

support to help staff meet them.

True leadership is about guiding, not

policing. Accountability should never

feel punitive. Instead, it should be seen

as a tool for growth. Mistakes aren’t

failures – they’re opportunities to learn.

Leaders should challenge staff in a way


that encourages their development while

maintaining a culture of respect and trust.

When staff feel supported rather than

scrutinised, they are more likely to take

ownership of their growth and, in turn,

provide more engaged, emotionally

attuned care to children. Through

ensuring that staff feel supported, valued,

and empowered while also maintaining

high standards of practice we prevent

burnout and disengagement.

Key strategies for achieving this balance

include:

• Allowing staff to share concerns

without fear of judgment.

• Encouraging reflective practice and

professional development to build

confidence and expertise.

• Providing clear expectations and

boundaries while fostering an

atmosphere of collaboration and trust.

• Recognising achievements and

supporting staff through challenges

The Behaviour Balance System –

embedding emotional regulation

into daily practice

The Behaviour Balance System is a

structured approach designed to support

the creation of emotionally regulated

settings. This system not only promotes

wellbeing for all, but also ensures that

emotional intelligence and self-regulation

are embedded into daily practice.

Turning ideology to

implementation

One way to bring these principles to life is

through what we call Balance Baskets and

Balance Zones, simple but powerful tools

that help both children and adults regulate

their emotions throughout the day.

• Balance Baskets are collections of

selected sensory items that children, and

staff, can use to help themselves calm

down, focus, or re-energise when needed.

• Balance Zones are designated spaces

within the setting where children

can take a moment to regulate their

emotions in a safe and supportive

environment.

Behaviour and emotional regulation, like

everything else, must be taught explicitly.

When we model how to use these tools,

we’re showing children that emotional

regulation is a skill – one that can be

practised and mastered over time. And the

same goes for staff. Creating spaces for selfregulation

isn’t just about children – it’s

about fostering a culture where emotional

wellbeing is valued for everyone.

Leaning into language

The way we communicate in early years

settings has a profound impact on the

culture we create. Language shapes

behaviour. The words we choose –

whether we’re speaking to children,

colleagues or families – set the tone for

how people feel and interact.

When we speak with kindness, respect

and empathy, we create a culture where

everyone feels valued and supported.

But when language is harsh, dismissive

or negative, it breeds an environment

of stress and disengagement. Being

intentional with our words – using “we”

rather than “you” and framing feedback

constructively, encouraging rather than

criticising, and choosing language that

builds people up – can transform the

emotional climate of our settings.

Leading leadership

Ultimately, our leadership is a reflection

of what we believe. When we embed a

balanced approach – one that values both

accountability and wellbeing – we create

environments where children and staff

alike feel safe, supported, and inspired to

grow. If we believe that mistakes are part of

learning, we will create environments where

people feel empowered rather than fearful.

And if we believe that leadership is about

guidance rather than control, we will foster

teams that are engaged, resilient and deeply

committed to the children in their care.

Balancing emotional fitness,

accountability and wellbeing isn’t always

easy, but it’s one of the most powerful

combinations of skills we can have. When

we model emotional regulation, support

staff with empathy, and create a culture

of connection and respect, we lay the

foundation for a thriving, emotionally

intelligent community.

True leadership in early years isn’t

about managing – it’s about inspiring,

supporting and empowering those around

us. And by maintaining a belief-driven,

balanced approach, we lay the foundation

for a culture of excellence, connection and

lasting impact.

By leading with this clarity, empathy and

purpose, we not only shape strong teams

but also cultivate a nurturing ethos that

defines the future of early years education.

The systems, policies and processes that

we create must uphold high standards

while also prioritising staff morale and

mental health. You can start by setting up:

• Regular, structured one-to-one checkins

to ensure staff feel heard and

supported.

• Implementing clear but flexible

guidelines that allow for professional

autonomy.

• Creating opportunities for peer

mentoring and collaborative problemsolving.■

Immerse yourself into a NEW world of

possibilities with Hope


nmt-magazine.co.uk March/April 2025 NURSERY MANAGEMENT 20/12/2024 TODAY 11:4937


nmtfacilities

ADVERTORIAL

Activate the future

We find out how Chalk Nursery Group worked with managed technologies firm

Active8 to make life easier for its nursery managers

In June last year, newly formed Chalk

Nursery Group, acquired five boutique

settings under the Katey’s Nursery

and Pre-School brand. Chalk Nursery

chief executive Sinead Johnson was keen

to make life as easy as possible for the

managers in the newly-acquired settings,

so she turned to managed technologies

company Active8 and its director Alex

Patterson.

When office technology works

smoothly it acts as the backbone of the

nursery, but when it fails, managers

can spend frustrating hours trying to

sort things out – hours that could be

spent supporting staff to deliver quality

childcare and early education. Active8

provides the printers, photocopiers,

telephone systems, internet connectivity

and some IT services that form the

foundation of nursery administration,

as well as offering ongoing customer

support.

“I had worked with Alex and his team

in the past, and I knew that he was

very good at listening to customers and

understanding what they are looking

for,” says Johnson. “I was impressed at

how the company has made itself very

aware of what is going on in the early

years sector and is able to meet the

requirements of the sector in a very

measured way.”

One benefit to working with Active8

has been consolidation and consistency

across the group. “When Chalk took

over there were varying suppliers, but

now we have one supplier, and one point

of contact if there is a problem, and that

is game-changing for nursery managers,”

says Johnson.

The role of technology

Nurseries are becoming increasingly

reliant on technology, whether that is

maintaining a digital presence through

social media, uploading observations,

or dealing with finances. “If you think

of some of the really onerous tasks

at nursery level, such as managing

the admin around funded places, the

eligibility codes, parents’ information,

that is where reliable internet

connectivity and scanners play an

important role” says Johnson.

Most of the information sent home to

parents, such as children’s daily diaries,

or accident forms, also require reliable

internet connectivity. “These items are

all sent through to the parents digitally,

so the minute that doesn’t work you are

relying on paper and telephone calls,”

says Johnson. “Everyone in a nursery

works so hard, and I want them to have

as much time as possible concentrating

on the children and the families, and less

time on the phone trying to sort their

technology out.”

Chalk’s new telephony system allows

the nurseries to divert calls easily if

required, due to being hosted from

a single, secure and cloud-based web

interface. “If we have some sort of

emergency and have to evacuate the

premises to a place of safety, we can

instantly and seamlessly divert our

telephone lines somewhere else, allowing

us to contact parents and let them know,”

says Johnson. “Traditional methods rely

on printed sheets which you would have

to take with you, getting out your mobile

phone – we can do things in a much

more efficient way now. In a situation

like that where there is a problem you

can concentrate on the children and your

staff. The technology takes care of itself.

Staff have required some training when

it comes to managing the new systems

and devices, but any reluctance to engage

with different processes is balanced by

positive reactions to the equipment, says

Johnson. “Never underestimate the value

of a good printer,” she says. “Our printers

are also scanners, a vital part of the kit in

Alex Patterson, director, Active8

Sinead Johnson, chief executive, Chalk Nursery Group

every nursery office. A reliable piece of

equipment that works every time you use

it can be transformational.

“The scanning element has been very

popular in all of the settings,” agrees

Patterson. “We have provided devices

with office grade scanners – previously

the devices were home office quality

from PC World, not business-grade.”

Johnson says practitioners also value

the fact that Active8 monitors the

amount of ink in the printers, sending

new stock when the printer runs low,

so they never have the frustrating


experience of being unable to print out

an activity sheet or observation.

Greater choice for sustainability

“In modern nurseries, everything is

underpinned by the internet, so the right

connectivity is vital,” says Patterson. “As

we are an independent vendor, we were

able to source two different internet

connections for Chalk that other

suppliers were not able to offer. We can

connect clients with a variety of different

vendors and products so they can choose

what is right for them, as opposed to

shoehorning them into what one big

company can supply.”

Active8 also offers a ‘heat free’

printer which uses less power, saving

energy, and comes with 80% less

packaging, generating less waste. “You

are also reducing the amount of time

the engineer needs to fix the machine

because they have fewer moving parts,”

says Patterson.

“As a company we want to reduce our

carbon footprint even in the smallest way,

such as reducing the amount of paper

we use at nursery,” says Johnson. “With

Active8 we have a ‘pay as you go’ print

contract, which fits very nicely alongside

our aspiration to use less paper.”

Consultancy for the future

Active8 acts as a technology partner,

providing advice and expertise to help

settings and groups plan their long-term

use of IT and facilities. “In this sector

a small operator is unlikely to have

individual experts in-house dealing with

IT or facilities,” says Patterson. “We

can have that conversation about how

technology can fit with your growth

strategy and budgets, planning ahead,

rather than taking an ‘install it and walk

“It is about finding the

right tech partner to

work with to really

support all the different

scenarios that happen

on a nursery level.”

away’ approach.”

After assessing a group’s requirements,

Active8’s advice might be “don’t do

anything”. “We have assessed contracts

that we have advised don’t need touching

for another year or 18 months, contrary

to what some sales people might be

trying to do, which is push a product to

a client that they are not ready to take,”

says Patterson. “We take a long-term

strategic view.”

“It is about finding the right tech

partner to work with to really support all

the different scenarios that happen on a

nursery level,” says Johnson.

Chalk’s partnership with Active8

has clearly impacted the day-to-day

operations of its settings. There has also

been a positive impact on a strategic level,

such as managing morale in nurseries

which have been acquired and providing

consistency across a growing group.

“When you take over a new nursery,

you speak to the manager and the staff,

and ask them what is important to them,

and what you can do for them,” says

Johnson. “Inevitably what you find is

they just want their equipment to work,

and we can do that, because we already

have a supplier. We can say “this nursery

is coming on board”, and we can make

it happen in the next couple of weeks if

needed.”■

Active8 managed

technologies

Active8 brings the latest

telephone systems, Wi-Fi and

connectivity, IT services and

printers, to the workplace, backed

by expertise and after-sales service.

Telephone systems

Active8 offers the latest in hosted

telephony solutions at a fixed cost.

The Cloud-based phone system

is always updated, monitored

and maintained, and supported

remotely by the managed services

helpdesk underpinned by the

right connectivity.

Printers, photocopiers and

scanners

Active8 offers bespoke hardware,

software and service solutions

designed to improve every aspect

of the nursery’s printer needs,

requiring minimum intervention.

IT services

A full IT service provides

unlimited helpdesk and on-site

support. Active8 can act as a

nursery’s IT manager or work

with an existing IT team.

Contact details:

Website: a8mt.co.uk

Phone: 0333 999 7355

Email: hello@a8mt.co.uk


nmtdiversity

Representation matters

Stephanie Mensah, co-founder of Bibinee Dolls, explores the importance of diversity

in early years education and asks if we are doing enough

Children absorb and interpret

the world around them from an

early age. Research has shown

that exposure to diverse toys, books

and learning materials can significantly

influence their perceptions of race and

inclusion. The early years sector plays a

vital role in shaping young minds, but

are nurseries and early learning facilities

in England and Wales doing enough to

ensure all children feel represented?

A recent study by the Centre for

Literacy in Primary Education found that

only 5% of children’s books published

in the UK featured a main character

from an ethnic minority background,

despite 37% of school-age children in

England identifying as black, Asian or

another ethnic minority group. This gap

in representation is mirrored in early

years learning materials, where diversity

remains significantly lacking.

Why representation matters in

early years

When children don’t see themselves

reflected in the resources around them,

it can affect their self-esteem, sense

of belonging, and early development.

According to child psychologist Dr

Jennifer Steele: “When children engage

with diverse dolls and books, they develop

more positive attitudes towards racial

diversity and a greater sense of empathy.”

The absence of inclusive resources

can lead to feelings of exclusion and

contribute to long-term identity struggles.

Additionally, studies have linked diverse

early learning environments to reduced

racial bias in children. Research from

Goldsmiths, University of London, found

that exposure to multicultural toys and

materials encourages greater acceptance

and inclusivity from an early age.

Challenges faced by nurseries in

implementing diverse resources

Despite the benefits, many nurseries and

early years providers struggle to source

appropriate materials that accurately

represent black and brown children.

Common challenges include:

Limited availability: Many

mainstream toy suppliers and book

publishers still offer a predominantly

white-centric selection.

Budget constraints: High-quality

diverse resources are often more expensive

or harder to access in bulk.

Lack of awareness: Some early years

educators may not realise the impact that

a lack of diversity in toys and books can

have on young children.

Best practices for nurseries looking

to improve representation

For nurseries and childcare providers

looking to create a more inclusive

environment, it is crucial to adopt a

proactive approach:

Audit your resources – Assess the

books, toys and materials available in your

setting. Do they reflect a diverse range of

cultures, family structures and skin tones?

Invest in diverse dolls and toys

– Representation in play is essential.

Ensure that dolls and figures reflect a

variety of racial backgrounds. Choosing

high-quality, machine-washable dolls

that authentically represent different

ethnicities can be a valuable addition to

any nursery setting.

Curate an inclusive book collection

– Choose books that celebrate different

cultures, traditions and family dynamics.

Early years books that introduce children

to diverse characters while making

learning fun are essential.

Encourage open conversations –

Provide training for staff on how to

incorporate diversity into everyday

learning and create a safe space for

discussions on inclusion.

Engage parents and the community

– Work with families to understand their

cultural backgrounds and integrate them

into the learning environment.

Enhance learning through play –

Consider interactive learning materials

such as puzzles that reinforce diversity.

Engaging children in discussions about

different cultures and identities through

hands-on activities helps normalise

inclusion in a fun and interactive way.

Support smaller, dedicated brands –

Many smaller brands focus specifically on

providing high-quality diverse resources

such my own Bibinee Dolls. Working

with these brands ensures that nurseries

have access to tailored materials that meet

the needs of all children.

Moving forward: time for change

Diversity and inclusion in early years

settings should not be a secondary

consideration – it is a necessity. By

ensuring that all children feel seen and

valued from the beginning of their

educational journey, we can foster a more

inclusive society for future generations.

Nurseries and childcare providers have

a unique opportunity to lead this change

by actively incorporating diverse resources

into their classrooms. The question

remains: Are we doing enough to ensure

that every child feels represented?■



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nmtoperations

Nursery managers round-up

Whether it’s introducing innovative literacy programmes, improving inclusion 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

Children’s committee

First Friends Nursery in Alton, Hampshire, believes that every

child’s voice matters, so the setting created its very own children’s

committee, empowering children to share their ideas and shape

their experiences. Each month, a new group of children joins the

committee, ensuring that everyone has a chance to be heard and to

create magical experiences for themselves and their friends.

The children’s committee has already planned a pet day, allowing

children to meet and learn about different animals. The nursery

welcomed Whisper the budgie, Loki the cat, two bunnies named

Hagrid and Lupin, two guinea pigs and a tortoise.

Other activities that have been driven by the committee include

an outdoor adventure day, and children have also been consulted

on trips, suggesting a farm visit, picnic in the park and a bus ride

adventure.

Jane Noble, nursery manager at First Friends Alton, said: “The

children’s committee is at the heart of our nursery. It’s incredible

to see the children take ownership of their ideas and watch their

confidence grow as we bring them to life.”

Book club

Children and staff at nurseries across the UK dressed up for World

Book Day, but not many hosted their own book signing. Darnley,

Glasgow-based Just Be Kids nursery has published two books,

Spark Stories in 2023 and most recently The Campfire Club Builds

a Book, which contains the children’s very own tales of sad bats,

grumpy stars and T-rex dinosaurs.

The children have all been given a copy of The Campfire Club

with their own author’s picture and biography. They hosted a book

signing at their local library.

The books were published as part of a 12-week literacy

programme developed and led by team member Susan Kirkwood

Lewis. The children created stories and illustrations to go with

them, as well as learning what an author’s job involves.

“The staff and children are loving this new approach using our

imagination and creativity to design stories and have fun with

language,” said Lorraine Kirkwood, operations director at Just

Be Kids. “It started as a small idea to help children engage and

concentrate more when exploring mark making and early literacy

and it has grown into something very special. The children and staff

are really proud of the two books we have published.”

Back to the future

The latest apprentice to join Barney Bears Nursery in Barking, East

London, has a special connection to the setting. Megan Kennedy

was one of the first children to walk through the door when the

nursery opened back in 2004, and is now based in the main room,

working through a Level 3 childcare apprenticeship.

“During my time here as a child, I played, learned and created so

many amazing memories that I cherish to this day,” says Kennedy. “I

had an incredible journey, going on fantastic trips and doing lots of

wonderful activities that shaped my early years. I even have some of

my work from back then that I still hold on to.”


She adds: “As I grew older, I often wondered what it would be

like to return to the place where I spent so much of my childhood.

So, I took a leap of faith and applied for a position at Barney

Bears Barking – and to my surprise, I got the job. I was over the

moon when I received that phone call. It has been such a nostalgic

experience remembering the garden, the rooms, and all those fun

trips I went on with my friends.”

Day by not only making pancakes but also sharing them with the

local community. “I couldn’t be prouder of our incredible children

and staff for coming together to share their pancakes with the

community,” says Shaye Jaques, senior nursery manager at Tops

Poole. “Their generosity and thoughtfulness reflect the values we

strive to uphold every day. Seeing them give to others in such a

meaningful way is truly inspiring and a testament to their kindness

and character.”

The nursery aims to nurture the next generation of

compassionate, socially responsible individuals by educating

children on the power of small acts of kindness.

Diversity success

MiChild’s Echoes Day Nursery in Manchester’s work around

promoting equality was recognised by the city council at a recent

awards ceremony. The setting won a trophy for ‘Addressing race

equality in the early years’. “We are based in Manchester city

centre and a lot of parents are professors or students at one of the

universities, and have come from overseas,” says manager Tayla

Davies. “More than two thirds of our children were not born

in England; we must have around 30 different nationalities. We

are really lucky, the children teach us something new about their

cultures every day. We are also lucky to have a very diverse team

who are often able to communicate with children and parents in

their own language.”

Echoes tries to celebrate as many festivals as it can, which means

a new celebration almost every day, says Davies. “On Lunar New

Year a parent came in to show the children how to write in Chinese

script, and a staff member who celebrates Holi [the Hindu festival

of spring and colour] talked to children about the day and we did

lots of colour activities.”

Many of the parents whose children attend the nursery have

come to the UK by themselves so don’t have networks of friends or

family. “We visit a local care home because the children don’t have

access to their own grandparents,” says Davies. “We run stay and

play sessions to help parents make friends, and signpost parents to

support groups and resources that can help them.”

The nursery has an open-door policy for parents who can come

in whenever they like. “They will come when we have snacks so we

can see how the children eat at home – some will use their hands, or

use different utensils, for example,” says Davies.

Pancake pioneers

Children at Tops Day Nurseries Poole in Dorset celebrated Pancake

Wall of welcome

At Fennies Purley in South London, educators in just one room

speak an impressive 14 different languages. The management team

has introduced Welcome Walls outside every room to create an

inclusive and welcoming environment for children and staff. The

walls proudly showcase photos of the children alongside their

home countries and spoken languages, celebrating their unique

backgrounds.

The learning environments are also designed to reflect the diverse

cultures and family structures of the children and staff, with multicultural

resources and books, inclusive displays and artwork and

a home-from-home feel. To support language development and

cultural identity, each child receives a settling-in box containing key

phrases from their native language and cherished traditions, helping

them feel at home while enhancing their communication skills.

Special events, such as a multicultural taste-testing day held on 25

February, allow children to explore global cuisines while dressing

in traditional outfits, immersing themselves in the traditions of

different cultures.■

nmt-magazine.co.uk January/February 2025 NURSERY MANAGEMENT TODAY 45

nmtleadership

Meet the manager

In our series showcasing the sector’s nursery managers, we find out about Claire Mills,

manager at Newhouse Nursery in Blackpool

Claire Mills

What was your route to becoming a

manager?

I began working at Newhouse Nursery

when we opened in 2018, starting off my

career as an early years practitioner in

the baby room. After a few months I was

promoted to baby room leader and thrived

in this role, working closely alongside my

deputy manager and manager as third in

charge.

When we returned to work following

Covid-19 in July 2020, I was given the

opportunity to return as deputy manager.

This was a huge compliment and a big

accomplishment for me and I was still able

to fulfil the role while working in the baby

room.

In September 2021 I decided to start

a new chapter in my career path and

began an early childhood studies degree

at university. My passion and knowledge

grew and when the opportunity arose to

become nursery manager two months

later, I jumped at the chance.

Now I have completed my degree I am

able to use my knowledge and experiences

to upskill my staff team and the future

leaders in the early years industry. I still

love working in the rooms with all the

children and believe that this is not

just a job for me but a chance to offer

experiences and opportunities for the

children and staff at Newhouse every day.

What’s the best thing about

Newhouse Nursery?

Working at Newhouse Nursery is like

working with your best friends every day.

We are a small team of 12 practitioners

and we all work towards the same goals to

provide high-quality childcare, offering

experiences and opportunities for the

children at our nursery. We pride ourselves

on offering a home-from-home experience

and have close relationships with all our

parents and carers.

What is the best training you’ve

been on?

My degree in early childhood studies from

Blackpool and The Fylde University has

given me knowledge and confidence to

become a strong leader for my team.

I also attend regular in-house training

sessions with MiChild, which provides

bespoke knowledge and training to ensure

we are providing quality childcare. I love

attending MiChild conferences and always

come away with more knowledge and

confidence and ideas on how to enhance

the nursery and staff team.

What’s the most challenging part of

being a nursery manager?

Currently it’s recruitment of staff.

However, MiChild has a fantastic support

network, and we are lucky to have

nurseries close by to support us, as and

when needed, and a very supportive senior

management team.

What are you most proud of

achieving?

Achieving my degree, as during my studies

I continued to work full time as a manager,

as well as looking after my own family.

There were often days I didn’t think I

would make it, but with the support of

friends, family and work colleagues I did

it. I am also proud for having my first

Ofsted inspection in 2023 as nursery

manager and being able to support my

staff team throughout the day with a

positive outcome.

Which three people would you

invite to a dinner party?

Doris Day, Princess Diana and Rosa Parks.

What do you do to look after

yourself when things get stressful?

As well as a supportive senior management

team I also have a very supportive deputy

manager who is always available to support

me within my job role. Outside of work

I enjoy reading as an escape from the

outside world.

What is the one thing you would

change about the early years

sector?

The first years of a child’s life are the

most crucial within their learning and

development and I would love to change

the perspective on how early years

practitioners are viewed compared to

teachers working in schools, and the

amount of support offered. Many people

think that practitioners play and sing all

day, but this couldn’t be further from the

truth. There’s so much more to the role

and I do feel we are often undervalued

within the childcare sector. Often, we

must fight for the support a child needs

and by the time they have gone to school,

sometimes it’s too late.

What advice would you give your

younger self?

I would tell myself to be more confident

and have more belief in my capabilities, as

I would never have imagined that I could

become a nursery manager. I am so proud

of the journey that I have been on and the

opportunities and support I’ve been given

to get me to where I am today and will

continue to work in early years for as long

as possible.■



nmtawards

Best in show

The National NMT Nursery Awards took place at the end of last year at the Platinum Suite of

London’s Excel, celebrating the very best of the early years sector. In the second part of our twopart

round-up, the winners reflect on what their achievement means to them

“It was an honour to receive NMT’s ‘Outstanding contribution

of an individual’ award. During my time in the early years, I have

been privileged to witness the strength and resilience of providers

as they face challenge upon challenge – from underfunding and

staffing shortages to the more recent National Insurance changes.

But, while the recognition of early education may be slowly

increasing, there remains a long way to go before the sector – and

crucially its educators – receive the respect and support they

deserve. I would like to thank NMT for this award and in the

coming years, I look forward to continuing to make certain that

the voice of the sector is never ignored.”

Lifetime achievement, sponsored by iStep Learning

Winner: Sarah Steel, chair, The Old Station Nursery

“I was thrilled to receive the lifetime achievement award at the

NMT Awards, it was a complete surprise and a very nice one. It

does reflect all the years that I have been involved in the sector

and the efforts that I, and so many of my team, have made to

improve outcomes for children. There have certainly been a

lot of changes in early years since I opened my first nursery in

2002. Early years is now recognised for its importance, but

there is still a long way to go before all our wonderful people are

acknowledged as real educators. Thank you to NMT for the

award and to everyone who has been on this journey with me.”

Outstanding contribution of an individual, sponsored

by Busy Bees

Winner: Neil Leitch, chief executive, Early Years

Alliance

Kirsty Bennison was

unable to attend the

award ceremony

Nursery manager of the year (small groups and

independents), sponsored by Millhouse

Winner: Kirsty Bennison, The Little Learners Montessori

“I am deeply honoured to receive the ‘Nursery manager’

award. This recognition reflects the passion, dedication and

teamwork that drives everything we do to create a nurturing

environment for children, families and staff. I believe my focus

on building strong relationships, fostering growth, and leading

with heart, played a key role in this achievement. Winning this

award inspires me to continue making a meaningful impact

and reminds me of all the hard work and happiness provided

to children and their families. Thank you for this wonderful

acknowledgment.”

Supplier of the year – training and learning, sponsored

by Bright Stars

Winner: Realise Learning and Employment

“We are overjoyed to win the ‘Supplier of the year – training and

learning’ award. The support from our employers and suppliers

on the evening back in November was electric and we couldn’t


efforts to help support the early year sector next year, so watch

this space.”

have felt prouder to be a part of such an amazing sector. It is a

privilege to work with a team that is so committed to delivering

excellence in training and learning, and this award is a validation

of the trust that settings have placed in us for over 30 years.

“2024 was a record year for Realise; we are now the number one

early years apprenticeships provider in England, having supported

over 2,000 learners in the 2023/2024 academic year. Every week

there is a new achievement, record or milestone to celebrate.

“At a time when there is an acute skills shortage in the sector,

we’re proud to lead from the front in retaining and developing

talent. We understand the vital role that our learners play in

shaping young minds and we’re dedicated to equipping them

with the knowledge and skills to excel. 2025 promises to be

another remarkable year for Realise as we continue to grow and

expand our efforts in supporting this incredible sector.”

Technology product of the year, sponsored by

RAFAKidz

Winner: Famly

“We were genuinely taken aback and so delighted to be able

to call ourselves two-time winners of this prestigious gong

at the awards. We want to dedicate it to all of our customers

who continue to choose us every day and help us invest back

into making Famly better and better – including all of the

independent and smaller providers that make up the backbone

of our sector. We have big plans for both the product and our

Parent engagement, sponsored by Famly

Winner: Kindred

“Winning the ‘Parent engagement’ award is an incredible

honour for everyone at Kindred. This recognition is particularly

meaningful because it celebrates one of our core values –

building strong, nurturing relationships not only with children

but with their families too. Our approach has always been to

ensure that families feel welcomed, supported and involved in

their child’s learning journey, every step of the way, so winning

this award is truly a testament to all the work that the nurseries

do to ensure that they engage with the whole family and

recognise the importance of this for each and every child at a

Kindred nursery.

“As we often say, it takes a village to raise a child, and we

are proud to be part of that village for so many families. Our

dedicated teams work tirelessly to create environments where

communication, trust and collaboration thrive. From our

regular parent workshops, stay-and-play sessions, and the use of

Satchel, our communication app, we aim to involve parents in

meaningful ways. This award reaffirms that we’re achieving what

we set out to do – creating genuine partnerships with families

that ultimately benefit the children in our care.

“We really do see ourselves as a family and we are delighted

that we were able to showcase this to win the award.”

Community nursery of the year, sponsored by Tinies

Winner: Hungry Caterpillar Day Nurseries – High

Wycombe

“Winning the award for ‘Community nursery of the year’ means

everything to us. We have dedicated ourselves over the year to

connecting with our local community, and we are delighted to

receive recognition for our efforts. Our children have greatly

benefited from the various visitors we’ve had, enhancing their

nursery experience by meeting new and diverse faces. Our staff

team have been instrumental in this journey.

“Our charitable work has provided essential support to those

in need within the local community, including One Can Trust

food banks and Bliss, which aids premature babies and babies


mission – making the world a better place through education.

For us, growth isn’t measured only in numbers; it’s about

developing meaningful partnerships with families, empowering

our team, and shaping spaces where children can thrive.

“Being acknowledged for our business development

underscores the impact of our forward-thinking approach, from

embracing sustainability to integrating cutting-edge practices

that align with our values. It energises us to push boundaries even

further, ensuring that kinderzimmer remains at the forefront of

early years education.”

born sick. Through our fundraising efforts, we aim to bring

hope and vital resources to those facing challenging times.

“Our collaboration with the early years team has allowed us

to concentrate on closing the gaps for children who may be at a

disadvantage. Our primary focus was on improving mathematics

skills, and we observed significant progress in the children’s

development after providing training for staff and enhanced

resources for the children.

“Our visit from the Ella’s Kitchen truck initiative encouraged

healthy eating among our children. This interactive experience

was enjoyable and engaging, helping the children to comprehend

the benefits of consuming healthy foods, which we also

promoted to parents for consistency at home.”

Nursery outdoor learning environment of the year,

sponsored by Hope

Winner: Bardykes Farm Nursery School

“We are thrilled to accept this award again. Our team and

animals have had a great time celebrating together on the farm.”

Nursery business development, sponsored by Evolve

Within Recruitment

Winner: kinderzimmer

“Winning the ‘Nursery business development’ award is an

extraordinary milestone for kinderzimmer. It’s a testament to

our unwavering commitment to redefining early childhood

education and creating a lasting impact on the families and

communities we serve.

“At kinderzimmer, we believe that every child deserves an

inspiring learning environment to help nurture independence,

exploration and wonder. This award reflects not just our passion

for innovation in the nursery sector, but more importantly, the

dedication and passion of our incredible teams. From educators

to operational staff, every member plays a vital role in delivering

excellence for children in their early years.

“This recognition also reinforces the importance of our

The SENCO Award

Winner: Gemma Williamson, Roots Federation

“Winning this award is an incredible validation of our efforts

and commitment to supporting children and families on their

journey toward reaching their fullest potential. Personally, I

was shocked, overjoyed and thrilled that my work had been

recognised. It’s a recognition of the thoughtful provision we’ve

implemented, emphasising that education should be inclusive

and considerate of every child’s unique needs. At the heart of

our mission is the belief that special educational needs and


disabilities is everyone’s responsibility.

“I am truly grateful to the judges for acknowledging our work

and dedication. This award not only celebrates our commitment,

but also reassures us that we’re heading in the right direction.

We are fortunate for the learning opportunities that the children

and families we have supported have given us. Their experiences

shape our approach and inspire us to continuously improve our

provisions.

“Being recognised in this way is immensely rewarding as it

confirms that our approach is making a significant difference

in people’s lives. The insights and growth we gain from these

interactions further fuels our determination. This accolade is not

just a milestone but also a motivator, encouraging us to pursue

our mission with even greater passion and determination.”

recognises the hard work and dedication of our staff, but also

highlights our innovative approach to training and nurturing the

next generation of early childhood educators. We are proud to

champion a culture of continuous learning and improvement,

and this recognition reinforces our belief in the power of

apprenticeship programmes. We look forward to building on

this success, further enhancing our training initiatives, and

continuing to inspire future leaders in early years.”

Nursery indoor learning environment of the year,

sponsored by YPO

Winner: Partou Storytimes

“On behalf of every one of the hardworking team members and

the families who make the nursery what it is, it feels fantastic

to receive this esteemed award. Our indoor environment has

been carefully designed to empower children to drive their own

learning by promoting independence and curiosity. Each age

group from zero to five has their own dedicated space. In the

baby room, we have created an enabling environment where the

youngest children feel at ease and at home.

“As children transition to older rooms, the environment

evolves to maintain their interest and imagination. Enchanted

play spaces with magical themed backdrops, twinkly lights and

natural elements encourage a sense of security and excitement.

This dynamic environment not only excites children, but also

motivates the team to continually develop it. Importantly, we

also have quiet spaces and sensory rooms which are particularly

beneficial for children with SEND.”

Apprenticeship scheme of the year

Winner: Grandir

“Winning the NMT ‘Apprenticeship scheme of the year’

award is a significant milestone for our business, reflecting our

unwavering commitment to fostering talent and professional

development within our organisation. This accolade not only

Nursery personality of the year, sponsored by Grandir

UK

Winner: Dave Sinclair, MiChild

“For a start, I was shocked that I had even been nominated, let

alone shortlisted, as a finalist for the evening. When my name

was read out as winning the award on the night, I couldn’t

believe it – and to be honest, I still can’t believe it now.

“For me, my role at MiChild is all that I could ask for. We are

one big family and I love working with all the staff and going

to each nursery and helping out wherever I can – either with

the gardening or driving our minibus and taking the staff and

children out on day trips.

“After sadly losing my wife in 2023, MiChild has been like a

comfort blanket for me – everyone has been so supportive, kind

and generous and being at work and being around individuals

that care has definitely helped with my grieving process and

recovery.

“It is of course brilliant to be recognized both by my colleagues

and across the early years community – but at the same time very

humbling, as so much amazing work goes into every nursery

setting every single day by incredible and passionate individuals.


“As much as I won the award this year, in reality I would like

to think that this is an award for the whole team – as without

them I couldn’t do what I do every day.”

“Being recognised as the winner of the NMT ‘Childcare

practitioner of the year’ really is such an honour. I feel this

award reflects not only my own drive and passion, but also the

drive and passion that practitioners both within my setting and

beyond showcase daily in order to provide the very best start

for our children. We have an innate desire within the sector

to provide an enriching curriculum, to ensure that all children

are excited and inspired by the opportunities we offer, which is

nothing short of what they deserve. I find my role in facilitating

this so rewarding. In my 30 years’ experience, my dedication has

always been to improve outcomes for all children and receiving

this award for doing what I love is humbling and very much

appreciated.”

Supplier of the year – equipment and services,

sponsored by Bright Stars

Winner: Cosy Direct

“This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of

our entire team, who strive every day to provide exceptional service

and resources to our valued partners in the early years sector.

“Winning this award means a great deal to us because it reflects

the trust and confidence that our customers have in us. We are

passionate about supporting early years settings with solutions

that make a real difference, and this recognition inspires us to

continue raising the bar.

“Having this recognition motivates us to innovate further and

deepen our commitment to quality, reliability and customer

service. It’s a privilege to play a role in helping nurseries create

nurturing, stimulating environments for the children they care for.

“We would like to extend our gratitude to our loyal customers

for their continued support – this award belongs not only to our

team but to everyone who shares our vision for excellence in the

early years sector.”

Nursery nurse/childcare practitioner, sponsored by

Partou

Winner: Emma Deas, Elmscot Woodlands Day Nursery

Nursery training and development, sponsored by

Partou

Winner: LEYF

“We understand that early years teaching is an art, craft and

science, and every child deserves highly skilled teachers to

nurture them, teach them, and provide them with the best

start in life, regardless of their background. We are also deeply

committed to fostering the professional growth of our own staff

and our colleagues across the early years sector, through the

London Institute of Early Years, our dedicated training arm.

“Winning the NMT ‘Nursery training and development’

award is an honour and an achievement we are incredibly proud

of. It underscores and celebrates the high-quality, researchinformed

training that our team works tirelessly to offer

professionals working with young children, from apprentices and

teachers to nursery leaders and nursery chefs.

“The breadth of our offering ensures we cater to professionals

at every stage of their career. We provide several Cache-endorsed

programmes, including the Level 4 award in ‘Promoting

sustainability in an early years setting’, and the Level 3 award

‘Building health in the early years for nursery chefs’. Our

qualifications range from Level 3 apprenticeships to a full

degree in early childhood studies, and we offer a range of our

enrichment training programmes, such as ‘Baby you’re fantastic’,

‘Little carpenters’ (integrating woodwork into the curriculum),

and ‘Coaching to success’.”


to be able to show our staff that they not only impress us with

their work, but that they have been recognised nationally for it.”

Nursery chef of the year, sponsored by Connect2Care

Winner: Pete Ttofis, Tops Day Nurseries

“Winning ‘Nursery chef of the year. at the NMT Awards is an

incredible honour. It’s a privilege to be recognised for doing what

I love, creating nutritious, sustainable and exciting meals that fuel

young minds and bodies. This award reflects not just my passion

but also the support of my incredible team and the smiles of the

children we cook for every day.”

Individual nursery of the year, sponsored by Kids Inc

Winner: The Old Rectory Nursery

Judges praised the way the team at the Old Rectory Nursery go

above, to the point where they are collecting resources while on

holiday. “The story of the nursery interweaves with the history

and ethos of the nursery,” they said. “The application is warm

and personal and you can sense that throughout the whole

approach.”

New nursery of the year, sponsored by Impact Futures

Winner: Precious Times Day Nursery

“We are so incredibly proud to have won this award. Opening

our second setting so soon after establishing our first was a

decision we didn’t take lightly. We worked really hard to ensure

that great childcare remained our priority and that Precious

Times continued to be a positive environment for our staff to

thrive in. So it means the world to have the work and effort

recognised by winning ‘New nursery of the year’.

“We entered it knowing that we would have some amazing

competition, so we are beyond proud to have actually won. It has

been amazing to share the news with our staff team, our parents

and carers and our own family and friends. We are very grateful

Newcomer of the year, sponsored by Family First

Winner: Laura Rushby, Rand Farm Park Day Nursery &

Pre-School

Judges described Laura as a “magical practitioner” and “a true

asset”.

“The work that Laura has done with a child she works with

who has complex needs is inspiring,” they said.■

Be inspired with everything NEW by Hope


nmt-magazine.co.uk March/April 2025 NURSERY MANAGEMENT 20/12/2024 TODAY 11:5053


nmtproperty sold

properties

recently sold

Existing operator buys The Oaks Day Nursery

An existing childcare operator has acquired The Oaks Day

Nursery in Oakenholt, Flintshire, which is registered for 49

children and provides care for children aged from three

months to five years,

Childcare and education broker Redwoods Dowling Kerr

facilitated the sale.

Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s childcare and education sales

negotiator Bradley Wilson said: “We had some potential

blocks along the way but with the cooperation from all

parties we managed to get the sale across the line within

a good timeframe.”

The buyer said: “There were a few difficulties, however

Bradley stayed at the top of things and helped us

resolve issues in a timely manner and made sure the sale

happened at the expected date.”

Boutique operator buys Nutfield Nursery

A boutique nursery operator has bought Nutfield Day

Nursery in Redhill, Surrey, which is registered for 56

children and rated Good by Ofsted.



Following the owners’ desire to pursue new business

ventures, Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s deputy childcare

sales manager Sarah Ellison identified a buyer looking to

continue the high quality of care for which the nursery is

recognised.

Ellison said: “It has been a pleasure working with our

clients on the sale of Nutfield Day Nursery to allow them

to focus on their other business interests. The setting

has been established since 1994 and run by our clients

since 2021. When selling they wanted to ensure that

the nursery was passed on to the right buyers who will

continue to look after the children and the staff and they

are confident they have found the right buyers to do so.”

Muddy Puddles Nurseries buys Berkshire nurseries

Muddy Puddles Nurseries has bought Little Tots

Nurseries, a group of two settings in in Reading and

Tadley, Berkshire.

Little Tots Nurseries was established in 2001.

Muddy Puddles Nurseries is a family-run nursery group

which owns several settings across the Southeast of

England, alongside children’s outerwear company, Muddy

Puddles.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s deputy childcare sales manager

Sarah Ellison said: “It was a pleasure working with our

clients throughout the sale process. Although it had

its ups and downs, they knew from the outset after

meeting their buyer that she was the one to continue

the nurseries they had worked very hard to grow over

the years. They are both now looking forward to their

future after retiring from the childcare sector and I would

like to wish Muddy Puddles Nurseries all the best for its

continued business growth.”

Muddy Boots Nurseries purchases Yorkshire nurseries

Yorkshire nursery group Muddy Boots Nurseries has

acquired Kaleidoscope Day Nurseries.

Consisting of Drighlington Nursery in Bradford and

Gildersome Nursery and Morley Nursery, both in Leeds,

Kaleidoscope offers care to more than 270 children. The

business also operates an out-of-school club at Park

Groce Primary School in York, caring for 50 children aged

from three to 11. Kaleidoscope has received Outstanding

Ofsted reports at two of its settings.

Established in 2012, Muddy Boots operates four other

settings in Acomb, Poppleton, Stamford Bridge and

Wilberfoss. The acquisition of Kaleidoscope Day Nurseries

marks the beginning of the group’s plans for expansion

throughout the Yorkshire area.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s sales negotiator Karrina

Lee said: “It was a pleasure working with our clients

throughout the sale process. I would like to wish Muddy

Boots Nurseries all the best for their continued business

growth.”


properties

recently sold

First-time buyer purchases Banana Moon Day Nursery

nmtproperty sold

A first-time buyer has acquired Banana Moon Day Nursery

in Sale, Greater Manchester, which provides care for 79

children aged from three months to five years.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s childcare and education sales

negotiator Bradley Wilson said: “We had a lot of moving

parts within the sale, including a third-party landlord, so

to get the deal across the line felt good. We had a few

setbacks throughout the deal but with the hard work

of all parties involved we managed to overcome them

and make progress. It was also great to get the sale

completed before the Christmas break allowing the buyer

a fresh start to 2025.”

Kids Planet Day Nurseries buys two Nottingham settings

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has bought Angels by Day, a

group of two nurseries in Nottingham.

Comprising Springfield House in Bulwell and Hillside

House in Lenton, Angels by Day provides childcare for

up to 157 children. The group has operated for more than

27 years.



Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s senior sales negotiator Karrina

Lee guided the sale through to completion in under

eight weeks. The sale marks Redwoods Dowling Kerr’s

latest deal with Kids Planet, following its acquisition of

Fledglings and The Wendy House Day Nursery last year.

Lee said: “It was a pleasure to work with our clients at

Angels by Day to help them secure a sale. Following our

corporate sales process, we received a high volume of

interest and had a number of interested parties, but our

clients felt that Kids Planet were the right choice for

them. We are positive that Angels by Day will make a

great addition to Kids Planet’s existing nurseries and wish

our clients all the best for the future.”

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

LONDON

Sophie Willcox ...............................07736 620 855

SOUTH WEST

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

EAST MIDLANDS

David Eaves ...........................................07711 767 094

WEST MIDLANDS

Jassi Sunner ..........................................07791 979 343

ABACUS DAY NURSERY SALES

HEAD OFFICE - 0333 370 0000

abacus@businesstransfergroup.com

SALES DIRECTORS

j.booth@businesstransfergroup.com

0161 393 2681

c.melnyk@businesstransfergroup.com

0161 413 5998

CHESHIRE/ NORTH WEST

Sofia Beck ..............................................07736 616 687

YORKSHIRE/ NORTH EAST

Grace Day ........................................... 07756 875 222

SCOTLAND

Callum Lancaster ........................07754 559 529

PORTFOLIO

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

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

GROUP SALES MANAGER

j.jackson@businesstransfergroup.com

0161 388 2151

REGIONAL DIRECTORS

c.rushworth@businesstransfergroup.com

0161 413 5997

j.mccuaig@businesstransfergroup.com

DDI 0161 393 2682

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


nmtproperty sold

properties

recently sold

Nursery group acquires Portsmouth day nursery

Happy Days Nurseries has bought Teddy Bears Nursery

School in Portsmouth, Hampshire, which can cater for 52

children.

Vendor Vithiya Arenesarajah, who bought the nursery

in 2006 after a career in accounting, is selling in order to

retire.

Happy Days Nurseries is a group of 29 settings across

the UK.

Kim Herbert, chief executive of Happy Days Nurseries,

said: “We are thrilled to be growing our portfolio again

with the acquisition of this fantastic nursery whose ethos

of nurturing children in a warm, friendly environment

aligns with our own.”

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the

sale.

Sophie Willcox, director, childcare and education at

Christie & Co said: “This is an example of another freehold

sale in the South, bucking the trend of previous years

where we saw more leasehold sales, whereas 2024 has

been more of an equal split.”

Teddy Bears Nursery School was sold for an undisclosed

price.

Bright Stars acquires pair of Norwich nurseries

Bright Stars Nursery Group has bought a pair of day

nurseries in Norwich trading as CleverClogs Nursery Group,

bringing its portfolio up to 120 settings.

The two settings in Cringleford and New Costessey were

opened by Liz Robertson and Kristin Baker in 2001 and

2012. They have a combined effective operating capacity

for around 146 children and a growing annual fee income

of around £2 million.

Stephen Booty, chairman at Bright Stars, said: “We are truly

thrilled to welcome CleverClogs Nursery Group as part

of our Bright Stars family. Their unwavering dedication to

fostering a nurturing environment for children resonates

deeply with our objective. Together, we will continue

to cultivate a vibrant community where every child can

flourish and thrive.”

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.

CleverClogs Nursery Group was sold for an undisclosed

price

Former care home operator buys rural Grantham nursery

New market entrant, Kiddi Corporation, has bought

Ancaster Village Nursery & Forest School located in

Ancaster, Lincolnshire, which can cater for 52 children.

The sale included a 46-place out of school club which

the company runs from the local village primary school.

Kiddi Corporation is owned by Rupinder Sandhu,

a former care home operator expanding into the

childcare sector.

Vendor Linda Lukies, who is retiring, has owned and

managed the setting since 2007. She said: “It has been

an absolute pleasure running this wonderful setting

with such a passionate staff team and I know that, with

Rupinder’s vision and experience, I have left everything

in the safest hands.”

Sandhu commented: “I am extremely committed to

delivering high-quality care in the community, drawing

on my background in residential care. Working with

children has always been a passion of mine and, as a

parent of young children, I understand first-hand the

challenges faced by parents.”


sale.

Jassi Sunner, associate director, childcare and

education at Christie & Co said: “With its excellent

location, Ancaster Village Nursery & Forest School has

built a fantastic reputation over the years under Linda’s

leadership.”

Ancaster Village Nursery & Forest School 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


properties

recently sold

nmtproperty sold

Bright Stars buys two Glasgow nurseries

Nursery group Bright Stars has acquired two day nursery

settings in Glasgow trading as Happy Days Too: Happy

Days Too Busby and Southfield House, Mearnskirk,

together providing care for up to 215 children.

For more than 30 years, Happy Days Too has provided a

range of full-time and part-time places for children aged

between six weeks and preschool years.

The business has been owned by CME Investments since

2003 and was brought to market in January last year.

Bright Stars now owns 23 settings across Scotland.

Dougie MacAulay, managing director at CME Investments,

said: “Over the period of our ownership, we have

developed a very strong, experienced and accomplished

team who have consistently delivered quality childcare

provision, and we are so proud of their success. Bright

Stars are, in our view, an ideal fit. They will look after all our

wonderful staff, who will continue to flourish under their

management and direction.”

Stephen Booty, chairman at Bright Stars Nurseries,

commented: “The dedicated staff at Happy Days Too and

Southfield House, Mearnskirk will continue to play a vital

role in fostering a warm atmosphere where children can

learn and grow. We aim to maintain the high standards of

education and affection that parents have come to expect.

As we embark on this new journey, we look forward to

creating joyful experiences for the children in our care

and building strong relationships with families in the

community.”

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.

Happy Days Too Busby and Southfield House, Mearnskirk

were sold for an undisclosed price.

The Mulberry Bush buys Hampshire nursery group

The Mulberry Bush group of nurseries has acquired

Hampshire-based Little Acorns Nurseries, bringing its total

number of settings up to five.

Little Acorns Nurseries launched in 1997 when its founders,

Kevin and Teri Crowley, started a childminding business

from their family home. They acquired a local building and

converted it into a children’s day nursery, followed by a

second nursery in Eastleigh 10 years later. The settings

cater for 160 children.

Oliver Thomson, owner of The Mulberry Bush, said: “We are

excited about the development, and increased presence,

of The Mulberry Bush as a local, family led, childcare

provider.”

The deal was facilitated by business property advisor

Christie & Co, with funding sourced through Christie

Finance.

Sophie Willcox, director, childcare and education at

Christie & Co, said: “Little Acorns are two excellent,

profitable freehold nurseries that received a lot of interest

from both corporate and regional operators.”

Nathan McFarlane, finance consultant at Christie Finance,

added: “We were extremely pleased to support this

experienced operator with a package to fund this key

acquisition. We achieved this by leveraging their existing

group, as well as our reputation in the market to negotiate

a significant rate reduction and save a large sum in

interest.”

Little Acorns Nurseries was sold for an undisclosed price.

Nursery group acquires fourth setting

Bumbles Nursery Group has bought Sure Steps Derby

Lane Day Nursery, a Liverpool setting with an effective

operating capacity for 58 children aged up to five years.

Sure Steps has been owned and operated by John and

Ann Miller since 201, who are retiring; the property was

owned by their pension fund.

Sure Steps is the fourth setting in Bumbles’ portfolio.

Ian Makinson, director at Bumbles Nursery Group,

said: “This expansion strengthens our commitment to

providing excellent early years care and education in

the Liverpool and Sefton areas, ensuring that more

families have access to quality childcare within their

communities.”


sale.

Christie & Co’s Sofia Beck said: “This was a confidential

opportunity which attracted Bumbles Nursery Group

from the offset due to its location and outstanding

reputation. The nursery is an excellent addition to the

three other nurseries they currently own.”

Sure Steps Derby Lane Day 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


59%

of UK day nursery

transactions were

brokered by

Christie & Co

180+

New childcare and

education business

properties brought

to the market

98%

of the asking

price achieved on

day nurseries

sold

With Spring fast approaching if you’re considering selling or

expanding in the future, now could be the perfect time to start to

sow those seeds.

Our stats more than speak for themselves but whatever your plans for 2025, our

expert team can offer personalised advice and comprehensive services to help

you achieve your goals.

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

Your expert business property advisers.

DAY NURSERIES FOR SALE ACROSS THE UK

4280951 – North Yorkshire

FOR SALE

LEASEHOLD - £300,000

• EBITDA of c. £85,000 for YE 2023

• Operating capacity of 46 children

• Full management team in place

T: 07736 620 855

4280941 – Greater Manchester

FOR SALE

FREEHOLD - £1,600,000

• EBITDA of c. £220,000 for YE 2024


• Ofsted rated: Outstanding

T: 07756 875 222

4280940 – Hampshire

FOR SALE


• EBITDA of c. £103,000 YE July 2024


• Full management team in place

T: 07736 616 687

5880185 – Leicestershire

FOR SALE


• EBITDA of c. £88,000 YE 2024


• Agreed 10 year lease in place

T: 07756 875 222

4280943 – Hampshire

FOR SALE


• EBITDA of c. £150,000 YE September

2024


• Potential to expand into second property

T: 07711 767 094

4280953 – West Yorkshire

FOR SALE


• EBITDA of c. £122,000 YE 2024


• Turnover of c. £500,000 YE 2024

T: 07736 620 855

5880187 – Staffordshire

FOR SALE

FREEHOLD - £450,000

• Turnover of c. £209,000 YE March 2024

• Plenty of outdoor space

• Ofsted rating 'Good'

T: 07701 315 061

4280924 – Lancashire

FOR SALE

FREEHOLD - £800,000

• Turnover of c. £430,000 YE 2024


• Room to expand into residential space

T: 07791 979 343

3480025 – South West England

FOR SALE

FREEHOLD - £1,000,000

• EBITDA of c. £170,000 YE 2024


• Newly refurbished

T: 07736 616 687

*Based on sales figures from daynurseries.co.uk

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Nursery Management Today, March-April 2025

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