Head office: Collina House, Oxon Business Park, Welshpool Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 5HJ
Tel: 01743 244 600 Fax: 01743 341 500
Website: www.earlyworld.co.uk
Managing director: Paul Edwards
Established: 1995
Owns 3 nurseries: Shrewsbury (118), Hadley Park, Telford (109), Stafford Court, Telford (110)
1 out-of-school-club: Shrewsbury (57)
Places: 337
Employees: 120
Plans: To open a fourth purpose-built nursery in Shropshire and further enhance training, benefits and career prospects.
Early Years Childcare
Head office: 42 Wilbury Villas, Hove, East Sussex BN3 6GD
Tel: 01273 778775 Fax: 01273 724583
E-mail: earlyyrs@pavillion.co.uk
Managing director: Julie Bates
Established: 1989
Owns/manages 9 nurseries: Horsham, Sussex (110), Hove, Sussex (74), Worthing (57), Crawley, Sussex (27), Brighton (71), Lewes, Sussex (51), Runcorn, Cheshire (50), Sheffield (51), Greenwich, London (50)
Also operates: 8 holiday play schemes, 2 after-school clubs, 1 creche
Places: 541
Employees: 280
Plans: To open 2-3 nurseries per year for the next five years.
Early Years Childcare Group
Head office: Manor Farm, Castle Hill, East Leake, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 6LU
Tel/Fax: 01509 852797
E-mail: enquiries@manor-farm-animal-centre.co.uk
Partners: Glennis Robinson, Rita Thurman
Established: 1980
Owns 4 nurseries: Adbolton Kindergarten, Nottingham (65), Bingham Day Nursery (50), East Leake Day Nursery (70), Trent Fields Kindergarten, Nottingham (70). Manor Farm Animal Centre (educational resource), Loughborough. Careercare (City & Guilds NVQ training and staff development programme)
Places: 255
Employees: 107
Eaton Square Schools
Head office: 79 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PP
Tel: 020 7931 9469 Fax: 020 7828 0164
Directors: Yvonne Cuthbert (principal), Alison Jones (director of nursery schools)
Established: 1981
Owns 5 nursery schools:79 Eccleston Square Nursery School, London (28), 28 Eccleston Street Nursery School, London (21), 30 Eccleston Street Nursery School, London (24),The Boltons Nursery School, London (32), Twickenham Park Day Nursery (55),and 2 mother and toddler groups
Places: 160
Employees: 30
Plans: Further growth of afternoon sessions in order to incorporate two-year-olds in Westminster-based nursery schools.
The Edinburgh Nursery
Head office: 129 Broughton Road, Edinburgh EH7 4JH
Tel: 0131 557 5675 Fax: 0131 476 6346
Director: Karen Fairlamb
Established: 1986
Owns/manages 5 nurseries: The Gyle Nursery for Marks & Spencer, Edinburgh (40), East London St (18), Broughton St (8), Beaverhall Road (31), Broughton St (20) (all in Edinburgh)
Places: 117
Employees: 42
Plans: Considering new nurseries.
Edith Rose Day Nursery
Head office: South Lodge, Station Road, Sunningdale, Berkshire SL5 OQW
Tel/Fax: 01344 873140
Directors: Rebecca Fishwick, Nicola Sowerby
Established: 1988
Owns 3 nurseries: Windsor, Berks (24), Sunningdale, Berks (27), Banbury, Oxfordshire (30)
Places: 81
Employees: 26
Educare for Early Years
Head office: Walshaw Road, Bury, Lancashire BL8 1PL
Tel/Fax: 0161 763 6636
Proprietors: David and Mandy Owen
Established: July 1996
Owns 2 nurseries: Bury (61), Rawtenstall (81)
Places: 142
Employees: 45
Elm Park Nursery Group
Head office: 90 Clarence Avenue, Clapham, London SW4 8JR
Tel/Fax: 020 8660 2538
Partners: Sandra Taylor, Enley Taylor
Established: 1991
Owns 4 nurseries: Elm Park Nursery, Clapham (72), Riverside Nursery, Putney (60), Wiltshire Nursery, Brixton (40), Elm Park Nursery, Tooting Common, Streatham (34) (all in London)
Places: 206
Employees: 65
The Eveline Day and Nursery Schools
Head office: 30 Ritherdon Road, Tooting Bec, London SW17 8QD
Tel: 020 8672 7549 Fax: 020 8672 7259
Established: 1964
Directors: Maria Keaveney-Jessiman, Alfred Clifford Jessiman, Eveline Drut, Gordon Jessiman
Owns: 4 day nurseries: Tooting Bec (36), Wandsworth (57), Seely Hall, Tooting Broadway (41), Wimbledon (50)
1 prep school: Tooting Bec (90)
Places: 184
Employees: 104
* Field House & Church View Day Nurseries
Head office: 6 Chester Crescent, Jesmond, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 1DH
Tel/Fax 0191 261 5900
Owner: Kohli family
Established: 1998
Owns: 2 nurseries: Field House Nursery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (82), Church View Day Nursery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (60)
Places: 142
Employees: 50
Plans: To further expand our operation.
Fledglings
Head office: 2 Hazelfields, Worsley, Manchester M28 2LS
Tel: 0161 281 2821 Fax: 0161 281 2822.
Director: Christopher Gray
Established: 1990
Owns 4 nurseries: Stretford, Manchester (70), Warrington, Cheshire (87), Worsley, Manchester (100), Irlam, Manchester (80)
Places: 337
Employees: 105
Plans: Possibly building a fifth nursery.
Flying Start
Head office: 24 Drump Road, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 1LU
Tel: 01209 210710 Fax: 01209 715437
Partners: Sharon and Steve Cowburn
Established: 1993
Owns 8 nurseries: (all in Cornwall) Camborne (52+8 out-of-school places), Helston (21), Bodmin (20), Penryn (32+24 after school places), Saltash (28+30 out-of-school places), Redruth (24+24 out-of-school places), Duchy (18+30 out-of-school places), Cornwall College (49+24 out-of-school places)
Places: 244
Employees: 70
Plans: Several centres will be expanding their range of services, number of registered places and premises.
Formative Years
Head office: The PIES Kindergarten and Private Day Nursery, 221 Bury New Road, Whitefield, Manchester M45 8GW
Tel: 0161 766 2929
Proprietors: Jillian Banks, Frances Lawrence, William Lawrence
Established: 1988
Owns 2 nurseries: PIES Kindergarten and Private Day Nursery, Manchester (36), Radcliffe Hall Kindergarten and Private Day Nursery, Manchester (20)
Places: 56
Employees: 15
For Under Fives
Head office: 33 Abbey Rd, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN32 0HQ
Tel: 01472 232300 Fax: 01472 232301 Website: www.forunderfives.co.uk
Directors: DA Lang, JR Lang, S Lampard
Established: 1987
Owns 5 nurseries: Springfield Lodge Montessori Day Nursery, Grimsby (53), Springfield Lodge for under-twos, Grimsby (27), County Day Nursery, Beverley (60), Dearne Valley College Day Nursery, Wath upon Dearne, near Rotherham (50), Village Day Nursery, Cottingham (50)
Manages 4 nurseries: Havelock Day Nursery, Grimsby NHS Trust (42), County Hospital Day Nursery, Lincoln and Louth NHS Trust (42), Woodlands Day Nursery, S****horpe and Goole NHS Trust (50), Springhill Day Nursery, West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service (39)
Places: 413
Employees: 110
Plans: To continue to expand and to create a training arm. Opening a nursery in north Wakefield this month (November) in partnership with West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service.
Freshfields Nursery Schools
Head office: Clifford Forge House, Clifford Road, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire C37 8HW
Tel: 01789 261 633 Fax: 01789 294 783
Principal/Proprietor: Julie Cox
Manager (2-5 yrs): Anne Wassell
Established: 1990
Owns 2 nursery schools, both teaching Montessori philosophy: The School House, Alcester Road, Stratford-upon-Avon (50), Clifford Forge House, Clifford Road, Stratford-upon-Avon (80, plus separate before- and after-school care and holiday club facility)
Places: 130
Employees: 46
Plans: Imminently increasing Clifford Forge Housesite to accommodate 92 children. Interesting new developments at the School House site for 2002.
Gosford House Nurseries
Head office: 229-231 Beehive Lane, Gants Hill, Ilford IG4 5EB
Tel: 020 8551 2241
Director: Edna Usher
Established: 1988
Owns 3 nurseries: Clarence House Nursery, Gants Hill (30), Gosford Baby Nursery, Redbridge (22), Gosford Pre-school, Redbridge (78) (all in Essex)
Places: 130
Employees: 44
Plans: Pre-school now registered for up to 8-year-olds. Teacher in post and it is our second year offering a full curriculum. Parents' association is to be developed and we propose to expand school provision by year 2001.
* Grasshoppers Day Nurseries
Head office: U9 Executive Park, 229 Hatfield Road, St Albans, Herts AL1 4TA
Tel: 01727 812731
Fax: 01727 833197
Directors: Nerissa Burton, Phillip Bowers
Established: 1989
Owns 5 nurseries and 1 out-of-school club: Erdington, Birmingham (53), Edgbaston, Birmingham (48), Harborne, Birmingham (35), St Albans (25), Hertford, Herts (60)
Places: 221
Employees: 90
Greendale Nursery Complex
Head office: Greendale House, 633 Antrim Road, Glengormley, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland BT36 4RF
Tel: 02890 838389 Fax: 02890 847389
E-mail: ianmcfall@greendale.sagehost.co.uk
Owners/partners: Frank Cassells, Louise McFall, Ian McFall
Established: 1992
Owns 3 nurseries: Greendale House (50), Meadowdale House (50) and Frankie's Den (42) (all in Newtownabbey)
Places: 142
Employees: 40
Happy Child
Head office: 109 Uxbridge Road, Ealing, London W5 5TL
Tel: 020 8579 8558 Fax: 020 8579 6709
E-mail: happychild@compuserve.com
Website: www.happychild.co.uk
Directors: Ashoob Cook, Dr Julian Cook
Established: 1990
Owns: 14 day nurseries: Ealing (35), Happy Child Montessori School, Ealing (26), Ealing (50), Ealing (41), Ealing (18), Harlesden (66), Acton (32), Kilburn (70), Northfields (35), Ealing Common (35), Queens Park (20), Alperton, Middlesex (35), Perivale, Middlesex (39); Ruislip, Middlesex (60) 3 preparatory schools: Aston House School, Ealing, St Christopher's School, Wembley and St Nicholas School, Kingsbury. Owns Aston Training.
Manages: Four after-school clubs for the London Borough of Hillingdon.
Places: 562
Employees: 250
Plans: To expand through establishing and acquiring up to six nurseries per year over the next two to three years within the London region.
Happy House Educational Care
Head office: Hollywood, Hollybush Ride, Wokingham RG40 3QR
Tel/Fax: 01344 771946
Directors: Linda and Bruce Tranter
Established: 1997
Owns 4 nurseries: Little Red House Day Nursery, Crowthorne (50), Little Ducklings Day Nursery, Woodley, near Reading (48), Happy House Day Nursery, Reading (32), Little Miss Muffet Nursery, Basingstoke (43)
Places: 173
Employees: 65
Happy Jays Nurseries and Childcare Centres
Head office: Lancaster Park, Audax Close, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4RA
Tel: 01904 479261
Directors: Jacqueline Gernon and Tony Gernon
Established: 1996
Owns 2 nurseries: York (70), Boroughbridge (35)
Places: 105
Employees: 30
Plans: Will open additional units throughout Yorkshire region over the next five years.
Happy Times Nurseries and Childcare
Head office: HTC Healthcare Group, Happy Towers, 16-20 Wendell Road, London W12 9RT
Tel: 020 8746 4222 Fax: 020 8746 4223
E-mail: team@happytimes.co.uk
Websites: www.happytimes.co.uk,www.supercarer.com
Directors: Adam Shaw, Elizabeth Cullen, Ian Taylor, Russell Thornhill
Established: 1997
Owns 4 nurseries: Hammersmith, London (140), Battersea, London (130), Fulham, London (170), Richmond, London (150)
Places: 590
Employees: 150
Plans: Developing a further five nursery sites.
Hatton Hill Day Nurseries
Head office: Hatton Hill, Windlesham, Surrey GU20 6AB
Tel: 01276 474764 Fax: 01276 453337
E-mail: enquiries@hhdn.co.uk
Website: www.hattonhilldaynursery.co.uk
Directors: David Lewis, Clem Malcolmson, Paul Whitlam
Established: 1996
Owns 4 nurseries: Windlesham, Surrey (90), Farnborough, Hants (120), Frimley Green, Surrey (55), Esher, Surrey (70)
1 creche: River Bourne Health Club, Chertsey (21)
Places: 335
Employees: 130
Plans: 100% increase in registration within the next three years.
Headstart Nursery Schools
Head office: Top Floor, 7 London Street, Edinburgh EH3 6LZ
Tel: 0131 558 3494 Fax: 0131 558 3591
Director: Christopher Slater
Established: 1996
Owns 2 nurseries: Morningside (40), Leith (59) (both in Edinburgh)
Places: 99
Employees: 27
Plans: Interested in purchasing or setting up another nursery in Edinburgh.
Highgate Nurseries
Head office: 55 Glanmor Road, Uplands, Swansea SA2 OQA
Tel: 01792 281120 Fax: 01792 202879
Managing Director: Julie Halliday
Operations Director: Jayne Lewis
Established: 1989
Owns 3 day nurseries: Uplands Crescent (36), Glanmor Road (58), Morriston (71), plus one pre-school in Uplands (60) (all in Swansea)
Places: 165
Employees: 70+
Hippo Creche/First Child Care
Head office: Vale House, 40 Frensham Vale, Farnham, Surrey GU10 3HT
Tel: 01252 795800 Fax: 01252 795801
Managing Director: Charles Ullmann
Established: 1988
Owns 3 nurseries and creches: St Leonards nursery (78), Hastings creche (24) Tunbridge Wells nursery (46) and creche (18)
Places: 166
Employees: 60
Plans: To open 20 nurseries in the next five years.
Hopes and Dreams Nursery
Head office: 339-341 City Road, Islington, London EC1V 1LJ
Tel: 020 7833 9388, Fax: 020 7837 5517
E-mail: office@hopesanddreams.co.ukWebsite: www.hopesanddreams.co.uk
Shareholders and directors: Susan Bingham and Alasdair Ross
Established: 1997
Owns 1 montessori nursery school: (73) for 3 months - 5 years and a babysitting agency
Places: 73
Employees: 22
Plans: Searching to expand as soon as possible. Also to link up with larger businesses to establish in-house creche facilities. To open at least three more nurseries over the next few years.
Hopscotch Children's Nurseries
Head office: 9 Aymer Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 4GB
Tel: 01273 385577 Fax: 01273 774154
E-mail: office@hopscotch.uk.com
Website: www.hopscotch.uk.com
Directors: Barbara Watson (owner), Jo Halling (group manager)
Established: 1988
Owns 6 nurseries: Brighton (58), Hove (68), Brighton (16), Brighton (24), Peacehaven (39), Seaford (90). Also owns Hopscotch Training which runs customer service courses for childcare workers.
Places: 295
Employees: 65
Plans: Looking at several possible sites in the Sussex area.
ITM Childcare/Piccolo Nurseries
Head office: 209 Bradford Road, Shipley, Yorkshire BD18 3AA
Tel: 01274 597241 Fax: 01274 594612
Director: Linda Ward
Established: May 1989
Owns 5 nurseries: Pudsey, Leeds (98), Bradford (33), Shipley, Yorkshire (26), Saltaire, Yorkshire (29), Baildon, Bradford (32)
2 out-of-school clubs: Saltaire, Yorkshire (20), Pudsey, Leeds (20).
Accredited centre for NVQs from 1992.
Places: 218
Employees: 80
Plans: Available to discuss various options.
Jancett Group of Day Nurseries
Head office: Graylaw House, 42-54 Manor Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 OAB
Tel: 020 8669 1725 Fax: 020 8669 1259
Proprietors: Chris and John Pritchard
Established: 1969
Owns 6 nurseries: Wallington (nursery) (70), Wallington (baby unit) (31), Pollyanna Day Nursery and Baby Unit, Carshalton (60), Gaytime Day Nursery and Baby Unit, Wallington (55), Startel Day Nursery, Wallington (50), Sunbeam Day Nursery/Baby Unit (71)
Places: 337
Employees: 183
Plans: We are keen to strengthen our links with day nurseries who require in-house training with their staff teams. The training arm of the organisation has been inspected by TSC with extremely successful grades being awarded. We are confident that we can help with staff training programmes and would be happy to discuss on 020 8773 8146.
Jigsaw Group
Head office: Brook Point, 1412-1420 High Road, Whetstone, London N20 9BH
Tel: 020 8343 8008 Fax: 020 8343 7812
E-mail: jigsaw@jigsawgroup.com
Website: www.jigsawgroup.com
Directors: Tom Shea (chief executive), David Hudd (chairman), Sir Christopher Ball (deputy chairman), Jane James (development director), Mike Gee (finance director), Mike Hirsch (property director), Kamelia Farhangi (IT director), Mike Paccitti (3i non-executive director)
Established: 1991 (management buyout in March 1998)
Owns 38 purpose-built nurseries: Abbeymeads, Swindon (108), Broome, Swindon (108), Windmill Hill, Swindon (108), Chineham, Basingstoke (108), Bristol (108), Hammersmith, London (108), Chatham Maritime (108), Westwood, Coventry (108), Coventry 2 (108), Harlow (108), Stockley Park, Heathrow (108), Hemel Hempstead (108), Letchworth (108), Brownswood, Milton Keynes (108), Eelbrook Avenue, Milton Keynes (108), Ocean Park, Cardiff (108), Littlemore, Oxford (108), Portsmouth (108), Welwyn Garden City (108), London Road, Stevenage (108), Kings Way, Stevenage (108), Shenley (108), Thames Valley Park, Reading (108), Woodley, Reading (108), Reading International (108), Green Park, Reading (108) Northampton (108), Wandsworth (108), Solihull (108), Capability Green, Luton (108), Chingford (108), Bedford (108), Dartford (108), Leamington Spa (108), Leicester (108), Birmingham Great Park, Birmingham (108), Colchester (108), Guildford (108).
Places: 4,104
Employees: Over 1,000 full-time equivalents
Plans: Ten further units in 2001/2002 and 12 thereafter.
Joint Responsibility
Head office: Epworth Halls, High Street, Quorn, Leicestershire LE12 8DT
Tel: 01509 621700, Fax: 01509 416634
Managing director: Gina Lafferty
Established: 1993
Owns 2 nurseries: Epworth Halls (118), Loughborough (53), plus school at Epworth Halls (126). Kids' Club and Holiday Club at Epworth Halls, and Trinity Halls, Loughborough.
Places: 171
Employees: 45+
Plans: Loughborough Nursery expanding to 80-plus places.
Just Learning
Head office: 48 College Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6SA
Tel: 01622 687668 Fax: 01622 670799
E-mail: college-road@just-learning.freeserve.co.uk
Website: www.justlearning.co.uk
Directors: Duncan Bannatyne (chairman), Michael Fallon
Established: 1995
Owns 21 nurseries: Darlington, County Durham (88), Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees (100), Great Notley Garden Village, Braintree, Essex (100), College Road, Maidstone, Kent (50), Angel Lodge, Maidstone, Kent (50), High Trees, Larkfield, Kent (48), Toad Hall, Maidstone, Kent (30), King George Hospital, Ilford (100), Whipps Cross, Leytonstone (100), Walkden Avenue, Wigan (82), Chafford Hundred, Lakeside, Essex (92), St Andrews Business Park, Norwich (72), Hinchingbrooke Business Park, Huntingdon (100), North Hampshire Hospital, Basingstoke (100), Enstone Court, Wellingborough (100), Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff (100), Willingdon Drove, Eastbourne (100), Higham Hill, Walthamstow, London (100), Pinewood, Ipswich (100), Cambourne, Cambridgeshire (100), Trowbridge, Wiltshire (100)
Places: 1,812
Employees: 495
Plans: Three sites awaiting development; three more awaiting planning permission.
Kidcare
Head office: 55 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G2 3BD
Tel: 0141 400 6050 Fax: 0141 400 6053
Established: 1990
Chief executive: Rita Hopper
Parent bodies: One Plus, SASCA
Operates 6 nurseries: Wellpark Enterprise Nursery, Glasgow (31), Strathclyde University Nursery (56), Glasgow University Nursery (78), Clydebank College Nursery (40), Braidfield Community Nursery (27), The Leisuredrome Nursery, Bishopbriggs (31)
1 drop-in creche: The Allander Sports Centre, Bearsden, Glasgow (15)
3 after-school clubs: Hillhead Primary School, Glasgow (32), The Glasgow Academy (24), SPLOSH, Glasgow (24).
Also runs a holiday playscheme for Scottish Enterprise (32) and operates mobile creches across Scotland.
Places: 263
Employees: 80
Plans: To open a new nursery - target date August 2001.
Kids-Time Day Nurseries
Head office: The Bridge Cottage, 88 Green End Road, Great Barford, Bedfordshire MK44 3HD
Tel/Fax: 01234 871799
Established: 1999
Managing director: David Kedwards
Owns 1 nursery: Colchester, Essex (65)
Places: 65
Employees: 16
Kids Unlimited
Head office: Kids of Wilmslow Ltd, Westhead, 10 West Street, Alderley Edge, Cheshire SK9 7EG
Tel: 01625 585222 Fax: 01625 583444
Website: www.kidsunlimited.co.uk
Established: 1983
Directors: Stewart and Jean Pickering, Flo Armstrong, Stephen Chalmers-Morris, Mark Winderbank, Neil Carr
Owns/manages 36 nurseries:Clairmont House, Wilmslow, Cheshire (51), HSBC Bank Nursery, Sheffield (46),First Direct Nursery, Arlington (50), The Body Shop Family Centre, Littlehampton, West Sussex (75), Aldfields, Didcot, Oxfordshire (50), The Mango Tree Nursery, London (50), Woodlands Nursery, Peterborough (50), Little Flyers Nursery, Manchester (48), WH Smith, Swindon (43), Mansion House Nursery, Oxford (41),The Bridgewater Childcare and Education Centre, Manchester (30), Cambridge University Nursery, Cambridge (50), Milton Park Child Development Centre, Oxford (103) and (115), Clairmont Cottage, Wilmslow, Cheshire (27), Mary Seacole Nursery, London (50), Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester (60), Bradmore Road Nursery, Oxford (50), First Direct, Stourton, Leeds (120), First Direct Nursery, Blantyre, Hamilton (100), Hinxton Hall Nursery, Cambridgeshire (52), Summerfields Day Nursery and Education Centre, Wilmslow, Cheshire (130), Air Miles Nursery, Birchwood Business Park, Warrington (65), Foxton House Nursery, Cambridge (60),St Mary's, Hulme, Manchester (70), Total Fitness, Manchester (49), Fulbourn, Cambridge (107),Toddlers Inn, Holloway, London (45), Bunnybrookes, Cambridge (89), Oxford Business Park (130), Cambridge Science Park (115), Worthing Sixth Form College (55), Didsbury, Manchester (130), Beckenham (50), Regents Place, London (76), Total Fitness, Chester (55), plus one playscheme - Sheffield (40)
Places: 2,487
Employees: 600
KinderCare Learning Centres
Head office: Slapton Hill Farm, Blakesley Road, Slapton, Towcester NN12 8QD
Tel: 01327 861175 Fax: 01327 861273
Director: Charlotte Harnett
Established: 1995
Owns 2 nurseries: Callands Nursery Centre, Warrington (100), Bramingham Park Nursery Centre, Luton (144), (US branch owns 1,200 nurseries in 38 American states)
Places: 244
Employees: 60
Kindercare Childcare Centres
Head office: Ashton House, Ashton Park, Pedders Lane, Preston, Lancs PR2 1HL
Tel: 01772 726696 Fax: 01772 732318
E-mail: sc@kindercare.freeserve.co.uk
Website: www.kindercare-group.co.uk
Directors: Stuart Carr, Sarah Carr
Established: 1989
Owns/manages 9 nurseries:Preston (248), Blackpool (231), Bamber Bridge (176), Chorley (220), LostockHall (40) plus 28 after-school places, Salwick (BNFL workplace nursery) (33),Warton (BAE Systems workplacenursery) (30), Warton (Land Registry workplace) (60) plus 40 after-school places, Lancaster (248)
1 independent primary school: Ashbridge Independent School (80)
Places: 1,286
Employees: 250
Plans: Two more 220-place centres are under construction and a new independent school is to open for Christmas 2000.
Kindergarten (UK)
Head office: 14 Thorney Leys Park, Witney, Oxon OX8 7GE
Tel/Fax: 01993 700123
Directors: Jo and Nick Letherbarrow
Established: 1994
Owns 3 nurseries: Witney, Oxon (92), Witney, Oxon (48), Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire (42)
1 soft-play centre: Kinderkids, Witney (35)
Places: 182
Employees: 60
Kinderquest
Head office: 9-10 Sheep Street, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 1BL
Tel: 01933 440166 Fax: 01933 443492
E-mail: ewrenn@kinderquest.co.uk
Directors: Denise Wrenn (managing director), Ian Stocks, Ricky Wrenn, Debbie Thursby
Established: 1988
Manages 43 workplace nurseries: Bedford (75), Crowthorne, Berkshire (50), Merseyside (40), Guildford, Surrey (40), Surbiton, Surrey (27), Hemel Hempstead (50), Teddington, Middlesex (66), Nottingham (50), Croydon (40),Liverpool (50), Aberdeen (30), Harlow (42), Hastings (35), Dudley (33),Liverpool (35), Birkenhead (30), Plymouth (30), Bedford (35), Foxhill, Bath (37), Bristol (100), Salford, Manchester (36), Chilton, Oxon (40), Leeds (30), Washington (40), Aberystwyth (30), Leicester (28), Ipswich (27), Newbury (30), Telford, Shropshire (40), Bunaston, Derbyshire (50), Cardiff (60), Glasgow (56), Falkirk (34), Wetherby (45), Feltham (21), Hertfordshire (25), Trafford (30), Weymouth (40), Warwick (42), Central London (35), Coventry Land Registry (40), Edinburgh Scottish Executive 1 (35), Edinburgh Scottish Executive 2 (16)
Owns: 2 nurseries: Liverpool (69), Northamptonshire (40)
16 holiday playschemes at 21 sites: Bedford (24), Central London (24), Nottingham (40), Westminster (80), Central London (32), Telford,Shropshire (30), Leeds (40), Addlestone, Surrey (60), central London (24), Blackpool (125), Guildford, Surrey (32), Washington (45), Hertfordshire (24), Liverpool (90), Harlow (12), Northamptonshire (46)
1 permanent creche: Central London (15)
Is a CACHE and SQA approved Assessment Centre for the NVQ in Early Years Care and Education
Places: 1,849
Employees: 500+
Plans: Bidding for other contracts.
Kinder Groups
Head office: Tovil Business Centre,Burial Ground Lane, Tovil, Maidstone,Kent ME15 6RJ
Tel: 01622 692 098Fax: 01622 693 338
Directors: Alan Bishop, Janet Bishop
Established: 1990
Owns 8 nurseries & 2 after-school/holiday centres: East Malling (100), 3 in Gravesend (98, 60 & 25), Tonbridge (60), Maidstone (71), Sittingbourne (63), Rainham, Kent (75)
Places: 536
Employees: 180
Plans: Two new nurseries to be constructed by September 2002.
Kingsclere Nurseries
Head office: Forest Road, Wokingham, Berks RG40 5SA Tel/Fax: 01344 489328
Proprietors: Sylvia Cox, Julia Cox
Established: 1986
Owns 5 nurseries: Kingsclere, Wokingham (12), Merrydale, Binfield (42), Stepping Stones, Finchampstead (33), Bramley Wood, Bracknell (78), Abacus, Newbury (52)
Places: 217
Employees: 98+
Plans: Expansion planned this year at three of our nurseries.
Ladybird
Head office: 24 High St, Fenstanton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE18 9JZ
Tel: 01480 469166
Proprietor: Mary Crosby
Established: 1976
Owns 3 nurseries: Fenstanton (50), Papworth (30), Brampton (42) (all in the Cambridgeshire area)
Places: 122
Employees: 32
Leapfrog Day Nurseries
Head office: Central Office, Second Avenue, Centrum 100, Burton on Trent, Staffs DE14 2WF
Tel: 01283 510444 Fax: 01283 510445
Website: www.leapfrogdaynurseries.co.uk
Directors: Derek Mapp (executive chairman), Sue Husbands (managing director), Mike Butcher (finance director)
Established: April 1998
Owns 31 nurseries: Beverley, EastYorkshire (102), Bicester, Oxon (102), Brough, East Yorkshire (102), Burton on Trent, Staffs (102), Chippenham, Wilts (102), Daventry, Northants (91), Dundee (Next Generation Club) (59), Edinburgh (Next Generation Club) (54), Emersons Green, South Glos (102), Evesham, Worcs (102), Finsbury Square, London (90), Heatherton, Derby (102), Kettering, Northants (108), Mill Hill, London (64), Oakwood, Derby (102), Quedgeley, Glos (102), Telford, Shropshire (102), Warndon, Worcs (102), Swindon, Wilts (102), Chelmsford, Essex (102), Northwich, Cheshire (102), Daybrook, Nottingham (120), Edgbaston, Birmingham (98), Thurrock, Essex (102), Braintree, Essex (102), Cheshire Oaks, Cheshire (102), Bromborough, Wirral (102), Chiswick, London (72), Woking, Surrey (120), Enfield, Middlesex (102), Clifton Moor, York (120)
Places: 3,036
Employees: 950
Plans: Nurseries under construction by end of June 2001: Wollaton, Nottingham (102), Smithfield Market, London (102), Leicester (102), Reigate (102), Chandlers Ford (113), Chester (102), Royal Victoria Docks, London (100 plus creche).
Leisure Operations/ Pelican Childcare
Head office: 665 Knutsford Road, Latchford, Warrington WA4 1JJ
Tel: 01925 232202 Fax: 01925 235380
Directors: Dave Watson (managing director), Neil Ritchie (financial)
Established: 1992
Owns 3 nurseries: Northampton (45), Washington (50), Reading (50),plus 32 play areas/creches and16 playgroups. Offers mobile creches/supervised fun days.
Places: 145
Employees: 325
Lesley Bothwell Nurseries
Head office: 534 Queensferry Road, Edinburgh EH4 6EE
Tel: 0131 339 6340
Proprietor: Lesley Bothwell
Established: 1984
Owns 3 nurseries: The Barnton Nursery (63), The Buckstone Nursery (35), The Royal Mile (21) (all in Edinburgh)
Places: 119
Employees: 60
Plans: Considering opening more nurseries.
Lilliput Childcare
Head office: 2 Lott Lane, Kilcoole, County Wicklow, Ireland
Tel: 01 287 5722 (international 00 353 1 287 5722) Fax: 01 287 5101
E-mail: ladybird@iol.ie
Website: www.lilliputcreche.com
Managing directors: Colin and Alison McMullen
Group operations directors: Carolyn Eglington and Ann Halliden
Established: 1987
Owns 2 nurseries: Foxrock, Dubin (54), Ringsend, Dublin (30)
1 after-school club: for up to 60 children in Kilcoole, County Wicklow
Places: 84
Employees: 22
Plans: We are actively looking for sites and have 3 possibilities at the moment.
Lilliput Children's Centres
Head office: Hersham Green, Burwood Road, Walton-on-Thames KT12 4AA
Tel: 01932 252202 Fax: 01932 228989
Partners: Tony and Phyleen Cunningham
Established: 1992
Owns 3 nurseries: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (135), Redhill, Gatwick (71), Bagshot, Surrey (70)
Places: 276
Employees: 60
Plans: Actively looking for appropriate sites.
* Lilliput MontessoriDay Nurseries
Head office: Railway House, Hotel Street, Coalville, Leicestershire, LE67 3EQ
Tel: 01530 813913 Fax: 01530 817898
Directors: Samantha and Paul Graveling
Established: 1994
Owns 4 nurseries: Anstey (50), Glenfield (27), Coalville (50), Whetstone (36)
Places: 163
Employees: 71
Plans: Future plans include the extension of Glenfield to 60 places by December 2001 and the extension of Whetstone nursery to 63 places by September 2001. The extensions will include additional facilities for out-of-school care.
* Little Angels Nurseries
Head office: 2nd Floor, 3 Market Place, Hertford, Herts, SG14 1DF
Tel: 01992 505757 Fax: 01992 584414
Directors: Angela & Paul Spencer
Established: 1993
Owns 2 nurseries: Ware, Herts (39), Hoddersdon, Herts (69)
Places: 108
Employees: 28
* Little Darlings Childcare
Head office: 74 Belmont Road, Portswood, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 2GE
Tel/Fax: 02380 676301
Partners: Jill and Gary Darling
Established: 1991
Owns 5 nurseries: Little Darlings Day Nurseries, Southampton (29), Merritime Nursery, HMS Sultan, Gosport (40), Woodentots, HMS Collingwood, Fareham (45), Little Shipmates Nursery, HMS Nelson, Portsmouth (20), Portsmouth College Nursery, Portsmouth (40)
Places: 174
Little People Day Nurseries
Head office: South: 250a Lillie Road, Fulham SW6 7PX
Tel: 020 7386 0006 Fax: 020 7386 0078
North: Piccadilly Gardens, Piccadilly Road, Burnley BB11 4PP
Tel: 01282 411950
Partners: Anne Gleasure (north), Jane Gleasure (south), David Gleasure, Bob Gleasure
Established: 1976
Owns 7 nurseries: Habergham in Padiham, Lancashire (45), Little People of Colne, Lancashire (80), Little People of Burnley, Lancashire (50), Piccadilly Gardens Day Nursery, Burnley, Lancashire (80), Willow Vale, London (35), Shepherds Bush, London (35), Fulham, London (70)
Places: 395
Employees: 105
Little Sneakers Nursery
Head office: 2 Station House, 98 Station Road, Studley, Warks B80 7JS
Tel: 01527 850 330
Proprietor: Karyn Maddison
Established: 1995
Owns 1 nursery: Studley, Warks (29)
7 before- and after-school clubs and 3 holiday clubs: all in the Warwickshire and Worcestershire area
Places: 29
Employees: 45
Plans: Opening 3 new after-school clubs in Redditch, Worcestershire in September 2001.
Lonsdale Group
Head office: 8 Nelson Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 5AW
Tel: 0191 201 8888 Fax: 0191 261 4509
Director: David Horgan
Established: March 1999
Owns 1 nursery: Hartlepool, Teesside (50)
Employees: 10
Plans: To acquire another similar size nursery in north-east England. Looking to purpose-build high-quality 112-place nurseries across the north of England.
* Denotes entries that are new for this issue of Nursery Chains
