Nursery group to offer parents flexibility to book childcare in 15-minute slots
Laura Marcus
Friday, February 5, 2016
At its newest setting Tops Day Nurseries will let parents book only the childcare they need to within a quarter of an hour,to save them money.
The nursery chain will offer the service at its recently acquired setting in Hampshire.
Trospacc Nursery in Havant is the group's 17th setting. It is registered for 46 places and gained an Ofsted ‘good’ rating in its most recent inspection in 2012.
The nursery will also have longer opening hours from 6am to 8pm, including bank holidays.
Cheryl Hadland, managing director of Tops Days Nurseries, said, ‘We work with our families to ensure that they get childcare that suits their requirements. One way we meet this is by taking bookings to the nearest 15 minutes so parents are not paying for time they do not use.
'While logistically and financially this is not necessarily the most fruitful way to operate, our social impact is of high importance and as this flexibility is very popular with families and single parents that use us, this is the way we will continue.'
Tops claims to be the only nursery group to offer this option for families across the South. The group also opens early and closes late, providing options for parents who are working shifts.
Ms Hadland added, 'Not everyone works in a 9-5 world anymore, so it’s important these parents aren’t restricted when it comes to providing childcare for their children.’
The acquisition means that Tops will offer 1,312 childcare places across the South of England, with settings in Bournemouth, Taunton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
Tops has taken on the management of the new nursery ahead of an official launch on 1 April.
