At Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools, we believe that some of the most exciting learning starts with a simple question: “I wonder why?”

From building towers and testing what floats and sinks, to counting, creating, investigating and finding out how things work, STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – is all around us in the Early Years.

STEM learning gives children opportunities to explore their natural curiosity, solve problems, test ideas and discover how the world around them works. Through hands-on experiences and play, children can develop skills including critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, communication and collaboration.

STEM and Where Children Shine

Our Where Children Shine curriculum encourages children to learn through exploration, discovery and meaningful experiences. We give children the time and space to follow their interests, ask questions, experiment and discover things for themselves.

Our SHINE values – Support, Honest, Inspire, Nurture and Empower – are at the heart of this approach. Whether children are designing and building, exploring nature, investigating numbers or creating their own imaginative inventions, we’re here to support them to be curious, confident and excited to learn.

And this autumn, we’re taking that curiosity out of this world!

🚀 Join Us for an Out of This World Open Day! 🚀

Across September and October, Happy Days nurseries will be hosting a series of Out of This World Open Days, giving families the opportunity to visit their local nursery, meet our teams and discover more about life at Happy Days.

With space-themed activities and STEM-inspired experiences, our Open Days will be a chance for children and families to explore, discover and have some out-of-this-world fun together.

The celebrations will culminate during World Space Week, 4 -10 October, when we’ll be joining children and families around the world in celebrating space, science and exploration.

Can You Find Our Lost Astronaut?

There’s just one problem…We’ve lost our astronaut!

Our astronaut is hiding somewhere across our Happy Days Group websites, and we need your help to find them.

There are five websites to explore, so get searching and see if you can spot one of our hidden astronauts:

• Happy Days Nurseries & Pre-Schools
• Toddletown Nursery
• Edward Bears
• Snowdrop House Montessori Group
• Boys & Girls Nursery

How to take part…

1. SEARCH
Head to one of our websites and see if you can find a hidden astronaut.

2. SCREENSHOT
Once you’ve spotted one, take a screenshot as proof of your discovery.

3. VISIT
Come along to one of our Out of This World Open Days taking place across the Happy Days Group during September and October.

4. ENTER
Show your screenshot to the team at your local Open Day and you’ll be entered into our FREE STEM-themed prize draw!

An Out of This World Prize!

One lucky winner will receive a STEM themed hamper packed with goodies for under 5s, perfect for encouraging curiosity, creativity and exploration at home.

So, whether you’re fascinated by rockets, curious about planets or simply love a good treasure hunt, there’s plenty to discover this autumn.

Find your local Out of This World Open Day, start your astronaut search and get ready for an adventure that’s truly out of this world! 🚀

The astronaut hunt runs from 7 September to 26 October. Screenshots must be presented at an eligible Happy Days Out of This World Open Day during the competition period. Full terms and conditions apply.

Congratulations to Happy Days Weston Super-Mare for their 5 star rating from their recent EHO kitchen inspection! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Days has been awarded the Quality Mark by the Early Years Alliance in recognition of its commitment to excellent nutrition practices. The Alliance’s Nutrition Support Programme helps improve future health outcomes for young children by setting high standards for nutrition in early years settings, offering tailored support from experienced nutritionists and dietitians.

Learn more about Happy Days menus and nutrition: https://happydaysnurseries.com/parent-information/nutrition/

Graduation Day at Happy Days Yate

Thank you for everyone who attended and gave our adventurers a good send off before they start big school in September!

Happy National Vocational Celebration Day!

This morning, some of our apprentices attended the celebrations at Teagle Machinery in Cornwall, hosted by Steph McGovern, where apprentices from across the country came together to share their stories and experiences. It was wonderful to see Enginuity and EAL shine a light on the value of vocational pathways, helping to challenge outdated perceptions and champion the skills we urgently need to thrive.

At Happy Days Nurseries, we are incredibly proud to support over 100 apprentices across our nurseries. Their dedication, enthusiasm and hard work make a real difference every day, and today is a lovely opportunity to celebrate all they achieve.

Kelly our People Service Lead says “At Happy Days Nurseries we have over 100 colleagues completing their Early Years apprenticeship, and we are currently recruiting for our next cohort of apprentices. I am so proud to work for an organisation that truly embraces personal development and supports individuals starting their career in Early Years. Vocational qualifications are such an important part of an individual’s journey and I love watching colleagues develop and advance their career with us by progressing into different roles across the business.”

We are looking forward to welcoming our new cohort of apprentices and are incredibly proud of each and every one of our current and past apprentices.

If you are looking to start a career in Early Years and thinking about an apprenticeship, please see the below link which will take you to the careers page on our website, where you will be able to see if we have an opportunities near you. If none are showing on the website, please do not hesitate to contact our recruitment team at [email protected], who will be able to provide more details on any upcoming opportunities.

Career Opportunities- Careers – Happy Days Nursery

We are so pleased to announce that Happy Days Nursery and Pre-School, Verwood has been recognised as meeting Ofsted Strong Standard in all areas! We’re also proud 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.

Inspectors noted that our children: “develop high levels of independence and confidence in managing their own needs. Babies feed themselves using open cups and spoons, while older children confidently and independently serve meals, clear away their plates and wash them afterwards. Children continually cooperate well, share resources and take turns during play. All children are well prepared for their next stage of learning. “

We’d also like to spotlight Ofsted answered what it’s like to be a child at our setting like this: ‘Children thrive in this welcoming and nurturing setting. They benefit from a highly ambitious, broad and well-sequenced curriculum. Children of all ages, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those with barriers to learning, enjoy meaningful experiences that build their knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. Babies squeal with delight as they hide inside a large cardboard box during imaginative play with enthusiastic staff. Older children confidently practise their football skills outdoors and celebrate one another’s success with excitement.’

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 Strong Standard across the board, Happy Days Verwood 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 first-hand 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:

🟡 Leaders have designed a highly ambitious, broad and well-sequenced curriculum
🟡 Staff know children extremely well and use accurate assessment to identify next steps, consolidate children’s learning and provide appropriate challenge
🟡 Children consistently behave well and show positive attitudes towards learning

Read the full report here.

To learn more about the way Ofsted reports work now, visit our blog.

We are very proud to share that we have finalists in not just one, but two categories at the Nursery World Awards 2026!

One of our fantastic educators, Martin from Happy Days Salisbury is up for Nursery Educator of the Year, what an achievement! Martin’s award comes very well deserved after receiving beautiful testimonials from parents, carers and colleagues.

One parent spoke: ‘Martin has been my daughter’s key worker for a number of months now and a consistent, positive presence in her nursery experience since she was very young. When she first started, she was quite shy and reserved towards him, but Martin approached her with such patience, kindness, and sensitivity, allowing her to build trust at her own pace. He never rushed her, instead creating a safe and nurturing environment where she felt comfortable to come to him when she was ready. This gentle approach made an enormous difference in helping her settle and grow in confidence around a new person. 

When my daughter transitioned into the eldest class and Martin became her key worker, she was genuinely thrilled. Each day, she comes home excited to share stories of the games they’ve played and the activities they’ve enjoyed together. It is especially meaningful to see how she carries his guidance into our home life—often repeating the values and routines Martin has instilled so thoughtfully with the children.

As a trained Norland nanny, choosing the right nursery for my daughter was something I considered very carefully. While the nursery itself stood out for many reasons, it is professionals like Martin who have made our experience truly exceptional. Having worked in nurseries myself, I am very aware of what distinguishes a great practitioner from an average one. Martin’s enthusiasm, attention to detail, and genuine care for each child are evident in everything he does—from the engaging activities he leads to the thoughtful and thorough handovers he provides.

He has a rare ability to make you feel that your child is deeply valued and understood. Every interaction leaves me reassured that my daughter is not only well cared for, but truly appreciated for who she is. His warmth, positivity, and passion for his role shine through daily.

I also had the pleasure of attending a parents’ evening that Martin presented. Despite his occasional natural shyness, he spoke with sincerity and pride about his work, clearly demonstrating how much he cares about the children and his role in their development. It was both touching and inspiring to see.

I am writing this with a smile, knowing my daughter has been supported and guided by such a wonderful individual. I have no doubt that every child in Martin’s care is valued, respected, and cared for wholeheartedly. He is an exceptional educator and truly deserving of this recognition. 

And our beautiful nursery Edward Bears Private Daycare has been shortlisted for the Enabling Environments Award.

Edward Bears believes in the holistic development of children. Their curriculum, inspired by the latest research in early childhood education, it is centred around the child and is tailored to meet the developmental needs of each age group, fostering emotional, social, physical, and intellectual growth.

Through a blend of structured activities and free play, children are encouraged to explore their interests, develop creativity, and cultivate a love of learning.

Our dedicated team of qualified educators and caregivers are passionate about making a difference in children’s lives. They provide personalised care and education to ensure each child feels valued, understood, and supported in their developmental journey.

Continuous professional development ensures our staff stays at the forefront of educational best practices, enabling them to offer the best possible learning experiences for our children.

Our role is to facilitate, guide, and support, rather than direct, allowing children’s natural curiosity to lead the way.

The 2026 Nursery World award categories provide the opportunity to celebrate and recognise the amazing work that goes on right across our sector and continues to be the most prestigious accolades in early years. Winners will be chosen by a distinguished panel of expert judges that represents the diversity of disciplines and organisations that make up the sector. These judges will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to evaluate each entry, considering how well it aligns with its stated objectives.

The Awards will take place in London on September 26th.

Both incredibly well deserved and we couldn’t be prouder. Well done team and good luck!

Last weekend was an exciting one at Happy Days Exeter, as we hosted Happy Days Fest, our summer open day! 

Our amazing team at Exeter organised the day with an animal theme, setting the rooms up with engaging activities so children could explore the space through play. In our younger rooms there was cave baby painting, jungles of Brazil Boogie Mites song, animal themed play dough tuff trays and water play outside in the garden. 

In our older rooms, the children had an exciting visitor from Simon from “Animal Activities”, who brought all of his animal friends along with him. The children loved holding, the rabbits and chinchillas, whilst having enriching conversations with the staff and other children around them, about what the animals feel like and look like. 

This was a great day filled with lots of fun and gave our new families the opportunity to see our nursery, meet our lovely team and ask any questions at all. 

A big thank you to all the families that came along.