Children at Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School Bath recently enjoyed a hands-on outdoor learning experience after receiving a donation of young trees from The Woodland Trust.

Excited to take part, the children worked together to plant the trees at the front of the nursery where they will grow and develop over time. The activity began with a discussion about trees and nature, where the children shared ideas about what plants need to grow and how we can care for the environment.

With spades in hand, the children dug small holes, carefully placed the trees into the soil and gently covered the roots. They even created their own sign to place beside the planting area, proudly marking the spot as their tree.

Activities like this form an important part of learning at Happy Days. By exploring nature and taking part in real-life experiences, children begin to develop a deeper understanding of the world around them. Outdoor activities such as digging and planting also support both fine and gross motor development, helping to strengthen muscles, coordination and confidence.

Moments like these encourage curiosity, teamwork and a sense of responsibility for the natural environment. The children are already excited to watch their trees grow and change over time.

As the trees continue to develop, they will serve as a lasting reminder of the children’s contribution and their growing connection with nature.

Happy Days Nurseries is delighted to announce the full relaunch of Boogie Mites across its settings, bringing structured, research-informed music education back into daily practice.

Music as a Core Educational Tool

Music at Happy Days is not viewed as an add-on activity. It is a developmental tool.

Boogie Mites is underpinned by neuroscience and early years research demonstrating that active music-making strengthens neural pathways linked to language acquisition, memory retention, auditory discrimination, motor coordination and emotional regulation.

When children sing, tap, clap or move to rhythm, multiple areas of the brain are activated simultaneously. This integrated stimulation supports stronger cognitive processing and deeper learning.

By relaunching the full programme, Happy Days is reinforcing its commitment to structured, purposeful music education, not just for enjoyment, but for measurable developmental impact.

What the Full Programme Includes

Toddlers

For toddlers, sessions become more interactive and exploratory, including:

• Action songs and movement sequences
• Rhythm matching with instruments
• Simple syllable awareness
• Listening games and sound discrimination

This supports expanding vocabulary, coordination and attention span during a critical developmental window.

Pre-School

In Pre-School rooms, the programme becomes more structured and literacy-focused, incorporating:

• The 25-song School Ready framework
• Syllable segmentation (such as “Let’s Tap a Word”)
• Rhyme and alliteration
• Beat-keeping and pattern recognition
• Turn-taking and group leadership

These skills directly underpin Phase One Letters and Sounds and strengthen early reading readiness.

A Relaunch Energised by Leadership

The relaunch follows a dynamic workshop delivered by the Boogie Mites team at the recent Annual Managers Conference.

Leaders from across the organisation actively participated in rhythm exercises, syllable tapping and high-energy group songs. The session was filled with movement, laughter and genuine enthusiasm, a powerful reminder of how engaging structured music can be at any age.

Managers left the conference motivated and equipped to re-embed the programme with clarity and consistency across their teams.

Boogie Mites Ambassadors in Every Nursery

Each nursery has a trained Boogie Mites Ambassador who champions delivery within their setting.

These ambassadors:

• Model high-quality musical sessions
• Support colleagues in planning and progression
• Ensure age-appropriate differentiation
• Maintain consistency across rooms

This structure ensures that Boogie Mites is not occasional enrichment but an integrated element of everyday learning.

Supporting the Whole Child

The relaunch aligns closely with Happy Days’ educational ethos, supporting children to develop as:

• Strong and confident communicators
• Inquisitive and ambitious thinkers
• Healthy, independent explorers
• Resilient and motivated individuals

Music enhances:

• Listening and attention skills
• Expressive and receptive language
• Confidence in group participation
• Physical coordination and motor control
• Emotional wellbeing and self-regulation

Importantly, Boogie Mites promotes connection over perfection. Children are encouraged to participate enthusiastically rather than perform flawlessly, building intrinsic confidence and joy in learning.

A Commitment to Evidence-Based Practice

By relaunching the full Boogie Mites programme across all age groups, Happy Days is making a clear statement: high-quality early education is active, engaging and rooted in research.

As the programme rolls out across settings, families can expect to see children tapping syllables, marching to beats, leading songs and building the foundations for lifelong learning through rhythm and joy.

We are proud to share that Happy Days Nurseries and Pre-Schools has strengthened its position among the UK’s largest childcare providers, following the publication of Nursery World’s latest Nursery Groups Report.

The report highlights a changing landscape across the early years sector, with a “new order” emerging as growing groups move up the rankings. We are pleased to be recognised as part of this shift, reflecting our continued expansion and long-term commitment to sustainable growth.

Sustained Growth in a Changing Market

Since opening our first nursery in 1991, we have grown steadily over more than three decades. Today, we operate a network of nurseries across the South of England and Wales, supporting thousands of children and families every day.

Our growth has been driven by a careful balance of organic development and well considered acquisitions. By welcoming established settings into Happy Days and opening new nurseries in key locations, we have been able to extend high quality childcare to more communities while maintaining our standards.

Investment Supporting Our Expansion

To support the next phase of our journey, we secured significant growth funding in 2024. This investment has enabled us to accelerate our plans, including acquiring additional nurseries and continuing to invest in our existing settings, environments, and teams.

This funding reflects confidence in our values, our leadership, and our approach to building a strong and resilient organisation.

Maintaining Quality as We Grow

As we expand, our priority remains the same: delivering outstanding care and education for every child. We continue to invest in staff development, training, and wellbeing, ensuring our teams feel supported and empowered in their roles.

Positive feedback from families and strong inspection outcomes reinforce our belief that growth and quality must go hand in hand. Maintaining this balance is central to everything we do.

Looking Ahead

The latest sector report shows increasing consolidation across childcare, with larger groups playing a greater role in shaping the future of early years provision. Our rise in position reflects the strength of our operational model and our clear strategic direction.

With continued investment, experienced leadership, and a shared commitment to excellence, we are well placed to build on our recent progress. As we move into the next phase of our development, we remain focused on expanding responsibly, supporting our communities, and giving every child the best possible start in life.

At Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, we understand that the first months and years of parenthood can be as overwhelming as they are wonderful. Feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or loss of confidence are more common than many realise, with studies showing that around one in ten new mothers experience postnatal depression within a year of giving birth.

That’s why our nurseries go far beyond childcare. We create spaces where families can connect, communicate and feel supported, emotionally, socially and practically, from the very start of their journey.

Building Bonds Through Music & Movement

Across our nurseries, we offer free Parent & Baby sessions, from baby massage and Stay & Play groups to first aid workshops. These sessions are designed to help parents feel part of a caring community, creating opportunities to meet others, share experiences, and build friendships that last.

Music and movement play a powerful role in this. Research shows that singing, rhythm, and coordinated activity can reduce stress hormones, lift mood, and strengthen bonding between parent and child. Through our Boogie Mites and Let’s Move programmes, we see these benefits every day, when parents and babies sing, sway, or tap together, their breathing synchronises, stress levels drop, and confidence grows.

This approach aligns beautifully with our Where Children Shine curriculum, particularly our focus on nurturing Strong & Confident Communicators and Healthy, Independent Explorers. Early musical experiences support emotional expression, language development, and social confidence, the very foundations of lifelong wellbeing.

A Connected Start to Nursery Life

We know that starting nursery is a huge milestone, for both children and parents. That’s why our settling-in process is completely tailored to each family. We start sessions around six to eight weeks before your child’s start date, taking the time to build familiarity and trust at your child’s own pace.

Every child is also introduced to their Key Person, a dedicated practitioner who provides consistency, comfort, and a secure base from which your child can explore and learn. This relationship helps both children and parents feel confident and reassured during transitions.

And communication doesn’t stop at the nursery door. Our famly app acts as a secure digital hub, keeping parents up to date with their child’s daily activities, meals, naps, and milestones. Parents can receive photos, videos, and developmental observations in real time, while also sharing their own updates from home. It’s an easy, two-way partnership that ensures families remain connected, supported, and informed every step of the way.

The app also features a Parent Hub, a space full of practical guidance, early learning ideas, and wellbeing resources designed to help families continue their child’s development at home.

Community, Connection & Wellbeing

At Happy Days, our nurseries act as true community hubs. We know that parenting can sometimes feel isolating, so we work hard to create networks of support and friendship. From New Mums & Dads Facebook groups in Bristol and Cornwall to family events, open days, and coffee mornings, we offer plenty of opportunities for parents to connect, share advice, and find reassurance.

Many of our nurseries also host charity events, food bank collections, and clothing swaps, helping families support one another and give back to the local community. This sense of belonging benefits everyone, families, children, and the communities around them.

Helping Families Shine Together

At Happy Days, we believe every family deserves to feel supported, seen, and heard. Whether it’s through our parent app, music sessions, community events, or tailored settling-in support, everything we do is designed to help families feel confident and connected and to help children truly shine.

👉 Find your local Happy Days nursery by clicking here and explore our free Parent & Baby sessions today.

Happy Days Nurseries recently hosted three half-day apprenticeship events over the past two weeks as part of National Apprenticeship Week, an exciting chance for our growing cohort of over 100 apprentices to connect face-to-face.

These events were organised by Claire Drake, our Learning and Development Lead, and delivered in partnership with Realise, one of our apprenticeship training providers. They supported and educated our apprentices on completing their Off-the-Job (OTJ) hours, a vital component of their apprenticeship programmes. We also focused on helping apprentices stay on track, share experiences, and understand the impact they have on the wider Happy Days Nurseries business.

“These sessions gave apprentices a chance to meet peers at different stages of their programmes, share advice, and build supportive networks,” said Claire Drake. “It’s rare for everyone to come together like this, and it was fantastic to see the engagement and enthusiasm throughout.”

The sessions were highly interactive, featuring quizzes, group activities, and discussions designed to explore common challenges in completing apprenticeships. Together with Realise, we guided apprentices through strategies for managing OTJ hours effectively, while activities encouraged reflection on how apprentices contribute to the business and how our central teams can support them. We also emphasised how our apprentices demonstrate the Happy Days Nurseries SHINE Values in everything they do.

Feedback from our apprentices highlighted the value of the sessions:

Karen from Toddletown Godalming Nursery commented, “The activities were a great insight into apprenticeships. The OTJ guidance from Realise was especially handy. Overall, it was a great session, thank you for putting it all together!”

Ellie Williams, Marketing Apprentice at Happy Days Nurseries, shared: “It was a great event that really brought apprentices together. It was interesting to learn from each other’s experiences across different types of apprenticeships, and to share ideas around Off-the-Job hours and how we can apply them within our own roles. Thank you to Victoria and Claire for organising and delivering such an engaging and supportive session, it made a real difference.”

Our apprentices also shared that they enjoyed meeting peers, learning practical tips on OTJ hours, participating in activities, and understanding more about the wider Happy Days Nurseries business.

Victoria Clifford-Jones from Realise praised the session for its delivery and impact: “It was an extremely well-delivered and valuable session. The event created a welcoming and supportive environment where apprentices could share ideas and learn from one another. Face-to-face training clearly boosts confidence, collaboration, and understanding. We really enjoyed being part of it and supporting the OTJ session, it was a pleasure to contribute.”

All three sessions were met with enthusiasm, engagement, and meaningful discussion, reflecting our strong commitment at Happy Days Nurseries to nurturing our apprentices and supporting their development.

If you are interested in finding out more about the apprenticeships offered at Happy Days Nurseries, please visit:
👉 https://happydaysnurseries.com/careers/

Every career has a starting point. For David, now a Regional Operations Manager here at Happy Days Nurseries, it began with an apprenticeship, a decision that set him on a path from the nursery floor to senior leadership within early years. 

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with David to reflect on his journey so far and how an apprenticeship has helped shape his career. 

David joined the early years sector as a Level 2 apprentice in a nursery setting, gaining hands-on experience while learning the foundations of the role. From the outset, the apprenticeship gave him the chance to build real skills, confidence, and a clear understanding of the impact early years professionals have on children’s lives. 

When asked why he chose an apprenticeship and what inspired him to work in early years, David shared a personal story from his own childhood. 
“I always remember a teacher from my primary school who had a really positive impact on me, and this inspired me to want to do the same. I wanted to have a positive influence on children during their early years, which is such an important stage of development.” 

It quickly became clear that early years wasn’t just a job for David, it was the career path he wanted to follow. 

“Early on in my apprenticeship, I realised that early years was the industry for me, so I decided to continue along that path. After completing my Level 3 studies, I was keen to keep learning and went on to complete leadership and management training. This is where I developed a desire to become a leader, not only to have an impact on children’s early years, but also to inspire practitioners to want to make that difference too.” 

Those next steps gave David a new perspective. Supporting children’s growth and learning remained at the heart of his work, while his passion also grew to include guiding and inspiring teams, mentoring other practitioners, and shaping the culture of the settings he worked in. 
 
Through continued learning, dedication, and experience, David progressed through a range of roles within nursery settings, building his leadership skills and supporting teams along the way. 

“I’ve been fortunate to continue progressing within an industry that I genuinely enjoy working in. I’ve moved up through the ranks within settings, and today I am a Regional Operations Manager.” 

When asked what advice he would give to someone considering an apprenticeship in early years, David’s message was clear. 
“Just do it. There are so many directions you can go in, and an apprenticeship really does support people in building a lifelong career.” 

David’s story is a powerful example of how apprenticeships can open doors, build confidence, and create genuine opportunities for progression. 
If you’re looking to kickstart your career in early years, why not start as an apprentice at Happy Days? We are proud to support the apprenticeship scheme, offering hands-on experience, structured learning, and clear pathways for growth within a supportive and nurturing environment. 

Please visit our careers page for more information: https://happydaysnurseries.com/careers/
 

To kick of National Apprenticeship Week, Leanne Marie (Early Years and Education Trainer Development Officer at Realise) visited the team at Happy Days Verwood to present Bella with her Apprentice of the Year Award.

Bella joined Happy days at the age of 16, straight from school. She introduced herself at an open event when she was 16 eager to start her career in early years. Her strong work ethic is admired and her passion for early years education shines through.

Bella consistently makes a meaningful difference to the lives of children and families and is an outstanding apprentice who will undoubtedly go far in her career in the early years sector, for which she deserves to be recognised. When she reached the end of her level 3 qualification she was awarded a Merit.

Leanne said: “I could not be more proud of Bella and all her hard work that led to her not only being an Early Achiever, but also receiving a Merit for her Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship! Bella is an outstanding practitioner and a true asset to the Early Years Sector! Congratulations on such a well deserved award! Hard work does pay off and you smashed it!”

Bella was also a NMT Apprentice of the Year Finalist and Shortlisted for Apprentice of the Year at the Happy Days Shine Awards 2026!

National Apprenticeship Week is an entire week to celebrate the dedication our apprentices have for their education and commitment to create an environment where children can shine. Bella is just one of the 100+ Apprentices currently training at Happy Days Nurseries and we are using National Apprenticeship Week to celebrate every single one of them. Learn more about our other amazing apprentices through our Facebook and TikTok feeds throughout the week.

If you are looking to start your Apprentice journey then visit our careers page: https://happydaysnurseries.com/careers/

Happy Days Nursery & Pre-School in Yate has proudly celebrated its second birthday, marking two years of supporting children and families in the heart of the Ladden Garden Village community.

Since opening its doors two years ago, Happy Days Yate has quickly become a much-loved setting for local families. The purpose-built nursery was designed to offer children a calm, inspiring environment with free-flow access between indoor and outdoor spaces, supporting confident, curious learners from the very start of their journey.

In just two years, the nursery has already achieved an Ofsted ‘Good’ rating, a significant milestone that reflects the dedication, skill and commitment of the team. This achievement highlights the strong relationships built with families and the consistent, high-quality care and education provided every day.

To mark the occasion, families were welcomed with a selection of birthday treats in the reception area. The nursery’s much-loved chef, Karina, baked cupcakes for parents and staff to enjoy, alongside croissants, pain au chocolat and iced coffees for families to grab on the go, a small thank you for the trust and support shown since opening.

Zoe, Nursery Manager at Happy Days Yate, reflected on the milestone:
“The past two years have flown by. Watching the nursery grow, welcoming so many wonderful families and seeing children thrive has been incredibly rewarding. I’m so proud of our team and everything we’ve achieved together, including our Ofsted Good rating. Thank you to all our families for being part of our journey — we really couldn’t do it without you.”

Sam Richardson, Operations Manager, also shared her congratulations:
“Happy Days Yate is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when you have a passionate, committed team and a strong sense of community. Achieving Ofsted Good within two years is something to be very proud of. It’s been fantastic to see the nursery grow and continue to provide such a warm, welcoming environment for children and families.”

As Happy Days Yate looks ahead, the focus remains on continuing to build strong partnerships with families, nurturing children’s confidence and curiosity, and creating a place where children feel safe, supported and excited to learn.

Happy second birthday, Happy Days Yate, here’s to many more years of learning, laughter and shared milestones ahead. 🎉

Happy Days is a purpose built, one level nursery & pre-school with direct garden access. Inside, it is wonderfully spacious, equipped with high end furniture and resources to inspire and ignite children’s minds and imagination, making it the perfect environment for children to learn and grow. Our staff team have formed strong bonds with our families and ensure our children are cherished and cared for to the highest standards.

To find out more about Happy Days Nursery and Pre-School, Yate click here, to book a tour and view this incredible space click here. Alternatively you can get in touch with the nursery via the contact information below.

Phone: 01454 540006 | Email: yate@happydaysnurseries.com