The Learning Experience (TLE) has more than 275 settings across the USA, 90 per cent of which are franchised locations with the other 10 per cent corporate owned. There are plans to open more than 70 nurseries in the UK during the next five years, initially concentrating around the south east of England.
The nursery group, which was launched by the Weissman family in Florida in 1980, started operating franchises in 2003 and has recently been opening one nursery a week in the States.
TLE managing director Fiona Smith (pictured) joined the company in late 2018 and is responsible for launching and driving the franchise expansion of the brand in the UK.
‘Over the last year in the US TLE has been growing very rapidly at around one centre a week, so the expansion is very fast,’ said Ms Smith.
‘The corporate owned site in East Finchley is the first in the UK and we will be looking to start partnering with franchise partners in the UK, as we do in the US, to help us on that expansion journey. That will probably start at the beginning of 2021.’
The new corporate owned East Finchley nursery has 150 places for children aged from 12-weeks to five-years-old across 14 rooms.
It has been designed to replicate the US model, including use of vibrant colours, an individual security fob system and drive up entrance for dropping off and collecting children. There are interactive touch screen boards and a ‘make believe boulevard’ area for dramatic play.
The Learning Experience nursery in East Finchley
All TLE nurseries follow its L.E.A.P. (Learning Experience Academic Programme) curriculum, which has been adapted for England to the EYFS. The curriculum aims to use fun, hands-on activities to help children develop intellectually, socially and cognitively.
TLE also has a cast of characters which have been designed to encourage and teach children a new value or activity, from Lionstein (science) to Miss Chevious (sports and movement) and Two Plus Toucan (maths).
The model of expansion through franchise is not new to the UK childcare sector. Nursery chains including Banana Moon - listed in Nursery World's Nursery Chains 2019, as the third largest childcare provider in the UK with 63 settings - and Monkey Puzzle, have also used it as a way to strengthen the brand and reach of their business.
Vibrant colours in the corridor of the new East Finchley Learning Experience nursery
Ms Smith said that the TLE franchise model is ‘very traditional’ including support with finding a suitable property and management advice.
‘Working with TLE brings you 40 years of expertise of working in the childcare market and we have a whole team of people who work on behalf of our centres,’ said Ms Smith.
‘There is also a whole team of people who develop our curriculum against the EYFS, all that work is done for you. We market the brand, we help to attract families to your centres in exchange for an on-going management fee. It leaves you to actually enjoy running the centre and interacting with the children and families and teachers.’
