Nursery Management: Case Study - Following the child

Child-led activities have provided the inspiration for the design of Little Einstein's brand-new nursery in the heart of Glasgow's South Side.

In line with this, manager Leighann Bain says the company has avoided buying large pieces of outdoor equipment. 'The outdoor area will be comparatively empty,' she says. 'Instead, a lot of the resources we have indoors are designed to be taken outdoors as and when the children want to use them there. We will be installing a gazebo outside, which is ideal for the children to adapt to their own imaginative play. If they want to use climbing frames and other equipment there are plenty of parks we can visit nearby.'

Little Einstein's has four premises in Tayside and two in Glasgow. Its Hillside Creche and Hillside Clubhouse in Mansewood in Glasgow have just undergone major expansion.

The new nursery, Nithsdale House, based in Pollokshields, offers 54 places and will be open 52 weeks of the year, from 8am to 6pm. It has four rooms, including one designed to accommodate babies up to the age of one. It is committed to providing a healthy menu for the children, prepared on the premises by a qualified chef.

Ms Bain reports its recent open day was well attended and gave prospective parents the chance to meet some of the staff team, which will eventually total 22. 'Demand for childcare is high in this area and we are keen to build strong relationships with parents,' she says. 'Parents were impressed by the facilities and the outdoor space, and we were keen to talk to them about how the nursery has been designed to accommodate the new Scottish Curriculum for Excellence.

'This places emphasis on nurseries reflecting the individuality of their local communities and providing high-quality learning experiences. We are committed to the idea that young children are partners in the learning process and actively plan, shape and direct their learning experiences.'

Ms Bain is looking forward to the challenge of making the nursery a success. She originally worked for Harlequin Nursery for 13 years until it was taken over by Little Einstein's in 2006. During that time she has taken a variety of roles, from room senior to deputy manager and manager. She recently completed a BA in Early Childhood Studies.

'It will be good to work with a new team and to tap into their ideas and skills,' she says. 'We want to ensure our practice is of the highest quality and in line with the new curriculum.'

Nithsdale House has cameras fitted in all the rooms, which Ms Bain believes will be a useful tool for staff training. 'The technology will help us to conduct more training in-house,' she says. 'It will also be developed to provide webcam for parents.'