Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools is delighted to be expanding its portfolio with the opening of two new nurseries in the late summer/autumn.

Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School, Charlton Heights, Bristol and Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School, Droitwich are both brand new purpose built nurseries, and are currently being fitted out and equipped with resources and furniture, to provide inspiring childcare and education, where every child shines.

Expanding its offering in the Bristol area, Happy Days, Charlton Heights is conveniently located five minutes from its Outstanding nursery in Bradley Stoke where the current demand for places cannot be met. With all its nurseries in the Bristol area holding extensive waiting lists, priority for places at Charlton Heights will be given to those parents currently registered, and parents are encouraged to sign-up for a place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

The Charlton Heights nursery boasts three large airy rooms, with floor to ceiling windows and access to a large outdoor area, allowing free flow for children of all ages. Each room has been reconfigured by the Happy Days development team along with its experienced Childcare & Education team choosing the best resources to deliver its unique curriculum, providing opportunities for children to learn, explore and discover, whilst attending Happy Days Nursery, Charlton Heights.

Fiona Blackwell, Operations Director, said, “We are delighted to be able to offer more quality childcare to an area where nursery places are in high demand. Our new Charlton Heights nursery will enable more children to access a Happy Days nursery, ensuring all children have the best possible start in life, enabling them to reach their full potential to become strong and motivated learners for life.”

Happy Days Nursery, Droitwich, is the first Happy Days Nursery in this area and demonstrates the desire to expand its operation to a wider market to provide innovative care and education to more children. Located in Yew Tree Village, a new residential housing development approximately 3 miles south of Droitwich Spa, this new nursery is close to the A38 with convenient links to Worcester and the M5.

The Droitwich nursery, with four inviting rooms, set over two floors, a large garden and designated parking onsite for easy drop off and collection, is perfect for the local community and commuters alike.

Kim Herbert, Managing Director, stated, “It’s an exciting period of growth for Happy Days, and we are delighted to share that following our investment by Zetland Capital we now enter into our next phase of expansion into new and existing areas. We are delighted to have secured these new nurseries at such an early stage which allows us to use our experience of developing new settings that are designed and equipped to provide the Happy Days unique offering, where every child shines.”

Both nurseries are actively recruiting for Early Years Practitioners, Senior Team Members, chefs and administrators and anyone interested should contact the recruitment team: recruitment@happydaysnurseries.com.

Back in January as part of Veganuary, Happy Days Nursery Group launched a fun competition for all colleagues. After much deliberation, Rob and Graham from The Cornish Vegan, in Truro selected Alan, the chef at Happy Days Cheswick, as the overall winner with his Veganuary Nacho Lasagne.

Graham, co-owner of The Cornish Vegan said, “All the entries have been impressive, and making a decision has been difficult. We were impressed by the amount of vegetables and the novel twist on the lasagne. In fact, we intend to try it ourselves as it looks so appetising!”

Well done Alan! And again, thank you to both Rob and Graham from The Cornish Vegan for judging this competition.

Happy Days nursery group understands the importance of ensuring their children enjoy a balanced diet that is nutritious and delicious as well as free from allergens and is always looking at ways to promote healthy eating habits with their staff, children and their families.

We all know that we need a healthy balance of fruit and veg in our diets, and for our growing children it’s really important. At nursery our children eat alongside their friends and their room staff. The older children get involved in laying the table as part of their steps to independence and we make it quite a social event. They are always encouraged to try something new, as they often change their minds once they’ve had a little taste.”

Want to try Alan’s winning recipe? Please see below…

Veganuary Nacho Lasagne

Ragu Ingredients

50ml Vegetable oil
250gm Onions (peeled & finely chopped)
250gm Carrots (peeled & finely chopped)
4 cloves Garlic (peeled & finely chopped)
5 sticks Celery (washes & finely chopped)
250gm Leeks (trimmed, washed & finely chopped)
250gm Butternut squash (peeled, deseeded & finely chopped)
1 TBSP Mixed herbs
100gm Green lentils
3 vegan stock cubes
100gm Tomato puree
1.2kg Chopped tomatoes (tinned)
1 litre Passata
1 TSP Black pepper

White sauce Ingredients

100gm Vegan spread
100gm Plain flour
1 litre Pea milk
2 TBSP’s Dijon mustard

Additional Ingredients

200gm Vegan grated cheese (cheddar style)
Pinch ground Nutmeg
300gm Plain/lightly salted tortilla chips
20 Dough balls,
25gm Grated Prosociano (vegan style parmesan)
1kg Blanched cauliflower & broccoli florets

Ragu Method

Heat the oil with the onion, carrot, garlic, celery, butternut squash, leeks & mixed herbs
Cook slowly until just starting to colour
Crush the stock cubes and add to the pan & mix together
Stir in the lentils & tomato puree
Add the chopped tomatoes, passata & pepper, then use 150ml of water to swill the tins and passata packets into the pan
Bring the pan to a simmer then reduce the heat, cook for approx. 15-20 minutes ensuring fully cooked
Check consistency and taste

White sauce method

Melt the vegan spread in a pan then add flour,
Mix beating rapidly to form the roux, stir-in the mustard
Add all the Pea milk a little at a time, beating together well until a smooth sauce is obtained
Reduce the heat and cook for approx. 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

Nacho-Lasagne Method

Take a large baking tray/dish (approx. 40cm x 30cm x 5cm)
Add 1/3^rd ragu then layer 1/3^rd corn chips over the top
Repeat this twice more then pour and cover with sauce
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the whole dish
Shake the nutmeg over evenly and place into a hot oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until 0ver 75°c and nicely gratinated
Cool slightly and cut though 20 portions
To serve accompany with Baked dough balls, grated prosociano and blanched cauliflower & broccoli florets

Happy Days Nurseries are supporting National Careers Week by highlighting the varied careers available in the childcare sector and the pathways available to join this special industry!

Along with information about how you can start your career in childcare as a nursery practitioner and the routes available to progress, they will be focusing on some of the supporting roles in areas such as:

⭐ HR

⭐ Finance

⭐ Operations

⭐ Chefs

⭐ Business Support

⭐ Marketing

⭐ Facilities

Everyone who works in childcare is helping to inspire a generation of children, who in turn will shape the future of the world.

In addition, Happy Days Nurseries are also hosting a week-long programme of recruitment events at some of their nurseries in Bristol, Truro and St Austell where candidates can enjoy free breakfasts, lunches and workshops whilst hearing from industry experts about how they can inspire the future with a career in childcare.

Happy Days Nursery and Pre-School, Salisbury celebrated on the 20^th of January 2023, after officially opening its doors to children and families at the start of the year.

Following the delayed opening due to the COVID pandemic, the nursery is now complete and boasts a high end provision for children and colleagues to thrive. The purpose built and modern nursery provides childcare for babies, toddlers, and pre-school children, aged 0-5 years. The nursery is located in the new Longhedge Village, just on the outskirts of Salisbury, ideally located just minutes off the A345, which connects Salisbury to Amesbury and the A303. The nursery has parking bays located directly outside for ease of drop off and pick up. It offers full time and part-time care from 7:30 am – 6.00 pm and is registered for 81 children.

The event which took place on the 20^th of January was attended by the Mayor of Salisbury, Tom Corbin, Mark Beadle, Happy Days Nurseries Chairman, Kim Herbert, Happy Days Nurseries MD, Nicola Reay, Nursery Manager at Happy Days Nursery Salisbury, and several other special guests including nursery children, parents, staff, local businesses, and services. The opening was officially declared by Tom Corbin who cut the ribbon, to mark this celebration.

Mayor of Salisbury, Tom Corbin commented: “It gave me great pleasure to meet all the people who have been involved in the creation and build of Happy Days Nursery and Preschool at Longhedge and to meet the staff who I know will make this a wonderful and welcoming learning space for countless generations to come and I wish them every success.”

Commenting on the new nursery and the official opening event, Kim Herbert said:

“We are so pleased to have opened our nursery at Longhedge Village, and really look forward to supporting the wider community. We are very pleased to have worked alongside the Wiltshire Early Years team to be part of the development at Longhedge and we are thrilled to be offering as many children as possible the very best start in life. “

Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-Schools are delighted to be supporting Children’s Hospice South West for 2023, raising money with fundraising events throughout the year.

Children’s Hospice South West are dedicated to making the most of short and precious lives through the provision of the best possible hospice care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. The care offered at each of their three hospices is not just about medical and nursing support for sick children but enriching lives of the children and their whole family.

Happy Days are proud to support this charity and, this year, Happy Days pledge to host one event per month in all their nurseries and support centre to raise as much needed funds as possible for this worthy charity as well as sponsoring the Rainbow Run and becoming a Business Club member again. This year, a Just Giving Page has been set up, making it easier for families and colleagues to make a donation.

Fiona Blackwell, Operations Director stated, “It is a pleasure to be contributing towards this special charity once again, helping to support local children and their families. As a company we believe every child should have the best start in life, which is why we donate via sponsorship as well as holding events throughout the year. We are truly grateful for our colleagues and families for their contributions to our fundraising efforts.”

Alice Merrett, Area Fundraiser for CHSW, said: “We are extremely grateful that Happy Days are once again supporting us going into 2023. All fundraising efforts make a huge difference to the families we support. Thank you, Happy Days for you amazing support!”

For more information on Children’s Hospice South West visit: https://www.chsw.org.uk/ .

If you would like to donate to our fundraising page, visit our Just Giving page here or by scanning this QR code:

Happy Days Embark on their Ambitious Growth Plans

Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-schools are actively looking to expand their portfolio throughout the South of England through acquisition of existing settings and development of new sites, in order to achieve their ambitious growth plans.

Following the recent investment from Zetland, Happy Days have an experienced Development Team dedicated to working with developers and settings to increase the number of their nurseries in areas across the South of England to meet the growing demand for quality childcare. Happy Days are passionate about providing inspiring childcare and education as well as supporting their colleagues to reach their full potential and achieve their own individual dreams.

The Acquisitions and Development Team, along with the wider Support Centre, will work closely with their experienced delivery partners to ensure they produce the best possible environments for their children and smooth working relationships with contractors, developers and landlords. Existing nursery owners can rest assured that Happy Days will collaborate with them and ensure their families and staff team are cherished and cared for to the highest standard.

Already well established in the South West of England, Happy Days are now looking to expand further afield across the South of England and the South of Wales. If you are an existing nursery owner thinking of selling or have a development opportunity, you can contact the development team by emailing enquiries@happydaysnurseries.com or for more information visit: https://www.happydaysnurseries.com/about-us/

Happy Days Day Nurseries are delighted to announce the opening of their brand new nursery, their first Wiltshire setting in Longhedge, Salisbury. The purpose-built nursery will be an 81-place setting on Rhodes Moorhouse Way, Longhedge, Salisbury and is due to open in January 2023.

Conveniently located within easy access to the A345 and A338, families will be able to access high quality childcare where every child is nurtured to become a learner for life, enabling their future success. With four rooms tailored for each age group and access to Happy Days ambitious, broad and balanced Early Years Curriculum titled “Where Children Shine” children will have the opportunity to learn, explore and discover, whilst attending this new Happy Days Nursery. A proven high-quality childcare provider with 100% of Happy Days nurseries rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, this is an exciting development for the local community.

Kim Herbert, Managing Director said “We are thrilled that we are now able to bring the Happy Days experience to families in Salisbury. As well as creating more childcare places to meet the demands of the community, this new setting will also create new job roles in the area, allowing passionate early years practitioners to join our growing family. This is the first new opening following our investment from Zetland, and we look forward to many more as we roll out our ambitious growth strategy over the next five years.” 

Following the success of the first nursery open event last week, families a being encouraged to secure their place as soon as possible. To book your personal tour, call the nursery on 01722 510009, email salisbury@happydaysnurseries.com

Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-schools are celebrating World Space Week, 4-10 October, but they have lost their Astronaut – can you help find them?

World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. It consists of space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world in a common timeframe. World Space Week 2022 celebrates “Space and Sustainability”.

Throughout the week, every Happy Days nursery will be holding STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities for the children and are inviting special guests into nursery for the children to learn more about space! If anyone is interested in providing an STEM activity in nursery for our children please contact the marketing department by emailing: marketing@happydaysnurseries.com

Happy Days have a dedicated STEM programme as part of the Inquisitive and Ambitious Thinker aspect of the Where Children Shine curriculum which fosters children’s understanding, curiosity and appreciation of their natural world, developing their awareness of the importance of environmental issues and sustainability.

Children think like scientists and learn by exploring, observing, and figuring out the way things work by experimenting with the world around them. At Happy Days we encourage the children to be inquisitive and ambitions thinkers by having fun exploring and investigating the STEM programme. Our quality early years continuous provision enables children to experience and participate in aspects of STEM every day.

Even if a child never goes into a STEM field as an adult, engaging in STEM experiences in their earliest years can promote ongoing academic success and also prepare them to understand and thrive in the modern world.

In addition to the week-long celebrations, Happy Days Nurseries will be holding a space themed open event on Saturday 8 October which is open to everyone. The Reach for the Stars Open Day will run at every* nursery from 10:00 – 13:00 with a host of space and STEM activities including make your own Sensory Bottle, using recycled bottles.

Every nursery will also have their own ‘Space Rocket’ but they have lost their astronaut and need your help to find them. They are hiding somewhere on our website. Once you find them, print them out and bring them to the open day and reunite them with their rocket. You will be entered into a FREE Prize Draw to win a Name the Star Gift Set (one winner per nursery) and one lucky visitor will win a £100 Love to Shop voucher! Head over to www.happydaysnurseries.com to start your search!

We look forward to sharing our space and STEM activities throughout World Space Week and welcoming you to our Reach for the Stars Open Day.

*this event is not happening at Bradley Stoke and will be held on 15th October at Cheswick and 22nd October at Swindon. Please visit your local nursery webpage for more details as dates, times and activities are subject to change.

Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School in Bradley Stoke are celebrating their second successive OUTSTANDING Ofsted result. Situated within the Almondsbury Business Park, this wonderful one-level setting opened its doors in 2015, receiving an Outstanding Ofsted judgement at its first inspection in 2016 and have now achieved their second Outstanding at their most recent Ofsted inspection.

The report highlighted how ‘children are extremely happy and excited to go in to nursery, they eagerly greet the staff and are keen to play and explore. The kind and nurturing staff are passionate about what they do. All staff know the children very well, they provide a focused curriculum which provides all children with targeted support to help them to make the best progress possible.’ The inspector also recognised how ‘Key person systems are exceptionally well established. Children are extremely secure and settle quickly, flourishing in the care of the staff who look after them.’

Angie Pass, Nursery Manager, commented, “I am so proud of the hard work my team have put in since I took over in March and extremely pleased that this has been recognised in the report. In particular, I am delighted that we have been recognised for how ‘Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are exceptionally well supported.’ We will continue to strive for greatness.”

Sam Richardson, Operations Manager, states, “Angie is extremely passionate about providing the best outcomes for the children and inspires her team every day. This is highlighted in the report with the inspector commenting how ‘The excitement and enthusiasm for learning is evident throughout the nursery.’ I would also like to thank all our parents who took the time to speak to the Ofsted inspector who noted in the report that ‘Parents comment on how confident and independent their children are. They are extremely happy with the care that their children receive at nursery.’

If you want to work in this exceptional environment with our professional knowledgeable team or, are a parent looking for the best care and education for your child, then contact Angie on 01454 614 411 or email bradleystoke@happydaysnurseries.com.

Here at Happy Days August is always a happy and sad time as we celebrate and say goodbye to our school leavers with our Graduation Events. This year our children have benefited from our unique Journey to a Positive Transition to School Programme which supports them to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes that reception class teachers highlight are important for children to achieve so that they are ready to start school. This enables all our school leavers to be confident to start school independent, curious and ready to learn.

Many of our school leavers have been with us since they were babies and we have had a positive impact on their first five years, which is why we are supporting the NDNAs #firstfiveyearscount campaign which aims to highlight how crucial the first five years are to the development and well-being of our youngest children and how nurseries and the early years workforce have an impact that lasts a lifetime.

Our colleagues really do Inspire the Future and deserve the recognition and thanks for all that they do to make the first five years of a child’s life count.