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The campaign aims to challenge outdated perceptions of the sector and highlight the skill, creativity and impact involved in working in early years education.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

Supporting School Readiness Across Happy Days Nurseries

Happy Days Nurseries is delighted to announce the start of the 2026 Positive Transition to School Programme across all settings, supporting preschool children as they prepare for the exciting move into full-time education.

Starting next week, the 16-week programme will be embedded into daily practice, ensuring a consistent and structured approach to developing school readiness skills for every child taking the next step in their learning journey.

The Positive Transition to School Programme is designed to help children build confidence, independence, and the essential skills required for a smooth transition to school. Through consistent daily routines, continuous supervision, and the implementation of the Happy Days curriculum, children are supported to develop key foundations in communication, social interaction, problem-solving, and self-care.

Key elements of the programme include:

• Daily structured routines to mirror aspects of school life
• Continuous adult support and guided learning
• Opportunities to develop independence and self-help skills
• Activities that promote communication and social interaction
• A focus on confidence, resilience, and curiosity

Supporting Preschool Children and Their Families

The programme is specifically designed for preschool children who will be transitioning to school in September. Over the 16-week period, children will be gently guided through experiences that promote curiosity, resilience, and independence, helping them to feel confident and secure as they approach this important milestone.

To support families throughout the journey, road maps will be available at reception to help parents track their child’s progress week by week. In addition, weekly emails will be sent to preschool parents of children due to start school in September, providing guidance, updates, and practical ideas to support learning at home.

At the end of the 16-week programme, children will take part in a graduation ceremony to celebrate their progress and achievements. This special event recognises each child’s journey and marks their readiness to begin school as confident, independent, and curious learners.

Across our settings, Happy Days Thornbury has also created a lovely display to highlight and celebrate the transition journey, reflecting the importance of this milestone for children and families.

Families who would like to learn more about the programme are encouraged to speak with their nursery manager or their child’s key person.

This week, our Eco Club at Happy Days Falmouth had a fun and fascinating session all about seals and how we can help protect our planet. The session was inspired by the work of the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, which rescues and cares for seals in need. 🦭

The children sat together in a circle and took turns looking at bright, colourful pictures of beautiful seals. They talked about where seals live, what they look like, what they might enjoy doing, and even how they might feel. The children shared some lovely ideas, showing curiosity and care for the animals.

They also explored why some seals need help and how the Cornish Seal Sanctuary looks after them. This sparked a discussion about the impact of plastic pollution and how rubbish can end up in the oceans, affecting seals and other marine life. The children learned about different types of plastic and thought about how we can all make a difference.

One of the children suggested a simple but important idea: always put our rubbish in the bin or recycling. Everyone agreed that this is an easy way we can help protect animals and the environment every day.

The session was full of questions, ideas, and lots of discussion, showing how much the children care about the world around them. Our Eco Club continues to inspire curiosity, teamwork, and responsibility in all our children.

Our Eco Club’s mission is: “To increase our knowledge, skills and experiences to understand the importance of looking after our planet. Eco Club is a team effort to make our nursery a greener and more sustainable place.” ♻️