When the last issue of Nursery Chains was published in June the same names remained in the top 20 for the first time since we compiled our league table in summer 2001.
This time round there is only one new entry in the top 20, but several recent acquisitions and mergers means that several of the larger chains have expanded rapidly in the past six months and one chain has disappeared.
The number of places for the top 20 chains for winter 2003 is just under 48,000, an increase of 4,000 since the June issue of Nursery Chains. This time last year this figure stood at just under 42,000.
A major change has seen Just Learning, formerly the sixth largest nursery chain in the UK, jump to the number two position. The group, owned by private equity firm Alchemy, acquired Careshare in June for 17.25m, one of the largest deals so far in the private nursery market. Careshare was formerly Scotland's largest chain and was listed at number 12 in last summer's league table. In our winter 2002 issue Just Learning owned 30 nurseries with 2,710 places. The acquisition of Careshare adds 20 more nurseries to the group, which has nearly doubled in size in just a year.
Asquith Court, the largest group in the UK and Ireland, has consolidated its number one spot further by acquiring two smaller chains and bringing its total number of nurseries to 113. In June the chain bought the London-based Rivertide Group, adding five more nurseries and a further 250 day nursery places. A month later the group announced it had bought the Secret Garden Day Nursery chain, adding a further 400 places and six more nurseries in Kent.
Princess Christian Nurseries has extended its presence in London and the south-east by acquiring Petits Enfants in September. The deal adds nine more nurseries and 535 places to the group, which is owned by private education company Nord Anglia. However, the buyout does not alter the chain's ranking in the league table, which remains at number eight.
The other chains in the top ten have continued to grow at a steadier pace and their positions in the league table remain largely unchanged.
The most notable change in the bottom half of the table is the jump for Treetops Private Day Nurseries from number 20, a position it has held since November 2002, to number 16.
In the past six months the group has added two more nurseries and increased the provision at existing sites. It now owns 13 nurseries and plans for new builds and acquisitions should see the company grow to more than 1,000 places by the end of the year.
Some chains have been keen to expand in partnership with the public sector.
Reading-based Buffer Bear has opened two more neighbourhood nurseries in Poole and Warrington and plans to open a total of 25 settings. In July the group opened a 25-place on-site nursery in partnership with Barts and the London NHS Trust. The chain already runs several other workplace nurseries in partnership with the NHS and has plans for more.
With Careshare, Secret Garden, Rivertide and Petits Enfants all changing hands over the past few months it is an interesting time for the private and independent nursery market. It seems likely that more buyouts will follow in the next six months, as the larger chains continue to expand.
UK and Ireland's 20 largest nursery chains - November 2003
Position Nursery chain Places NOV (JUNE)* Position Nursery chain Places NOV (JUNE)* 1 (1) Asquith Court Schools 6,839
2 (6) Just Learning 5,054
3 (2) Leapfrog Day Nurseries 4,199
4 (3) Busy Bees 3,997
5 (4) Jigsaw Day Nurseries 3,768
6 (5) Bright Horizons Family Solutions 3,576
7 (7) Kidsunlimited 3,369
8 (8) Nord Anglia 2,832
9 (9) Teddies Nurseries 2,278
10 (10) Child Base 2,161
11 (11) Buffer Bear Nurseries 1,616
12 (13) Ravenstone House 1,277
13 (15) The Childcare Corporation 1,053
14 (14) Academy Childcare 966
15 (17) Toad Hall Nursery Group 942
16 (20) Treetops Private Day Nurseries 867
17 (16) Child & Co 847
18 (19) Manor Tree Group 795
19 (18) Happy Child 734
20 (new) Nunthorpe Nurseries Group 620
* Figures of 30 November 2003 and 30 June 2003
