A determination to meet the needs of local parents and to play a role in the community has got Magic Steps Nursery off to a strong start. The West Drayton-based site was officially opened by the Mayor of the London Borough of Hillingdon and a local councillor last November; since then, it has built occupancy to 47 children and is growing by the day.
The idea for starting a nursery had been on the mind of owner and managing director Matthew Collier for some years before it actually took shape. He considered buying an existing nursery but ultimately decided that starting from scratch would be a better proposition.
'I actively started looking for a nursery property at the beginning of 2012,' he says. 'It took four months before I found a property that I felt was suitable for our needs, and then a further few months finalising details and renovating the building.'
ONLINE PUSH
Mr Collier created a website for Magic Steps to support the launch, and it is evolving with the business. He used an external company to design it but had a strong vision for how he wanted it to look.
He says, 'Prior to the development, I looked at a number of nursery websites and felt that some were cluttered with too much copy and poor-quality photos. On our site, I wanted the colours to fit with our branding and to include high-definition photos.'
Most importantly, he wanted it to be simple to navigate, with clear sections providing all the key information. 'I am really happy with the way it looks,' he says. 'Our initial request to the designers was to make the site look clean, crisp and modern and it does just that. It gives parents a good feel for the nursery, even before they contact us.'
The website is regularly updated with new information and includes a monthly newsletter, alerting parents to key activities and topics their children are involved in. A new section on Club Magic - an after-school and holiday club for school-age children - has recently been added.
The Magic Steps Nursery Facebook page is also an effective communication tool, according to Mr Collier. 'We currently have 140 likes and it's a good way for us to keep in touch with families in the community and connect with prospective parents,' he explains.
Magic Steps backs on to a Tesco Extra, and as part of the store's business community initiative the nursery was recently invited to have a stand in-store. The manned stall was equipped with a pop-up banner, leaflets and a nursery information pack.
'Tesco is a large business in the area, and very well-used by families,' says Mr Collier. 'Having the stand proved an ideal opportunity to raise the profile of Magic Steps Nursery within the local community.'
Currently, the nursery employs six full-time members of staff and three part-time staff, and is in the process of recruiting three more full-time employees. The team also includes an experienced chef, who prepares fresh, healthy meals every day on-site. Since the nursery opened, it has achieved a five star rating from the environmental health service, demonstrating excellent standards in food preparation and hygiene.
CLUB MAGIC
The recently introduced after-school group, Club Magic, includes dedicated space for older children with a quiet area for homework. It also offers activities for children during the school holidays, including Little Kickers football coaching, dance classes, a games zone, arts and crafts, cooking sessions and a 'mad science' zone, in addition to the use of the nursery's large outdoor area.
'We work closely with a local school and it advised us that an after-school and holiday club would be a popular asset to the nursery, and was something that was needed for working parents,' Mr Collier says.
Although Club Magic has only been open for a few weeks, parents are already enquiring about the facilities on offer over the summer holidays, and Mr Collier is hoping to grow the numbers by flagging up its fun activities.
He says, 'Our fundamental aim for the nursery is to offer a high-quality, play-based experience for children in a safe and friendly environment. We are listening to what parents tell us they need and tailoring our offering accordingly.'
