Nord Anglia - currently the largest operator of day nurseries in the UK with 10,318 places spread over 101 nurseries - has been anxious to reverse a trend that saw occupancy levels at some of its nurseries slide earlier this year.
Chief executive Andrew Fitzmaurice said that its programme to attract new customers has so far yielded 289 new full-time equivalent places, raising overall occupancy in the group by 3 per cent.
Mr Fitzmaurice said, 'Managers at the best performing nurseries can win holidays, such as a city break, while staff from the top nursery might all go to Alton Towers for the day.
'We've seen some movement in our occupancy levels which we had not seen previously this year. Full-time equivalent places are increasing and it's happening pretty much across the board.'
He confirmed that occupancy had fallen most in nurseries which Nord Anglia acquired last year from the ailing Jigsaw chain at the same time that it bought up Leapfrog nurseries.
'Obviously we have been integrating the businesses, and our ability to move occupancy forward during this time has not been so good. But we hope that the improvement continues and accelerates,' he added.
The company is expected to provide a fuller assessment of the marketing strategy when it finishes at the end of the month. Mr Fitzmaurice said the incentive programme for managers was being complemented by mailshots, leafleting and 'other general activity to promote new starters for the nurseries'.
