The acquisition of the settings – Poulton Nursery & Forest School, Victoria Hospital Nursery, Kidspace Nursery, The Learning Lodge Nursery and Ansdell Nature Nursery - sees Kids Planet grow to 120 sites.
The Happy Days Lancashire nurseries provide a combined total of 535 childcare places.
Senior childcare broker at Redwoods Dowling Kerr Sarah Ellison said, ’It has been a pleasure working with the founders and assisting them with their retirement from the childcare sector. After 23 years they felt the right buyers for them were Kids Planet Day Nurseries. I would like to wish all the family the best for the future and would like to congratulate Kids Plant Day Nurseries on their latest acquisition.’
Clare Roberts, CEO of Kids Planet said, 'It is a pleasure to welcome this group of five into the Kids Planet family. They are well-established settings, delivering quality childcare across several catchments on the Fylde, and present an excellent fit with our existing presence in the region. We are really excited to support these nurseries and watch them flourish as part of the Kids Planet group.'
Meanwhile, Thrive Education has acquired Benison Day Nursery in Chester, a 113-place setting, which has been graded outstanding in its two most recent inspections. The nursery also runs an after-school and holiday club for primary aged children.
From left: nursery manager Jan Tunnicliffe, founder Julie Swinnerton, deputy Manager Beci Grieve, Thrive Integration Manager Sarah Dee
It is the 47th nursery for the growing group, which has settings in Northwest England and Scotland, and follows several other acquisitions by the group this year.
The family-run nursery was set up 36 years ago by Julie Swinnerton, whose daughter Beci Grieve is the deputy manager. The nursery manager Jan Tunnicliffe has been there 26 years and her daughter Hannah runs the nursery’s forest school.
Swinnerton said, 'We want Benison Day nursery to maintain its reputation as an outstanding setting with the highest quality standards. We also recognise Thrive’s commitment to providing our team with the best professional support.'
Sarah Dee, Thrive integrations manager, said, ‘Benison is a highly successful and well-run nursery, with a strong focus on children’s active learning and development, which is well-integrated into its local community.
‘It has a wonderful Forest School, a School Gardening Award from the Royal Horticultural Society in recognition of the children’s achievements in growing and harvesting produce and its own Cookery School, where children learn cooking skills and about healthy eating and nutrition.’