A growing nursery group which aims to provide more childcare across the South of England has completed the acquisition of two top-performing nurseries. 

iStep Learning, which was formed last year via the merger of The Nursery Family and Bambinos Childcare Centres, have now welcomed Home from Home Nursery in Hove, and Stepping Stones Day Nursery and Pre-School in Okehampton, West Devon, to their group. 

These two new nurseries mean they now have 22 in their high-quality network. 

Home from Home holds an Outstanding Ofsted rating and is based in a converted Victorian property with a spacious outdoor play area for children to enjoy. 

Stepping Stones Day Nursery also boasts an Outstanding Ofsted rating and an excellent reputation in the local area. The setting will now be part of the Bambinos group. 

Dianne Lumsden-Earle, chief childcare & operations officer at iStep, said she was delighted to welcome both settings. 

“These two nurseries are exactly the kind we want to work with – they are providing excellent outcomes for the children, and we hope to help them continue to do so, and even improve,” she said. 

“They have got great reputations, and I would like to thank the previous owners for allowing us to be part of their bright futures. 

“We have ambitious plans to continue to grow. It is a very exciting time to be part of iStep.” 

After being founded in May last year, a steady expansion has followed at iStep. 

Footsteps Day Nursery, a group of two nurseries in Portside and Hove, joined the following month.  

Then in November 2023, the group acquired Little Explorers Day Nurseries – a three-strong nursery group based in nearby Burgess Hill and Crawley.  

At the end of last year, Frogmore Montessori Nursery joined the group with Muddy Boots Day Nursery joining the network in February. 

For more information about iStep Learning, visit https://isteplearning.co.uk/