Safeway Creches
Head office: 6 Millington Road, Hayes. Middlesex UB3 4AY. Tel: 020 8970 3966 Fax: 020 8756 1068. Operations support manager: Warren Koehler. Established: 1995.
Owns and operates creches throughout the UK and Northern Ireland for the use of Safeway shoppers
Saplings
Head office: 48 Sydenham Road, Croydon CR0 2EF. Tel: 020 8681 8484 Fax: 020 8681 3340. E-mail: services@saplings.co.uk.Website: www.saplings.co.uk.Directors: Stephen Walsh (managing director), Tracy Seed (childcare director). Established: 1991.
Owns 5 nurseries: Lewisham (45), Fulham (36), Parsons Green (38) (all in the London area), Bromley (56), Croydon (56). Training company providing high quality early years training to NVQ Level 3.
Places: 231. Employees: 80
Plans: To set up more nurseries in the south of England. To offer high-level training for seniors and management.
The Secret Garden Day Nursery
Head office: The Gatehouse, Ruck Lane, Horsmonden, Kent TN12 8EA. Tel: 01892 722 733 Fax: 01892 722 332. Directors: Alan and Jayne Proto. Established: 1997.
Owns 6 nurseries: Maidstone (80), Canterbury (90), Wilmington (50), Tonbridge (100), Tunbridge Wells (52), Tunbridge Wells (15) (all in Kent)
Places: 387. Employees: 135
Seymour House Day Nursery Schools
Head office: Seymour House, 140 Broomfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 1RN. Tel: 01245 494202 Fax: 01245 494002. Website: www.seymourhouse.co.uk.Directors: John Player, Julie Player. Established: 1988.
Owns 8 nurseries (2 with activity day camps attached for school-age children): Fobbing Farm, Basildon (55), East Basildon (51), St Michael's, Braintree (50), Broomfield Road, Chelmsford (50), Springfield Road, Chelmsford (50), Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford (50), Lawn Lane, Chelmsford (40 plus 68 out-of-school places), Highwoods, Colchester (51 plus 68 out-of-school places)
Places: 397. Employees: 132.
* Snapdragons Nursery
Head office: Prospect Farm, Bath Road, Atworth, Melksham, Wiltshire SN12 8JW. Tel: 01225 707009. Directors: Paul and Rosemary Collard. Established: 1998.
Owns 3 nurseries: Atworth (31), Bath (60), Melksham (32)
Places: 123. Employees: 48
Springboard
Head office: Three Gables, 2 Snowdon Road, Westbourne, Bournemouth BH4 9HL. Tel: 01202 757002. Directors: Kim Welsh, Nick Welsh. Established: 1998. Owns 6 nurseries: Busy Bees (26), Rainbow (26), Priory View (26), Westcliff (26), Three Gables Day Nursery (26), The Claremont Day Nursery (26) (all in Bournemouth)
Places: 156. Employees: 32
Plans: Two new nurseries under development in Bournemouth; will double number of nurseries by end 2002.
Stepping Stones Child Care
Head office: 189 Earlham Grove, Forest Gate, London E7 9AB. Tel: 020 8555 1473 Fax: 020 8257 9600. Director: Susan Perkins. Established: 1989.
Owns 2 nurseries: Stratford (40), Plaistow (40) (both in east London)
After-school care: Stratford (10), also organises summer playschemes and year-round play schemes (subject to demand)
Places: 80. Employees: 24
Plans: Looking at setting up other nurseries in areas around east London.
Sunshine Day Nursery Schools
Head office: 1 Ditton Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex SS0 7HG. Tel: 01702 436644 Fax: 01702 436655. E-mail: nurseries@sunshine.uk.com.Website: www.sunshine.uk.com. Directors: S Jones, L Horncastle. Established: 1994
Owns 3 nurseries: Southend-on-Sea, Essex (50), Benfleet, Essex (38), Leigh-on-Sea, Essex (50). Also owns Sunshine Babyworld, the south-east's largest independent nursery retailer.
Places: 138. Employees: 73
Plans: Additional 100-place nursery in Southend-on-Sea.
Tara Kindergartens
Head office: 4 Ridgemead Close, Southgate, London N14 6NW. Tel: 020 8886 8334 Fax: 020 8882 8400. Proprietor: Raj Nagendran. Established: 1992. Owns 4 nurseries: Ponders End, Enfield (50), Edmonton, London (72), Hatfield, Herts (60), Uxbridge, Middlesex (60)
Places: 242. Employees: 85
Plans: To expand at rate of one or two per year.
Teddies Nurseries
Head office: 4 Whitton Road, Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 1BJ. Tel: 020 8744 1531 Fax: 020 8892 6711. Website: www.teddiesnurseries.co.uk.Owner: BUPA Childcare. Established: 1991.
Owns 28 nurseries: Fulham, London (60), Twickenham, Middlesex (44), West Hampstead, London (70), Southfields, London (50), Farnham, Surrey (50), Crawley, West Sussex (42), Brentford, Middlesex (50), Brampton, Kent (74), Woking, Surrey (50), Northwood (70), Chiswick (68), Croydon (50), Balham, London (50), Chiswick Park, London (50), Bristol (50), Gloucester (50), Tonbridge (50), Esher (50), Maidstone (45), Sutton (50), Forest Park (48), Bedford (50), Streatham (48), Banbury (54), Southampton 1 (65), Southampton 2 (35), Ipswich (50), Cheltenham (42). Also runs holiday clubs through BUPA Children@ work (25-80 places per club)
Places: 1,465. Employees: Approx 400 (including part-time staff)
Thanet Childcare and Training Scheme
Head office: Smarties Childcare Centre, c/o Thanet College, Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs, Kent CT10 1PN. Tel/fax: 01843 600110. Chair of directors: Ivan O'Reilly. Childcare director: Sarah Saunders. Established: 1998. Owns Smarties Childcare Centre, Broadstairs: (30) (for 2-11 year olds) plus after-school club (30), and holiday Club (30) at the same premises. Opened holiday club at St Peter's in Broadstairs, August 2000 (60 places) and satellite centre at Holy Trinity Church (10)
Employees: 12 plus holiday workers
Plans: To open more satellite centres.
Thomas's London Day Schools
Head office: Monmouth Court, Southampton Road, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24 1HE. Tel: 01425 481500 Fax: 01425 481501. Principals: Tobyn Thomas, Ben Thomas, David and Joanna Thomas. Established: 1972.
Owns 2 kindergartens: Battersea, London (42), Pimlico, London (55). 4 preparatory schools: Battersea, London (500), Kensington, London (214) & (160), Clapham, London (474)
Places: 97. Employees: 250
TLC (Tender Loving Childcare)
Head office: 27 Sheep Street, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 3BX. Tel: 01788 565156 Fax: 01788 542100. E-mail: BBakerTLC@aol.com.Managing directors: Barbara Baker and Catherine Griffin. Established: 1989.
Owns 6 childcare facilities: Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry (53), Warwick Hospital (40), City Hospital, Nottingham (100), Henry Hinde School, Rugby (30), University of Nottingham (96), The Hillingdon Hospital, Middlesex (58)
Places: 377. Employees: 80
Plans: Expansion continues withinNHS hospital trust sites and other workplace nurseries; current contracts ensure that TLC will double its number of nursery facilities within the next 12-18 months.
Toad Hall Nursery Group. Head office: Trinity House, Heather Park Drive, Wembley, Middlesex HAO 1SU. Tel: 020 8902 1485 Fax: 020 8903 3557. Director: Sarah Owen. Established: 1998.
Owns 9 nurseries: Shepperton Film Studios (42), Pinewood Film Studios (41), Ottershaw (41), Ripley, Surrey (40), Swindon (139), Marlborough, Wiltshire (19), Watford (49), Walton on Thames (70), Haslemere, Surrey (69)
4 after-school clubs, 6 holiday playschemes and two combined clubs/playschemes: Staines (50), Swindon (50), Staines (24), Laleham (24), Guildford (24), Walton on Thames (24), Byfleet (24), Littleton (36)
Places: 510. Employees: 210
Plans: To expand by opening three new nurseries in the next 6-12 months and four planned acquisitions.
Tops Day Nurseries
Head office: Leigh Road, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2BX. Tel/fax: 01202 841691. E-mail: cherylhadland@aol.com.Director: Cheryl Hadland. Established: 1990.
Owns 6 nurseries: 3 (linked) in Parkstone, Poole (62), Wareham, Dorset (33), Royal Bournemouth Hospital (71), Wimborne (42)
Places: 208. Employees: 78
Plans: Further nurseries planned in Dorset/Hants.
* Torridon Pre-school Nursery Group
Head office: 23a King Street, Lossiemouth, Moray, IV31 6PZ. Tel: 01343 813342. Managing director: Sharon Hayward. Established: 1994. Owns 2 nurseries: Elgin (60), Lossiemouth (60). Places: 120. Employees: 15
Plans: To establish a training centre to deliver SVQs in childcare and education.
Tots Corner Nursery Schools
Head office: Cedars House, Ixworth Road, Thurston, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 3QE. Tel: 01359 233402. Owner: Louise Munro-Smith. Established: 1997. Owns 2 nurseries: Thurston (22), Bury St Edmunds (24). Places: 46. Employees: 16
Toybox Day Nurseries
Head office: 7 Medusa Way, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 1TH. Tel: 01767 683602 Fax: 01767 683224. Website: www.toyboxdaynurseries.co.uk.E-mail:toyboxDN@cs.com.Managing director: Jackie Hayes. Established: 1998. Owns 1 nursery: Sandy, Beds (70). Places: 70. Employees: 35
Plans: Second (100-place) nursery under construction due to open early 2002 in mid-Bedfordshire. Two further nurseries planned by 2005 in Bedfordshire.
Treetops Private Day Nurseries (Dunmar Nurseries)
Head office: 'Number Sixty Nine', Ashbourne Road, Derby DE22 3FS. Tel: 01332 600601 Fax: 01332 600602. E-mail: Dunmar@ic24.net.Website: www.treetopsnurseries.co.uk. Managing director: Paul Foster. Group operations director: Kevin Davenport. Established: 1990.
Owns 6 nurseries: Oakwood, Derby (75), Oakwood, Derby (28), Wythall, south Birmingham (56), Matlock, Derbyshire (50), Ashbourne, Derbyshire (50), Chester (42)
4 out-of-school clubs: Ashbourne, Derbyshire (20), Matlock, Derbyshire (40), Oakwood, Derby (30), Chester (24)
Places: 301. Employees: 107
Plans: New head office opened October 2000 incorporating City & Guilds accredited training centre facilities. Plans to continue expanding the nursery chain. Four new nurseries are expected to be open by summer 2002 (providing additional 250 nursery places). Actively looking to acquire sites for new-build nurseries, as well as going-concern nursery operations in central England.
Turtles Children's Nursery
Head office: Burton Bank Farm, Burton Bank Lane, Stafford, ST17 9JW. Tel: 01785 214675 Fax: 01785 613334. Proprietor: Karen Laycock. Established: 1996.
Owns 2 nurseries: Stafford (64), Stafford (24), also operates 5 before and after-school clubs along with 48-place holiday play scheme.
Places: 88. Employees: 35.
Plans: To expand. Due to open a third nursery this year.
Ultimate Day Care Nursery
Head office: 9 Brydges Road, Stratford, London E15 1NA. Tel/fax: 020 8519 2100. Website: www.ultimatedaycarenursery.co.uk. E-mail: ultimatedaycarenursery@ hotmail.com. Director: Bel Oomerjee. Established: 1996.
Owns 4 nurseries: Stratford, London (58), Kiddy Care Nursery, Leytonstone, London (30), Jack 'n' Jill Day Nursery, Chigwell, Essex (30), Bright Kids Day Nursery, Leyton, London (50)
Places: 168. Employees: 60
Plans: To double the number of nurseries in the next two years.
Unicorn Childcare
Head office: Cavendish House, Coggeshall, Essex CO6 1NH. Tel: 01376 563777 Fax: 01376 563367. E-mail: unicorn@cavendish-house. co.uk. Website: www.cavendish-house.co.uk. Director: Peter Farmer. Established: 1995.
Owns 1 nursery: Bury St Edmunds (47)
3 nursery franchises: Heathrow Airport (50), Leicester (50), Canary Wharf, London (75).
Places: 47. Employees: 10
Plans: To buy ten more nurseries over the next 18 months.
VIP Childcare
Head office: Sham Farm, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9JA. Tel: 01892 750060 Fax: 01892 750062. E-mail: vipchild@aol.com.Website: www.viponline.co.uk. Directors: Ray Coles, Sarah Coles. Established: 1996.
Owns 2 nurseries: Southborough, Kent (40), Eridge, Kent (60), plus nursery and toy retail outlets.
Places: 100. Employees: 60.
Plans: Extension of Corporate Nursery Advisory and Management Service plus two further nurseries in Sussex/Kent. Operation of childcare training courses in our training facilities (Eridge).
White Horse Child Care/ The Trees Day Care Nurseries
Head office: Stanley House, 65 Victoria Road, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 3BB. Tel: 01793 488988 Fax: 01793 488428. Directors: Richard Lay, Lester Lay, Lloyd Lay, Peter Lay. Established: 1989.
Owns 4 nurseries: Swindon (58), Portswood, Southampton (86), Portswood, Southampton (64), Shirley, Southampton (83)
Places: 291. Employees: 76
Plans: To purchase residential buildings or sites suitable for nurseries for at least 48 children.
Wind in the Willows
Head office: Earle Street, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside WA12 9XD. Tel: 01925 223445 Fax: 01925 223465. Directors: Ginny and Neil Taylor. Established: 1993.
Owns 3 nurseries: Earle Street (46), Cross Lane (20) plus after-school club (16), Haydock (25) (all in Merseyside).
Places: 91. Employees: 33
Plans: In the process of tendering for Neighbourhood Nursery Initiatives throughout the country, with different EYDCPs.
