New issue of Nursery Chains out now!

Much has changed since we first published Nursery Chains in 1998.

The past 20 years have seen unprecedented growth for early years settings, fuelled by social and demographic change and bolstered by the commitment of successive governments of all colours to the expansion of funded childcare.

Our first issue was published in November 1998 and contained the names of 70 nursery groups. Our directory now includes the names of 180 nursery groups ranging in size from three settings to 353.

Nursery Chains Autumn 2018 includes:

• Our exclusive top 25 league table of the 20 biggest groups in the UK. Tthis year we have expanded our analysis of the Ofsted reports of the largest groups to include all 25. Find out which group has come top for quality in our 2018 rankings.

• Looking back through the archives for ‘Chains at 20’, we follow the UK’s nursery groups over two decades of change to reveal the evolution of our early years sector
  
  
• We celebrate some of our 2018 group award winners, with interviews with David Wright, co-owner of our Nursery Group of the Year Paint Pots, and our Nursery Operations/ Regional Manager winner, Danielle Butler of Tommies Childcare
  
  
• In ‘All in the mind’ we talk to nursery groups about how they are improving the mental health and well-being of their staff at a time when many are feeling the strain
  
  
• And we talk to five ‘back office’ employees working behind the scenes about their roles

Nursery Chains Autumn 2018 is published free with our 12 November issue of Nursery World and online.