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sarah707
23-02-2008, 06:54 PM
I mentioned a long while ago how concerned I was at hearing that a new 100+ place nursery (including dry cleaning for all the family!) would be opening almost at the end of my road... it was pushed through planning without any consideration for anyone in the area including minders and other nurseries having empty spaces... I complained at the time, but didn't hear anything more...

Well it has now been built and it was the open day today, so off we went for a look-see. It was absolutely amazing!

There was a room dedicated to sensory experiences, huge rooms for ages 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 and 4-5, then an upstairs bit for after schoolers (they will collect from all local schools). There are cd players on the walls of each room, the toys, books and resources are new and have been carefully thought out - they are everything they are supposed to be.

The outside area is huge with grass, a road track, a petting area for small animals, a massive climbing frame - oh and there's an indoor crawling / climbing / tunnel / tent room as well. The kitchen in so modern and of course the menu is superb, all multicultural and diverse as well as nutritionally balanced to within an inch of it's life! There is loads of wall space for displays, triple buggies for outings, all children will wear a logo'd shirt when they go out... on and on it goes...

I came away wondering how many children I'm going to lose and who will be left for Childminders if they take 100+ locals... :(

Kelly
23-02-2008, 07:09 PM
It certainly sounds great, hopefully parents will continue to see the benefits of having their child in a home based setting and understand that childminders provide as many good experiences.

I hope it does not affect your business too much:thumbsup:

Spangles
23-02-2008, 07:10 PM
Wow! that does sound amazing.

Even so though certain people won't want their children to go somewhere that big, they will still want home from home care.

Are they going to be expensive?

squiggle
23-02-2008, 07:12 PM
it may be a brand new nursery sarah and look fab but who knows what the care they will offer really be 'outstanding' like what you offer!!

i live near a new nursery which opened a couple of years ago and like this one it was fab (i also went for a nosy) but now stories are leaking out and parents are removing their children.

hope it doesn't effect you too much

Jen x

manjay
23-02-2008, 07:41 PM
It does sound good but like has been said not all parents want that. My new mindee has come to me from a nursery as his mum hated the scale of it and how he never seemed to be looked after by the same person each day. She said he broke his heart every time she left! Yesterday was his fourth day with me and he put his arms out to come to me as soon as they got here. My middle daughter also only lasted 3 months at a new nursery for much the same reason. So while some parents will like the all singing, all dancing new building I think it is the care that goes on in it that is more important.

Hope you don't lose any mindees sarah :thumbsup:

amanda xx

sarah707
23-02-2008, 07:45 PM
Hope you don't lose any mindees sarah :thumbsup:
amanda xx

Thank you all! I hope not as well! We'll have to wait and see what parents of baby and 2 year old say - I think they are the ones most likely to go.

This is their website but they don't mention Knutsford branch yet...

http://www.kidsallowed.com/

They had a whole wall of displayed policies! :eek:

Trying to remain positive... I got a training bursary the other day and intend to spend it on some new outdoor resources ready for the better weather! :D

Tily Bud
23-02-2008, 07:54 PM
It does look good but lots of parents still want their children to be cared for in a home-based setting where they get to mix with children of all ages and experience lots of normal everyday things not just the 4 walls of their designated room and children of their own age !

As someone said previously these nurseries are great to start off with until the bad stories and gossip start to circulate, this has happened in my area also, and yes it did affect childminders when it first started up but now a great deal of us are full and turning them away x

miffy
23-02-2008, 08:00 PM
Oh I know how you feel Sarah

It's now about 10 years since a nursery opened down the road from me all brand spanking new with the latest toys and equipment.

It certainly took some work away indirectly but it's not everybody's choice for their child - two of my children came to me from the nursery because they didn't settle there.

When it was graded outstanding up went a great big board declaring that it was the first nursery in the county to be given that grade so when hubby's better his first job will be to make me a board saying first childminder in the village to be graded outstanding!!! I think my service is as good as theirs and much cheaper so if this nursery is down the road from you why not do the same!

I really hope it doesn't affect you too much

Miffy xx

Banana
23-02-2008, 08:01 PM
Hey Sarah!

I dont kmow anything about this chain of nurseries.... There isn't one around where I am but what I do know is that the leapfrog nursery (which is 4 minutes from me by foot) is very big and looks the part - but the amount of people I hear complianing about it, enquries that come through from parents wanting their child out of the nursery...... and not just the leapfrog one but other local nurseries too.


I would be a bit worried if I were you as I can see how it could affect your business - but there are parenst who will recognise that you cant beat a childminder and the one to one contact their children will receive at time and the fact that they are in comfortable homely surroundings. Nurseries DO NOT appeal to everyone and I doubt any of your parenst will want to remove their child from an outstanding childminder :thumbsup:

xxxxxxx

Pipsqueak
23-02-2008, 08:50 PM
The nursery sounds great Sarah and I hope it doesn't affect you. Remember though you are in the same business but you can offer a (similar) but different and as good a service as them (hey I have seen your website and its fab).


Its a pain in the rear when new nurseries get the go ahead, especially when the area is perhaps saturated as our area is, yet another nursery has opened - literally at the entrance to the industrial estate. That will make the 3rd (private) nursery in a two mile radius:(

lindylou
23-02-2008, 08:57 PM
HI Sarah
I personaly dont think you will lose any children this nursery might be ultra modern and have lots of wonderful resources ,but can it offer the day to day personal care that you can give and will the staff have all the experience that you have got.
I dont think so , so dont panic i am sure you will still get lots of business
Linxx

berkschick
23-02-2008, 09:13 PM
We actually have 5 private nurseries within a 2 mile distance of here, 2 of them being Leapfrog Nurseries which are very highly thought of locally.

But there are also over 60 childminders just in my town, most of which are full!

The nurseries are around £15 per day dearer then a childminder, that would soon add up! Did you get an idea on fees for the nursery?

I have had quite a few enquiries for babies.

I think most people like a home from home setting for the younger ones and lets be honest, they are the ones that earn the most money.


I can imagine how hard it must be for you and how worried you are but remind yourself that you are an outstanding childminder and very commited and knowledgeable about what you do.

Noodles
23-02-2008, 09:17 PM
I would still prefer to send my children to a childminder if i had to choose. Everything may look brand new and lovely now but with the amount of children they will be having things will quickly look tired.
It will be interesting to go and visit again in a few months down the line and see if you get the same impression.

wendywu
23-02-2008, 09:18 PM
This looks good but i have always remembered what we were informed by a top child psychologyst ? Jenny Lyndon on her courses and that was- the most important resource and piece of equipment you have is yourself, that is the most important thing to a child.:blush:

This nursery will not offer one to one care, or the same carer for the time the child is in the setting. Also the website says nothing about love, cuddles or hugs. After all is said and done sarah they can dress it up in primary colours and shirts with logos on, but it is still an INSTITION. I know where i would put my child.

Chin up;)

Mollymop
23-02-2008, 09:23 PM
Parents either want a childminder or a nursery, and i think by far, with your outstanding grade and all your knowledge, you would be a better choice by far, in my book, than the nursery.
Try not to worry about it too much, though easier said than done. X

tulip0803
24-02-2008, 01:02 AM
A lot of people I know do not want to send their children to nurseries because they are impersonal. I hope it doesn't affect you too much.

I luv certain bits of their website

Will you be attending a networking Lunch? :rolleyes: "...once a quarter, we host a networking lunch and Centre showaround for other providers, hosted by our Managing Director, Jennie Johnson."

And perhaps we should include these in our payments:-

"Registration Fee
To apply for a place, a non-refundable registration fee of £100 is required. On receipt of your payment Kids Allowed will either offer you the requested sessions or after dialogue with you, offer suitable alternative sessions." Looks like they won't even discuss availability until you have paid £100!:rolleyes:

"Environmental Policy
Kids Allowed aim to be a ’carbon neutral’ company by the end of 2007. £1 is added to your invoice each month to contribute towards achieving this goal.":laughing:

Can't see this being a problem to our parents:laughing: :laughing:

Juliaxx

Minnie Minx
24-02-2008, 08:44 AM
sorry sarah i've only just seen this, it may look the part hun but i bet they won't care for the kids like you do, i wouldn't worry about losing mindees i bet you've got a superb reputation in your town, keep yer chin up, there will probably be complaints about the care in the new nursery in a few weeks cause i bet they haven't got enough staff to give outstanding care like you do :)



xxx

miffy
24-02-2008, 08:50 AM
A lot of people I know do not want to send their children to nurseries because they are impersonal. I hope it doesn't affect you too much.

I luv certain bits of their website

Will you be attending a networking Lunch? :rolleyes: "...once a quarter, we host a networking lunch and Centre showaround for other providers, hosted by our Managing Director, Jennie Johnson."

And perhaps we should include these in our payments:-

"Registration Fee
To apply for a place, a non-refundable registration fee of £100 is required. On receipt of your payment Kids Allowed will either offer you the requested sessions or after dialogue with you, offer suitable alternative sessions." Looks like they won't even discuss availability until you have paid £100!:rolleyes:

"Environmental Policy
Kids Allowed aim to be a ’carbon neutral’ company by the end of 2007. £1 is added to your invoice each month to contribute towards achieving this goal.":laughing:

Can't see this being a problem to our parents:laughing: :laughing:

Juliaxx

Yeah I agree no problem at all :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Miffy xx

sarah707
24-02-2008, 08:59 AM
Carbon neutral! :eek:

You should have seen the size of the trucks lugging soil etc to and from the site! :laughing:

Twinkles
24-02-2008, 09:20 AM
It all looks very fabby but I'd rather have someone who really knows my child and loves them. You just can't do that in a nursery setting.

angeldelight
24-02-2008, 09:24 AM
I agree it does look lovely but its a nursery and we are not so we are not going to offer the same things -parents do not expect or want that when coming to see a childminder

They also like the home to home service that we provide so hopefully there will still be parents like this where you live Sarah

Angel xx

littletreasures
24-02-2008, 10:15 AM
I don't think you will really have a problem with the Nursery. I have 3 nureries all within about 1/2 mile of my house.

I am still full and also have a waiting list. Parents go and look at the nurseries, but still choose to send their child to a childminder. The nurseries are too impersonal and they don't get the family love and attention that they get with a childminder.

Jules

flora
24-02-2008, 06:18 PM
Hope full the type of parents that will use this won't be the type you want??? The site looks fab, but 100 kids??? Far too many, what you offer is bespoke childcare!! Tailored to the needs of that child and their family. I too have seen you website and I know I would send Hannah to you anyday over such a large corporate effort :D . And that's saying something as she has never been looked after by anyone apart from family. Chin up and stay positive xx

Pipsqueak
24-02-2008, 07:15 PM
This looks good but i have always remembered what we were informed by a top child psychologyst ? Jenny Lyndon on her courses and that was- the most important resource and piece of equipment you have is yourself, that is the most important thing to a child.:blush: )


The bit that I have highlighted above is great, so very true and often forgotten when we add up all the "resources" that we have on offer!

Thanks for that little snippet:thumbsup:

ruby
24-02-2008, 07:38 PM
i agree with everyone else i don't think you will have a problem with the nursery
they can not offer the care that you can one to one etc

i had a little one start with me about 6 months ago he came from a nursery but his mother didn't like it he used to cry when she dropped him off and when she phoned to see how he was he was still crying

he has been fine here no tears at all
cathy

Chimps Childminding
24-02-2008, 07:45 PM
Hi, I agree with everyone else. Parents who use a childminder usually want their child in a home environment, not a nursery so hopefully it won't affect you too much!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:

Heaven Scent
26-02-2008, 09:09 AM
:p Sarah I've only just read this today. I don't think they will be a threat to you in the long term. However bright and fab it looks now it won't in a year or 2. As an NVQ assessor I've visited loads and loads of nurseries and believe me I was disgusted by the level of care and those that belonged to large companies were the worst e.g. leapfrogs and NUNU.

Only the small nurseries which were run by the owner who was on site at as much as possible were what we would expect from a child care facility. I once worked in a college based nursery for a couple of weeks and that was a total disaster it was run by a young girl whose background was in the care sector and having taught on both childcare and health (care) courses they are entirely different fields and its difficult to cross reference the requirements of both. The people in the college who employed her probably were from business backgrounds and have no interest or empathy in what is required they just want to see the nursery full and making money. I was really saddened by what I saw because the childcare students from the college used the facility to gain their practical training.

It is the same in all these huge nurseries its about bums on seats the owners quite often run successful companies which do not remotely have anything to do with children e.g. NUNU are owned by Seddon Homes. I went to see the Knutsford one on an open day and again had to visit it as an assessor and saw a completely different picture. Actually when I went to visit on the open day I went with the owner and officer in charge of the nursery where I was training and development officer and we were very open about where we came from and they were totally different with us once we told them - very off hand.

They usually just employ a shed load of young girls with Level 2 qualifications and have the minimum of staff with Level 3 and I think its obvious to the discerning parent that the quality of care is not what it should be.

Hope this puts your mind at rest.


Celine.:p:p :p

yummymummy
26-02-2008, 09:27 AM
I totally agree with what you say Celine. We have a large local group of nurseries here and unfortunately all based in my part of the borough. I have heard absolute horror stories from parents, i.e came to collect early saw their baby and others lined up in highchairs being fed by one person with same spoon, vegetarian child being fed meat for two years until mum found out!
But unfortunately it would seem that so many parents either don't realise or just think that this is acceptable as long as they can use their nursery funding against the fees so it costs less!
It is really refreshing when a parent wants the one to one of a childminder and just does not seemed wowed by the facilities a nursery can offer in its much bigger premises.
All the time I have minded these nurseries have been there and I've always found work, mind you it is much harder now, I am more worried about all the wraparound care offered and how this government wants all these children institutionalised! still maybe thats another story for another thread!:angry: