At Happy Days Nurseries, we know that outdoor play is a vital part of children’s learning and wellbeing, but it’s just as important to ensure that children are protected from the sun while they explore and play.

That’s why we’re proud to be working in partnership with SKCIN, the UK’s leading skin cancer awareness charity, to promote vital sun safety education across our nurseries, families and wider communities.

Why Sun Safety Matters from the Start

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, and over-exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the direct cause of around 90% of cases. Research shows that most lifetime UV exposure occurs before the age of 18, making early years education a critical time for building lifelong protective habits.

Even one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence can more than double the risk of developing melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) later in life. The good news is that around 90% of all skin cancers are preventable simply by adopting effective sun-safe behaviours from a young age.

Building Healthy Habits for Life

Through our partnership with SKCIN and their Sun Safe Nurseries accreditation, our nurseries are helping children learn simple but powerful sun safety habits, such as:

☀️ Slip on protective clothing
☀️ Slop on sunscreen
☀️ Slap on a wide-brimmed hat
☀️ Slide on sunglasses
☀️ Shade from the sun, especially between 11am–3pm

These “Five S’s” help to embed awareness and independence in children, showing them how to look after themselves in a fun and age-appropriate way.

We also work closely with parents and carers to reinforce these messages at home, because consistent habits, both at nursery and beyond, are what make the difference.

A Shared Commitment to Prevention

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Happy Days Nurseries to promote vital sun safety awareness among children, staff, and families. At SKCIN, our mission is to prevent skin cancer through education, and collaborations like this are key to reaching communities where early habits are formed. By embedding sun safe practices within nursery life, we can help children understand the importance of protecting their skin from a young age, knowledge that will stay with them for life. It’s inspiring to see Happy Days taking such a proactive approach and setting a fantastic example for the early years sector.”
~ Marie Tudor, CEO of SKCIN

At Happy Days, we take pride in ensuring that sun safety is a central part of our quality standards and wellbeing programmes across all nurseries.

“Sun safety is a critical focus for us at Happy Days Nurseries as we know that children’s delicate skin is highly susceptible to sun damage, with most lifetime UV exposure happening before age 18, which increases the future skin cancer risk. We use SKCIN and its Sun Safe Nursery accreditation to assist us in educating children by empowering them with the knowledge of how to keep safe whilst in the sun. We also work with parents and carers to reinforce safe habits whilst outside.”
~ Alex Venter, Quality Lead Manager, Happy Days Nurseries

Together with SKCIN, we’re shining a light on the importance of early education in protecting children’s health, today and for the future.

🔗 Learn more about SKCIN and their Sun Safe Nursery accreditation here: https://www.skcin.org/

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is proud to celebrate an incredible evening of success at the NMT Power List Awards 2026, with two members of our leadership team receiving national recognition for their outstanding contributions to the early years sector.

We are delighted to share that Toni Kilby, Chief Finance Officer, was named CFO of the Year, while Jackie Cambridge, Head of Quality, received the award for Education/Quality Director of the Year.

These prestigious awards recognise the leaders shaping the future of the nursery sector, celebrating innovation, excellence and impact across the UK.
Toni’s award reflects her exceptional leadership in driving sustainable growth, strengthening operational systems and helping make high-quality childcare more accessible for families. From supporting the expansion of Happy Days across new regions to leading the successful rollout of our SHINE funding model, Toni’s strategic vision continues to play a vital role in our journey.

Jackie’s recognition celebrates her unwavering commitment to children, teams and quality across every nursery. As the driving force behind our Where Children Shine curriculum, Jackie has transformed practice across the group, ensuring children are supported to become confident communicators, inquisitive thinkers, healthy explorers and resilient learners.

Adding to the celebrations, Happy Days was also proud to sponsor an award at this year’s event, presented on the evening by our CEO, Kim Herbert, further reflecting our commitment to championing excellence across the early years sector.

Kim Herbert, Chief Executive Officer at Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, said:
“We are incredibly proud of both Toni and Jackie for this well-deserved recognition. Their passion, leadership and dedication have had a huge impact not only within Happy Days but across the wider sector. To see their work celebrated on a national stage is truly wonderful.”

This double win is a reflection of the incredible people behind Happy Days and the commitment we all share to giving children the very best start in life.
A huge congratulations to Toni and Jackie on this amazing achievement.

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is delighted to announce its continued recognition in the DayNurseries Awards 2026, once again securing a place among the Top 20 Large Nursery Groups in the UK.

In addition to this national achievement, four individual nurseries have been recognised for their outstanding quality and parent satisfaction. Congratulations to Happy Days Bradley Stoke, Happy Days Verwood, and Happy Days Charlton Heights, Happy Days Playbox in Truro all receiving special recognition among this year’s top performing settings.

The DayNurseries Awards are based entirely on reviews from parents and guardians, making this a true reflection of the positive experiences of families across the Happy Days community. This recognition highlights the trust placed in the organisation and the consistent dedication of its teams.

With nurseries across Wales and the South of England, Happy Days continue to be known for delivering high-quality early years education and care. These latest accolades celebrate the commitment, passion, and professionalism shown by teams across multiple settings.

Fiona Blackwell, Chief Operating Officer at Happy Days Nurseries, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to once again be recognised in the DayNurseries Awards. To be named in the Top 20 Large Nursery Groups, alongside seeing four of our individual nurseries receive recognition, is a fantastic achievement. What makes this especially meaningful is that it is based on feedback from our families. It truly reflects the dedication and hard work of our teams, who go above and beyond every day to provide exceptional care and learning experiences for children.”

This continued recognition reinforces Happy Days Nurseries’ commitment to providing nurturing environments where children can thrive, and to building strong, lasting partnerships with families.

We are delighted to share the wonderful news that Happy Days Nursery and Pre-School, Swindon has been recognised as meeting the Expected Standard in all areas during our recent Ofsted inspection on 10 February 2026. We are also pleased to confirm that our safeguarding practices were judged as Met, reflecting the high priority we place on the safety and well-being of every child in our care.

The heart of the report truly captures what we strive for every day. Inspectors noted that our children “thrive in this welcoming and nurturing setting, where they feel safe, valued, and eager to learn.” This recognition is a testament to the strong bonds our staff build with families and the positive, encouraging environment we have worked so hard to create here in Swindon.

Ofsted has recently moved away from single-word grades to provide a more detailed look at how nurseries perform. Instead of a one-size-fits-all label, settings are now evaluated against specific quality standards:

🔵 Exceptional: Significantly exceeds expectations.
🔵 Strong Standard: Securely above the expected quality.
🔵 Expected Standard: Consistently and reliably meets all requirements.
🔵 Needs Attention / Urgent Improvement: Areas where further work is required.

By achieving the Expected Standard across the board, Happy Days has proven to be a secure, effective, and high-quality environment for early years education.

The inspection team praised our warm and inclusive atmosphere. They observed firsthand how our children; from our curious babies to our confident pre-schoolers – settle in quickly and form deep, trusting relationships with our nursery team.

The report highlighted several key strengths:

🟡 True Engagement: Our children show a genuine love for learning, exploration, and problem-solving.
🟡 Tailored Support: Whether a child has special educational needs (SEND) or speaks English as an additional language, our team adapts their approach to meet them exactly where they are.
🟡 Growing Independence: From sensory play to planting seeds and learning where food comes from, our children are developing the vital social and emotional skills they need for the future.

While we are incredibly proud of this result, we see it as a foundation to build upon. Our leadership team is already moving forward with plans to further enhance our communication with parents and create even more opportunities for our children to grow in independence and resilience.

Happy Days Operations Manager, Tamsin Treves said: “We are so proud that Ofsted recognised what a special community we have here at Happy Days. This report is a tribute to our team’s dedication to making our nursery a place where every child can truly shine. We look forward to continuing this journey alongside our wonderful parents and carers.”

Read the full report here.

Happy Days Opens New Boorley Green Nursery Following 10-Year Journey

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools proudly celebrated the grand opening of our new Boorley Green setting yesterday, with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony for invited colleagues and members of the local community, where the ribbon was officially cut by Happy Days Executive Chairman, Mark Beadle

The opening marks the result of a decade-long journey, as CEO Kim Herbert reflected on the project’s origins and the challenges overcome along the way. “This has been a long 10-year journey, since our first discussions back in 2016,” she said. “Despite planning delays and the challenges of the pandemic, we remained committed especially as we continued to hear from families in the area who were in need of high-quality childcare. We were delighted to receive planning approval in February 2024 and to open earlier this year. At the heart of everything we do at Happy Days is the simple aim to offer more children the very best opportunities.

“I would like to personally recognise Kevin Higgs, Developments Director, and Nicola Brooks, Head of Development, both of whom have been involved in this project for ten years. Their dedication and commitment have been invaluable throughout the journey. I would also like to extend my thanks to Jackie Cambridge, Head of Quality, for her support in the final stages leading up to opening.

“Finally, I would like to thank Kim Amos for her leadership and commitment, and wish her and her team the very best for the future as they begin this exciting new chapter at Boorley Green.”

The development was delivered in partnership with NH Developments Limited, led by Nick, Jim, and project manager Adrian Long, whose collaboration played a key role in bringing the vision to life.

The new nursery will provide much-needed, high-quality childcare for local families, supporting children to shine and giving them the very best start in life.

We’re proud to share that Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-Schools has grown to 43 settings following the acquisition of Boys & Girls Nursery, an exciting step forward in our continued expansion.

Boys & Girls Nursery operates four well established settings across Hertfordshire and Greater London; Croxley Green, Stanmore, Rickmansworth and Watford, and has been delivering high-quality childcare for more than 15 years.

This acquisition is a strong fit for us, with both organisations sharing similar values and a commitment to nurturing, educating and inspiring children to become confident, lifelong learners and valued members of their communities. Boys & Girls Nursery creates engaging environments that encourage creativity, curiosity and imagination, an approach that closely reflects our own.

We’re pleased to confirm that all existing staff teams will remain in place, ensuring continuity for children and families. We look forward to working alongside our new colleagues and getting to know the communities they serve, as we continue to support every child’s development and enjoyment of learning.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Kim Herbert, said: “We are delighted to welcome Boys & Girls Nursery Group into the Happy Days family. Their commitment to high-quality care and education aligns closely with our vision of giving every child the best possible start in life. We look forward to spending time in our new nurseries, getting to know our colleagues, families and local communities.”

Natasha Kirby, outgoing owner of Boys & Girls Nursery, said: “We received a number of strong offers, reflecting the quality and reputation of our group. After careful consideration, we chose Happy Days because we believe they are the right fit for our children, families and team. Their values closely mirror our own, and we are confident they will build on the strong foundations we’ve created while ensuring a smooth and positive transition.”

Marcia Viccars, M&A Director at Happy Days, added: “This is an exciting step for Happy Days as we continue to grow our family of nurseries. Boys & Girls has built an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality early years education, and we’re proud to welcome their talented teams, children and families into our organisation. We look forward to building on this strong foundation together.”

We’re excited about the future and the opportunity to continue delivering high-quality early years experiences for even more children and families.

Children at Happy Days Nursery Droitwich recently took part in a litter pick around their nursery car park, supporting both the Eco-Schools programme and Global Recycling Day.

Working together to tidy the area, the children showed great enthusiasm as they collected and sorted litter. Along the way, they discussed recycling, why it is important to look after the environment, and how even small actions can make a big difference.

These hands-on experiences are an important part of helping children build a real understanding of the world around them. By learning through doing, they are able to connect ideas such as sustainability and environmental responsibility to real-life actions.

The activity also supported the development of teamwork, responsibility and a sense of pride in their surroundings. As they moved, collected and sorted materials, the children were also developing important physical skills in a meaningful and engaging way.

The litter pick forms part of the nursery’s involvement in the Eco-Schools programme, a global initiative engaging millions of children across 67 countries. Across all of our nurseries, we work towards achieving Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation each year, following a seven-step framework that encourages children to take an active role in caring for their environment.

Through this programme, children develop their understanding of important environmental issues while gaining the skills and knowledge needed to help protect the planet, both now and in the future.

We are very proud of the children at Happy Days Nursery Droitwich and their growing awareness of how they can make a positive impact on the world around them.

Our team at Happy Days Swindon has successfully collected and delivered Easter eggs to families spending the holiday in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Great Western Hospital, helping to bring comfort during what can often be a challenging and emotional time.

From the start, the response from the community was incredibly heartwarming. Generous donations came in from individuals, families, and local workplaces, all coming together with a shared goal of supporting NICU families over the Easter period.

We’d like to give a special thank you to Tilly’s nan and everyone at Aspen Concepts Ltd , who gathered a large collection of Easter eggs through their workplace. Their kindness was a wonderful example of the community spirit that made this initiative possible.

Once all donations were received, our team ensured the Easter eggs were delivered in time for Easter, ready to bring small moments of joy to families who may be facing difficult circumstances.

We’re incredibly proud to be part of something that brings people together to support others when it matters most. This initiative highlights the compassion and generosity within our community, and the difference that can be made through simple acts of kindness.

Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is proud to have collaborated with the Department for Education on a national campaign promoting careers in early years, with a particular focus on apprenticeships.

The campaign aims to challenge outdated perceptions of the sector and highlight the skill, creativity and impact involved in working in early years education.

Filming took place across two Happy Days settings, Playbox and Derriford, where the internal marketing team captured authentic, day-to-day experiences within the nursery environment. The content was then used as part of the wider campaign.

Two of Happy Days’ apprentices, Kayla and Abigail, played a central role in the project. Through engaging video content, they shared real insights into their roles, including preparing learning environments and supporting children’s development through play.

The campaign focuses on presenting a more accurate picture of early years careers, demonstrating that the role goes far beyond common misconceptions, requiring creativity, knowledge, care and professionalism.

At Happy Days, apprenticeships are a key part of developing future talent within the sector. By combining hands-on experience with structured learning, apprentices are supported to build the skills and confidence needed to progress in their careers.

Happy Days is proud to have contributed to this important campaign and remains committed to promoting early years as a meaningful and rewarding career choice.

Charlotte Goddard talks to Happy Days chief executive Kim Herbert about the nursery business’s
transformation from a collection of small Cornish settings to a group covering the South of the UK

The year 2004 saw the launch of Facebook and the first series of the X Factor on our TV screens. It was also the year in which Happy Days chief executive Kim Herbert joined the nursery group, then a collection of small settings in Cornwall, as HR manager.

Since then, Happy Days has grown to nearly 40 settings across the South from Cardiff to Kent. It has plans to expand even further over the coming years, with investment from Zetland Capital Partners and a £30 million loan from OakNorth Bank. Herbert has been there every step of the way, moving up the ranks from HR manager to operations manager, operations director, managing director and now chief executive.

“My husband and I moved to Cornwall from Hertfordshire 22 years ago in search of a slower pace of life,” recalls Herbert. “I had been working in the hospitality sector, but I saw a lovely advert for a group of nurseries that was looking for an HR manager. So I popped along to meet the founding directors and instantly took a shine to the organisation.”

At that time Happy Days comprised of a number of small community nurseries, mainly on school sites, business parks and hospitals. “I think it’s fair to say the group was behind the curve and required investment,” says Herbert.

In 2008 the group recruited a managing director from within the sector. This appointment was the catalyst for organisational change, which included Herbert’s move into operational management.

“The operational manager has been one of my most favourite roles by far,” she says. “At the time we needed to upskill our managers as so much was done centrally. I learnt so much from them and have the utmost respect for them in what I deem as one of the hardest jobs within the sector.”

In 2011 the group secured investment from private equity firm Livingbridge, which enabled it to change its strategy, consolidating some of its smaller Cornish settings and opening nurseries in more affluent areas along the M5 corridor and the south coast. “We probably underestimated that operational stretch initially, and the pull it can have on your people and resources,” says Herbert, who stepped up to operational director as the group grew to 18 settings.

In 2019 the then managing director decided to retire, and Herbert took over the leadership of the group. It was not all plain sailing. “We needed to look at new investors, we needed a new chairman, we needed refinancing, and then Covid hit, which meant we had to reduce and restructure the team,” she says. “I have to say, in all my career that was the most challenging time.”

Herbert recruited heads of operations, quality and marketing, as well as an acquisitions director. “I have got a very different senior leadership team now, and I’m really privileged with regards to the people that I work with because I trust them, and give them the space to be able to do what they need to do,” explains Herbert. “In the past I have been a very detailed, some might say controlling person, and I think that going through all of that change, revisiting the way we do things, has been a huge learning curve for me and has put the business in a far, far better place.

In 2022 the company secured investment from Zetland Capital and has expanded, both through acquisition and organically, to reach a portfolio of 39 nurseries, with several more in the pipeline. Recent acquisitions include Snowdrop House Montessori Nursery Group in West Sussex, and Junior Childcare, a group of four nurseries in Kent.

The group is currently opening a purpose-built setting Boorley Green in Hampshire, and is investing in expanding existing nurseries. “By summer 2026, we will probably have 47 or more settings with a plan to continue to grow,” Herbert says.

While acquisitions become part of the Happy Days family, they maintain their own brand. “We look at each acquisition on a case-by-case basis,” explains Herbert. “In most cases, you absolutely would not change their brand – they’re part of that local community. But sometimes, the team want to make that change.”

Whether Happy Days-branded or not, all new nurseries are quickly aligned with the group’s key policies and practices, and brought onto the Famly digital platform. New nurseries also adopt Happy Days’ SHINE values, standing for ‘support, honest, inspire, nurture, empower’.

Maintaining quality and consistency can be tricky in an expanding group. Happy Days puts in a lot of work to ensure quality provision is at the heart of its offering. A bank of experienced support managers are ready to step in to support long periods of absence, or to be a bridge between one manager leaving and another being recruited. Support managers are also available to ‘buddy up’ with new managers, especially after an acquisition. Happy Days has an experienced group of operations managers who work alongside quality managers to support nursery teams, visit settings and observe practice.

“We have a high number of central operational and quality assurance staff considering the number of nurseries,” says Herbert. “If we were not growing, the ratio might be different, but we have to ensure both our existing and acquired nurseries maintain high quality.”

Nurseries are constantly monitored with each department highlighting those settings which may require additional support and weekly acquisition meetings are held to discuss the harmonisation of nurseries. “As an executive leadership team and as a board we meet on a monthly basis to discuss group progress and priorities,” says Herbert.

Staff training is essential to ensure compliance and maintaining quality. In 2026 all the nurseries in the group will have two in-service training (inset) days, when nurseries close on a weekday allowing staff to come together for training without giving up a weekend. “Some of our acquisitions already had inset days, so that’s something that we’ve rolled out across the group,” says Herbert. “We haven’t yet had any pushback from parents on that, so we will see how it goes.”

Herbert believes one of the necessary traits of a leader, particularly in the early years sector, is resilience. “In an ever-changing sector, leaders need to stay on top of changes in this highly regulated sector,” she says. “Change is constant, and you need to find a way to stay abreast of developments, while keeping the children and colleagues at the centre of everything that we do every single day,”

Herbert also has concerns around school-based nurseries, questioning whether schools are the best place for the very youngest children. “I think the government has good intention, but are schools set up appropriately?” she asks. “We also have to ensure that this policy is not destabilising our existing provision, exacerbating the workforce challenge and leaving the sector worse off.”

Another challenge is navigating the extended government funding, mainly the lack of consistency across government departments and local authorities. “This has been a huge but necessary distraction for us within Happy Days as we continue to operate across more areas,” says Herbert. “While we are delighted that more children are given the opportunity of a better start in life, there has to be a more consistent approach and better collaboration with the sector.”

Herbert’s journey as head of Happy Days has been eventful. “I remember sitting in this room five years ago during Covid, and thinking how am I going to pay the staff ?” she says. “I look back now and it’s like night and day. I’m really proud of my team, what we have achieved, and the journey that we’re on. I’m looking forward to 2026.”