Harsh commercial conditions, partly prompted by Government initiatives, find the two largest nursery chains - Asquith Nurseries and Nord Anglia's Leapfrog brand - on common ground.
Staff training, boosting occupancy levels, ensuring high-quality care, convincing the Government it is unwise to create more places while unused capacity remains... Add to these the recent controversy over claims by Steve Biddulph that nursery may not be the best place for under-threes, and you have a potent mix of issues for the two companies' chief executives - Asquith's Russell Ford and Nord Anglia's Andrew Fitzmaurice - to confront.
Developing childcare Mr Ford, who joined Asquith last September after 20 years in the retail business with Dixons and as managing director of the supermarket chain Iceland, believes that Mr Biddulph's views were 'misreported and sensationalised' in the tabloid press. He says that Biddulph was merely revealing his own research which showed that 'some places were not providing adequate care'.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
