Oldham and Manchester nurseries invest in helping children and communities to Thrive

A nursery group which cares for children in Oldham and across Greater Manchester has relaunched with a programme of investment and development to help young people to thrive.

Established early years education provider Bertram Nursery Group has relaunched as Thrive Childcare and Education.

Over 20 years, Bertram has acquired high-quality nursery groups in England and Scotland including Holyrood, which serves Greater Manchester, as well as successful independent nurseries such as Dryden Street, serving the University of Manchester.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the group surveyed parents and team members to find out what was important to them and what they wanted from their nursery provider.

Taking their feedback on board, Bertram used the Covid-19 lockdown period to review its services for children, parents and communities and consider how best to grow and develop in the years ahead.

It identified a clear need to continue investing in indoor and outdoor environments, in the technology used to help teams communicate with parents and in the teams themselves, who are at the heart of inspiring children to grow and develop.

CEO Cary Rankin said: “Our commitment to putting children first and providing a safe and nurturing environment hasn’t changed, and never will.

“This is supported by investing in our teams, encouraging them to make early years education a rewarding career choice with prospects for development.

"We also recognise that children’s learning is enhanced in invigorating outdoor spaces and we are committed to investment in outdoor learning opportunities.

“We also know how important it is to provide a flexible service that meets parents’ needs, from opening hours and services for school-age children to opportunities for extra-curricular activities.

"Above all, our nurseries are part of the local communities they serve and we recognise that one-size doesn’t fit all.”

To increase consistency and recognition of Thrive Childcare and Education’s services and ethos, all its nurseries are being united under four sub-groups:

* Holyrood nurseries will consolidate Thrive’s existing network of affordable nurseries in North West England, recognising parents’ and community needs. The Holyrood nursery at Shaw in Oldham, plus nurseries at Prestwich, Swinton, Castleton, and Salford, will be joined by Dryden Street in this group.

* Nature Kindergartens, Thrive’s new sub-brand, will reflect its vision to develop children’s outdoor learning. Thrive will expand its Nature Kindergartens network in Scotland and England to enhance children’s learning through self-discovery in natural spaces. The Holyrood Media City nursery in Salford and Holyrood nursery at Astley will become Nature Kindergartens.

* Happitots nurseries will extend beyond Glasgow to provide a network of affordable, flexible nurseries across Scotland.

* Corner House nurseries will extend more widely across Scotland, providing an extensive range of exciting, extracurricular activities and large outdoor areas.

Mr Rankin concluded: “We want to be first, trusted choice for parents and employees in the areas we serve and we are committed to maintaining and celebrating the local identities of our nurseries across Scotland and North West England.”

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