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News

Scottish setting sold to existing operator

Small World Children’s Nursery in Brechin on the east coast of Scotland, has been sold ...

2 days

Acquisition

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Inside the trends

Hannah Haines, head of healthcare consultancy at property advisor Christie & Co, provides insights into ...

6 days

M&A

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Why investors buy nurseries

Times are tough for many nursery owners but the sector as a whole is increasingly ...

6 days

M&A

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Navigate change

How nurseries can balance quality, safety and sustainability following the introduction of new funding guidance

6 days

Funding

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The childcare funding crisis

Philip Ford, managing director of Hopscotch Nurseries, explains why independent nurseries face an impossible choice

7 days

Funding

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Wonder while you walk

Elly Richfield, education and development manager at kinderzimmer, reveals how the nursery group has gone ...

7 days

Managers

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Open letter to DfE backed by more than 6,000 settings

Jo Morris, spokesperson for Early Years Voice Childcare professionals representing more than 6,060 settings have signed ...

7 days

Funding

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Government announces funding for school nurseries and childcare expansion

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a government investment of £370 million over the next four ...

1 week

Funding

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Call for capital funding to include maintained nursery schools

The government should extend eligibility for school-based nursery capital grants to maintained nurseries, according to ...

1 week

Funding

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Busy Bees opens new setting in Bagshot

Busy Bees has opened a new setting for up to 94 children in Bagshot, Surrey, ...

1 week

Managers

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Partou works with nutritionist to create new menus

Nursery provider Partou has launched new menus created in partnership with children’s food consultant and ...

1 week

Wellbeing

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Childcare costs drive 15% of parents to quit work

15% of parents with a child under five say the cost or availability of childcare ...

1 week

Funding

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Increased costs force nurseries to limit funded places

More than a third of childcare providers have limited the number of government-funded hours they ...

1 week

Funding

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Moving on up

Nurseries and parents are focused on school readiness, but what about out-of-school readiness? Charlotte Goddard ...

1 week

Wellbeing

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Connect for support

Laura Hodges, early years expert at training firm Realise and leadership coach and early years ...

1 week

Managers

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Workforce fix would boost nursery capacity, finds NDNA

The average nursery could create around 13 more places for children if it had enough ...

2 weeks

Recruitment

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Shape the future

The Nursery Management Show takes place at the end of June at Birmingham’s NEC. Find ...

2 weeks

Acquisition

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First-time buyer acquires East London nursery

A first-time buyer has acquired Stepping Stones Childcare Limited in Leytonstone, East London, in a ...

2 weeks

Acquisition

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Grandir UK acquires Little Cubs Academy

Nursery group Grandir UK has acquired Little Cubs Academy, a group of two nurseries located ...

2 weeks

Acquisition

News

Nurseries hindered by inconsistent local guidance finds NDNA

Local authorities are taking a mixed approach to implementing government guidance on delivering funded childcare ...

3 weeks

Funding

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Busy Bees appoints new group chief executive

Busy Bees has appointed a new group chief executive to succeed Simon Irons, who is ...

4 weeks

People moves

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Little Pioneers launches work experience for toddlers

Your Co-op Little Pioneers nursery group has launched work experience sessions for toddlers, in partnership ...

4 weeks

Research

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Nurtured Childcare acquires three-setting nursery group

Broomhill Nursery, part of Elmore Kindergarten Group, which has been bought by Nurtured Childcare Nurtured ...

4 weeks

Acquisition

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Kids Planet acquires Warwickshire nursery

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has bought KCP Nursery in Warwickshire in a deal facilitated by specialist ...

1 month

Acquisition

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Viability concerns as applications open for funded entitlement

The Early Years Alliance has expressed concerns about the longterm viability of the early entitlement ...

1 month

Funding

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Ombudsman tells council to reimburse nursery parent

The local government ombudsman has told Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council to reimburse a parent ...

1 month

Funding

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Nursery group acquires third setting

SADCO Nursery Group has acquired its third setting in a deal facilitated by specialist business ...

1 month

Acquisition

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Melrose Nursery invests in fourth setting

Melrose Nursery has bought Spire View Nursery in Salisbury, bringing its total portfolio up to ...

1 month

Acquisition

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Edinburgh nursery buys playgroup

Outdoor Nursery Edinburgh has acquired The Bees Knees Playgroup in Currie, Midlothian in a deal ...

1 month

Acquisition

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Global Educational Solutions buys Ilford nursery

Global Educational Solutions has bought Tamba Day Nursery in Ilford, Essex, in a deal brokered ...

2 months

Acquisition

News

PACEY joins The Coram Group

PACEY, the charity representing representing childminders, has joined The Coram Group.

2 months

Strategic partnerships

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Little Academy buys Bradford setting

Little Academy Day Nursery has bought Rainbow House private day nursery, a Bradford-based nursery which ...

2 months

Acquisition

News

Nurseries funded to support service families

Ten childcare settings across the UK have been awarded a share of £300,000 to help ...

2 months

Funding

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Toolkit aims to support transition from early years to school

The Early Years Alliance has launched a toolkit to support early years settings preparing children ...

2 months

Training

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Care group acquires nursery and nursing home

Church Farm Care has acquired Little Wrens Nursery and Preschool and Wren Hall Nursing Home ...

2 months

Acquisition

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Millfield Nurseries makes first acquisition

Millfield Nurseries has taken its first step into the childcare sector with the acquisition of ...

2 months

Acquisition

News

Nursery Elite buys Birmingham settings

Fast-growing early years education provider Nursery Elite (Little Nurseries) has strengthened its footprint in the ...

2 months

Acquisition

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ICP Educare buys Oxfordshire Nursery Group

ICP Educare has bought Oxfordshire Nurseries in a deal brokered by Redwoods Dowling Kerr.

2 months

Acquisition

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Closed Swansea nursery re-opens following sale

Nursery operator Ty Enfys has re-opened a nursery setting which closed in 2023, following a ...

2 months

Acquisition

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MiChild acquires Lancashire nursery

Nursery group MiChild has acquired the premises of former nursery Little Angels in a lease ...

2 months

Acquisition

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Representation matters

Stephanie Mensah, co-founder of Bibinee Dolls, explores the importance of diversity in early years education ...

2 months

Wellbeing

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Activate the future

We find out how Chalk Nursery Group worked with managed technologies firm Active8 to make ...

2 months

Advertorial

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Nursery group launches school transition initiative

The Old Station Nursery Group has launched an initiative aimed at supporting children and families ...

2 months

Wellbeing

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Formula for effective leadership

Trainer and consultant Samantha Dholakia explores the role played by beliefs and balance in our ...

2 months

Wellbeing

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Smooth transfer

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

2 months

Acquisition

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ICPEducare secures backing for early years buy-and-build strategy

Innervation Capital-backed ICPEducare has secured a loan from OakNorth so it can pursue a buy ...

2 months

Acquisition

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Nursery welcomes fitness star Joe Wicks

Bright Little Stars Nursery in Barnet welcomed fitness coach and author Joe Wicks for a ...

2 months

Wellbeing

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Happy Days buys four settings in South of England

Happy Days Nurseries has acquired the Junior Childcare group of settings in the South of ...

2 months

Acquisition

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More than £65m early years funding remains unspent

More than £65 million in early years entitlement funding was not spent on funded places ...

2 months

Market analysis

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Kids Planet acquires Cheshire nursery

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has acquired the POD Nursery in Cheshire, in a deal brokered ...

2 months

Acquisition

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Confident leadership

Rageena Tahir, director of early years at Fennies, explains the thinking behind the nursery group's ...

3 months

Managers

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A strong start

Jenna Caldwell, director of operations at Redwoods Dowling Kerr, reveals the company’s latest childcare M&A ...

3 months

M&A

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Celebrate the sector

Purnima Tanuku became executive chair of the National Day Nurseries Association at the end of ...

3 months

People moves

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NDNA supports petition to exempt nurseries from NI contributions

Karen Richards, chair of the National Day Nurseries Association's Nottinghamshire network, has launched a petition ...

3 months

Funding

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Campaign group launches to challenge DfE guidance

Early years providers have come together to raise money to challenge the Department for Education’s ...

3 months

Funding

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Sector condemns Chancellor’s omission of early years

Early years leaders have criticised Chancellor Rachel Reeves' failure to mention the sector in today's ...

3 months

Funding

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From manager to owner

Michele Davison talks to NMT editor Charlotte Goddard about her journey from nursery manager to ...

3 months

Managers

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Childcare costs fall for under-threes in England

Working parents of children under three in England now pay less than half of last ...

3 months

Funding

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NDNA launches Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is launching its annual Healthy Body, Happy Me campaign next ...

3 months

Wellbeing

News

Giglets Education rebrands as ILT Education UK

Educational resources provider Giglets Education has rebranded as ILT Education UK.

3 months

Acquisition

News

Kids Planet buys Perfect Start

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has bought Perfect Start Day Nurseries, a group of eight settings ...

3 months

Acquisition

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Nurseries set to cut places and raise fees in response to policy changes

Most nurseries are likely to cut the number of three- and four-year old funded places ...

3 months

Funding

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Leadership roles expand at Back to the Garden Childcare

Nursery group Back to the Garden Childcare, part of the McGoff Group, has expanded the ...

3 months

People moves

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Call for government to extend funded childcare to migrant families

The government should extend funded childcare to migrant and refugee families, according to a report ...

3 months

Funding

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New guidance to help nurseries make most of funding rise

The Education Endowment Foundation has published guidance to help nurseries make the most of the ...

3 months

Funding

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Supervised toothbrushing for children to prevent tooth decay

Nurseries in the most deprived areas of England are to receive government funding to help ...

3 months

Funding

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Burnley owners acquire Kirkham setting

The owners of a nursery in Burnley have bought Treetots Nursery in Kirkham, Lancashire, in ...

3 months

Acquisition

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Council votes against plans to remove 150 funded places from PVI sector

Falkirk councillors have voted against proposals to remove 150 funded places from private providers.

3 months

Funding

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Gloucestershire nursery owner buys three settings in Surrey

The owner of Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery in Gloucestershire has purchased a three-setting pre-school group in ...

3 months

Acquisition

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Council plans to bring 150 private nursery places in-house

A Scottish council plans to commission 150 fewer funded places from private nurseries in a ...

4 months

Funding

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Day Nursery Market Insight 2025: Scotland

Callum Lancaster, business agent – childcare & education at Christie & Co, shares his insight ...

4 months

Market analysis

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Sector reacts to DfE “cheaper childcare” claim

The early years sector has condemned a Department for Education advert on Facebook which claims ...

4 months

Funding

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Little Barn Owls acquires West Sussex day nursery

Nursery group Little Barn Owls Nurseries has acquired The Country Mouse Nursery School in Midhurst, ...

4 months

Acquisition

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Government guidance on extra charges could “seriously threaten sustainability”

Government guidance which aims to prevent childcare providers from what it describes as “overcharging” could ...

4 months

Funding

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New leadership for NDNA

The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) has appointed a new chief executive as Purnima Tanuku ...

4 months

People moves

News

Happy Days buys two Portsmouth nurseries

Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-Schools has acquired two Portsmouth nurseries in a deal facilitated by ...

4 months

Acquisition

News

Kids Planet acquires Lancashire nursery

Kids Planet Day Nurseries has bought Early Birds nursery in Chorley, expanding the family-run group’s ...

4 months

Acquisition

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Training provider launches male-only childcare apprenticeship

The Childcare Company has partnered with Male Childcare and Teaching Jobs (MCTJ) to launch an ...

4 months

Recruitment

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Business outlook: the year to come

Following the launch of Christie & Co’s Business Outlook report, Nick Brown, head of brokerage ...

4 months

Market analysis

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A roller-coaster ride

As we find ourselves in the middle of one of the most significant changes to ...

4 months

M&A

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NIC rises force nurseries to raise fees by 10%

Increases to National Insurance contributions will force nurseries to raise fees by 10% and put ...

4 months

Funding

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Partou installs new signs as rebrand nears completion

Nursery provider Partou is set to install new external displays in all 106 UK settings ...

4 months

Acquisition

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DfE removes fee for overseas qualification checks

Nurseries no longer have to pay £250 to check whether overseas qualifications allow early years ...

4 months

Recruitment

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Investor buys nursery properties to let to The Old Station Nursery

Commercial property investor and developer The Harkalm Group is acquiring eight nursery properties across the ...

5 months

Acquisition

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First-time buyer acquires Renfrewshire nursery

First-time buyer AMS Estate has purchased The Gleniffer Nursery in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, through a deal ...

5 months

Acquisition

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Experienced practitioners to gain Level 3 status from September

Nurseries will be able to count experienced practitioners in the staff:child ratio at Level 3 ...

5 months

Recruitment

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Government partners with Channel 4 to promote early years

The Department for Education has partnered with Channel 4 to promote the benefits of a ...

5 months

Recruitment

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Inspired Education buys two London nurseries

Global schools group Inspired Education has bought Parson’s Green Nursery Schools.

5 months

Acquisition

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First Friends partners with Hampshire school to open nursery

Nursery group First Friends has opened a setting in partnership with Denmead Infant and Junior ...

5 months

Deals

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Price of nurseries rose by 7.7% in 2024 according to Christie report

The price of day nurseries increased by 7.7% last year according to specialist business property ...

5 months

Market analysis

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Former care home operator moves into childcare

A former care home operator has acquired a Grantham day nursery in order to expand ...

5 months

Acquisition

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Tibeca21 acquires kinderzimmer UK

Tibeca21 Management GmbH, owned by the founders of nursery group KMK kinderzimmer, has acquired British ...

5 months

Acquisition

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Council appoints LEYF to run three early years centres

Hillingdon Council has appointed charitable childcare social enterprise London Early Years Foundation (LEYF) to deliver ...

5 months

Deals

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Bright Stars buys two Norwich nurseries

CleverClogs Cringleford Bright Stars Nursery Group has bought a pair of day nurseries in Norwich ...

5 months

Acquisition

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Public backs PM focus on early education

Half of the UK public think early education should be one of the government's main ...

6 months

Politics & Policy

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South London nursery acquired by first-time buyer

The Puddleduck Nursery in South London has been bought by first-time buyer Kim Bradley, owner ...

6 months

Acquisition

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MPs vote against childcare exemption from National Insurance rises

MPs spoke out about the impact of National Insurance rises on nurseries this week as ...

6 months

Funding

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Dudley hospital nursery sold for first time

Treetops Day Nursery, located in the grounds of Russell Hall Hospital in Dudley, has been ...

6 months

Acquisition

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The Mulberry Bush nursery group acquires Little Acorns

The Mulberry Bush group of nurseries has acquired Hampshire-based Little Acorns Nurseries, bringing its total ...

6 months

Acquisition