A brand-new nursery is coming to a village lacking childcare provision.
Bridges Day Nursery is opening in the former Abacus Nursery site in Smarden Road, Headcorn.
The former business was shut in April after an Ofsted complaint, leaving many parents scrambling to find day care for their children in the rural area.
Now, the new site, which is completely independent from Abacus Nursery, hopes to provide a solution to the lack of provision.
It is founded by Craig Loughbridge, who has nearly 20-years of experience in early years education and hopes to provide a “calm and welcoming” environment where every child is “given the opportunity to thrive”.
The nursery will offer three age-specific rooms, with space for 12 children under two, 12 children between the age of two and three, and 24 pre-school aged children.
Craig, who has been getting the site ready with the help of his husband Charlie, says the education will have a strong focus on “learning through play”, “positive relationships”, and “rich” early experiences.
Unlike other providers, the nursery will be open 51 weeks of the year, and nappies and creams are included in the price of its care, rooted in a belief of making life easier for families.
Dad-of-one Craig said: “Opening a nursery is always something I’ve wanted to do, we have been looking for a premises that meets our needs.
“The opportunity came up where we could lease the building, so that’s what we’re doing.
“We’ve already started to recruit staff. We are being strict because these are people that are going to be looking after little people.
“We’re not even open but we proud of what we are starting to achieve now. We want to ensure we are providing a safe environment for children and staff.
“We’re parents ourselves and that is important. Our little one is now starting secondary school.”
Craig, 36, has experience working in every role within a nursery, from practitioner and room leader to manager and area manager, supporting 11 nurseries across the Southeast for Busy Bees Nursery.
Currently, the early years provider is waiting on its Ofsted registration visit and can’t open until then.
However, Craig is hoping to open at the end of August or early September.
Prospective families can contact the nursery on its website and register their child’s details.
