Expanding your provision – provider stories

We hope to follow and share some provider stories with you this term as providers expand their provision for younger children with the new working entitlements.

Claire Worsey, owner of EarlyBirds Day Nursery in Fremington shares her story:

My name is Claire Worsey and I am the owner of EarlyBirds Day Nursery in Fremington. I have been open for 4 years and my waiting list was growing by the week. This was before the government news was issued about parents of younger children being able to access funded spaces.

I was beginning to think of ways I could help support local families, who where becoming desperate in finding a setting for their little people. I had placed in planning, to expand our setting and to go up stairs into my living space (while I moved out) as there was no more room to be used at ground level.

At the same time when planning was granted, I was approached about taking over another setting, which is located about 2 miles from us. After a long drawn out process, EarlyBirds opened the second site, where parents have jumped on board and began to fill up this new space.

EarlyBirds is now happy to be building up both settings with new families, where we are supporting them to be able to access their own work, knowing their children are cared for and having fun.

It has been hard work completing this project, both physically and mentally, but it is so worth it. We are now able to offer new job opportunities to level 3 practitioners also in our local area.

EarlyBirds would like to wish all setting the very best at this challenging time and hope you all love your roles as we do.

Images above (left to right): The little ducklings room at EarlyBirds nursery; The flamingo room at EarlyBirds nursery.

Images above (top to bottom): Inside the pre-school wise owl room; Children helping to get the garden ready for planting.