{"id":27019,"date":"2023-07-12T12:07:10","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T12:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/?post_type=start-a-business&#038;p=27019"},"modified":"2025-02-28T13:50:21","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T13:50:21","slug":"nursery-business","status":"publish","type":"start-a-business","link":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/start-a-business\/nursery-business\/","title":{"rendered":"Nursery business"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"27019\" class=\"elementor elementor-27019\" data-elementor-post-type=\"start-a-business\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3b3fcd2d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3b3fcd2d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-78c7fa95\" data-id=\"78c7fa95\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55d0851d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"55d0851d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Do you have a background in childcare and fancy running your own nursery? This comprehensive guide will explain everything you\u2019ve ever wanted to know about how to start a nursery business.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1a3a71b elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1a3a71b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/app.swoopfunding.ca\/stage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Get a quote<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-67e369c2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"67e369c2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1d6348ef\" data-id=\"1d6348ef\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-92ca397 elementor-widget elementor-widget-ucaddon_aivoov_player\" data-id=\"92ca397\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"ucaddon_aivoov_player.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"aivoov-player-block\">\n\t<div class=\"read_this\">Read this article to me<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>\n\t\t\t.plyr__controls .plyr__controls__item:first-child{\n\t\t\t\tbackground:#2e9c8e !important;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t:root{\n\t\t\t--plyr-color-main:#2e9c8e;\n\t\t\t--plyr-audio-controls-background:#f0f2f4;\n\t\t\t--plyr-audio-control-color:#546a7b;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t[data-plyr=\"mute\"]{color:#2e9c8e !important}\n\t\t\t.aivoov-text-color{color:#546a7b}\n\t\t<\/style> \n\t\t<div class=\"audio_player\">\n\t\t<audio class=\"js-player\" controls=\"\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/monky-voice-over.s3.amazonaws.com\/aivoov\/781640cc-7bc1-4bbf-9492-22dedc19678b\/245d9070-391d-48e9-a935-1e6ac2c117f6.mp3\" type=\"audio\/mp3\">\n\t\t\t<source src=\"https:\/\/monky-voice-over.s3.amazonaws.com\/aivoov\/781640cc-7bc1-4bbf-9492-22dedc19678b\/245d9070-391d-48e9-a935-1e6ac2c117f6.mp3\" type=\"audio\/ogg\" \/>\n\t\t<\/audio> \n\t\t\t\t <div class=\"powerd_by aivoov-text-color\"><p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/aivoov.com\/?um_source=plugin_powered_by\" style=\"color: inherit;\">Powered by AiVOOV<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29687c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"29687c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why consider starting a nursery?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e0a032 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8e0a032\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running your own nursery business can be a highly rewarding experience. After all, you\u2019ll be heavily involved in children\u2019s early development and can help to give them a good start in life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Demand for new childcare settings is also high. With more parents going back to work after having a baby, and as new government schemes are introduced to help parents with costs, demand for nurseries is going up all the time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, starting your own business also means you get to be your own boss, so once your business is up and running, you might have more flexibility in choosing your working hours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, if you have a love for children\u2019s learning and development, you\u2019re good at managing people and you\u2019re capable of managing everything from looking after children to marketing to bookkeeping, starting a nursery could be the perfect solution. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-12a3a37d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"12a3a37d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Are nurseries profitable?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b3bb6e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7b3bb6e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running a nursery can be profitable but it needs to be managed well. Startup and running costs can be very high which means you need to find ways to keep costs down and boost your <a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-glossary\/profit-margin\/\">profit margin<\/a>.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your nursery premises will likely be your biggest expenditure and prices will vary depending on your location and the type of premises you\u2019re buying or renting. You might want to buy a building and convert it into a nursery, for example, or you could buy land and build your nursery from scratch. Buying an existing nursery business is another option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On top of this, you need to factor in any necessary renovation costs as well as all the equipment you need to purchase for your nursery. You\u2019ll need appropriate toys and equipment for different age groups and it\u2019s best to buy this new rather than second-hand as safety will be a top priority. Overall, you could be looking at costs of between \u00a310,000 and \u00a3100,000, depending on the size of your business.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other costs to think about include staffing costs, running costs such as energy bills, water and taxes, and food and ingredients. You\u2019ll also need to spend money on marketing and advertising.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help you assess whether your nursery will be profitable, weigh up all these costs and then decide how much you\u2019re going to charge families. Take a look at other nurseries\u2019 fees to help you. You could charge more if you plan to offer other services such as nappies and baby wipes, snacks, meals and days out. You also need to think about how many children you will need to have at the nursery to cover your costs and make sure you\u2019re profitable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s best to create a cash flow forecast for the first year of your business and predict how much money you\u2019ll have coming in. Also think about whether you will offer both full-time and part-time places and what you policy will be for late payments.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be sensible to speak to an accountant or an Early Years specialist who will be able to advise you on all the costs you need to consider and make sure you\u2019re taking a realistic approach to getting your business started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6879388 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"6879388\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/app.swoopfunding.ca\/stage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Apply now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a32811 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3a32811\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What are the steps to opening a nursery?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bdcfce8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bdcfce8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve done your research and decided to pursue your dream of opening a nursery, take a look at the steps below to get your business up and running:<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Registering your day nursery\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your first step is to register your day nursery. The correct regulator will depend on whether you live in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. But before you go ahead, make sure your nursery meets the standards of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You might also require DBS checks and health checks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In England, you must <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/apply-to-register-your-nursery-or-other-daycare-organisation-eyo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">register with Ofsted<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Scotland, you need to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.careinspectorate.com\/index.php\/register-a-care-service\/register-a-care-service-other-than-childminding\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">register with the Care Inspectorate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Wales, you need to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/day-nurseries-wales\/care-and-social-services-inspectorate-wales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">register with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CSSIW).<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Northern Ireland, you must register with your local <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/day-care-services-registration-northern-ireland\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health and Social Services Board<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h3><strong>Taking out the relevant day nursery insurance cover<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another important part of running a day nursery is making sure you have the correct insurance in place. Policies you\u2019ll need include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">Public liability insurance<\/a>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This covers you against costs resulting from third party injury or damage to property while they are on your premises. This could include a child becoming ill due to staff administering non-prescribed medication or a child injuring themselves on play equipment.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-insurance\/employers-liability-insurance\/\">Employer\u2019s liability insurance<\/a>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This pays out if an employee becomes ill or injured as a result of the work they do for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-insurance\/professional-indemnity-insurance\/\">Professional indemnity insurance<\/a>:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This covers you in the event you give out the wrong advice to parents or children. It can cover legal fees and compensation payments.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Commercial property insurance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This pays out if your property is damaged by flooding, fire and theft.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Business interruption insurance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This covers you for loss of income if your nursery has to shut for a period of time due to an unexpected event such as flood or fire damage.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Personal accident insurance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This pays out if you have an accident and cannot work for a set time.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You also need to make sure your insurance covers staff and children when they are away from the premises \u2013 for example, if you\u2019re on a nursery trip.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Food safety and hygiene<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s essential that you follow the correct food safety and hygiene standards. If you\u2019ll be responsible for preparing and handling the nursery\u2019s meals and snacks, you will need to have the correct qualifications as stated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Your nursery needs to have a food hygiene policy that adheres to Ofsted food hygiene requirements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s also the responsibility of the nursery manager to make sure all members of staff receive full training around food hygiene guidelines.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can find out more about food safety requirements on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk\/safeguarding-and-welfare\/food-safety\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the gov.uk website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. There is also a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.food.gov.uk\/business-guidance\/safer-food-better-business-for-childminders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">food safety management pack<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that you can download that will tell you about the regulations needed for storing, cooking and chilling food.<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Health and safety requirements<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll need to adhere to strict health and safety requirements as well. As part of this, you must have health and safety policies in place that cover how you will deal with:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Risk assessments<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evaluation procedures<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintenance<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storing and handling hazardous substances<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fire safety\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Risks and reporting injuries<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These policies will need to be shared with staff and nursery families.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Health and Safety Work Act 1974 outlines the nursery manager\u2019s responsibility to identify possible risks within the nursery setting and use risk assessments to eliminate that risk. Take a look at section three of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/974907\/EYFS_framework_-_March_2021.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which will set out exactly what you\u2019re expected to do to ensure children are safeguarded, the staff working with the children are suitable and safe to do so, good health is promoted, and all mandatory policies are accessible.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some points to be aware of include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">there must be an adequate number of toilets and hand basins available;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">child and adult toilet facilities must be separate;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children must have access to an outdoor play area or outdoor activities must be planned and taken daily;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you must meet set indoor space requirements;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">staff must only release children into the care of individuals who have been notified to the provider by the parent.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least one member of staff on the premises must have paediatric first aid training at all times.<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Staffing regulations<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you fully understand how many staff you need to have present in your nursery per child (this will depend on their age), as well as the number of staff you need to have with specific qualifications.<\/span><\/p><p><b>For children aged under two, you need:<\/b><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least one member of staff for every three children;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least one member of staff with a full and relevant level 3 qualification and experience working with this age group;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least half of all other staff members with a full and relevant qualification of at least level 2;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least half of all other staff members with training specifically relating to the care of babies;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the person in charge of an under-twos room must be suitably experienced in working with this age group.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b>For children aged two you need:<\/b><b><\/b><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least one member of staff for every four children (this is changing to every five children from September 2023);<\/span><\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least one member of staff with a full and relevant level 3 qualification and experience in working with this age group;<\/span><\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least half of all other staff members with a full and relevant qualification of at least level 2.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b>For children aged three and over, you need:<\/b><b><\/b><\/p><ul><li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least one member of staff for every eight children;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least one member of staff with a full and relevant level 3 qualification and experience in working with this age group;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at least half of all other staff members with a full and relevant qualification of at least level 2.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that if a member of staff has a suitable level 6 qualification and they work directly with the children, you can have at least one member of staff for every 13 children when they are aged three and over.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3><strong>Securing funding for your nursery<\/strong><\/h3><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unless you have a stash of cash hidden away somewhere, it\u2019s likely you\u2019ll need to apply for funding to get your nursery up and running. It\u2019s important that you have a business plan ready to help you secure this funding. Your business plan should include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a market analysis;\u00a0<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">financial projections;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your marketing and sales strategy;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how much you plan to charge customers;<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your management team, including the key players involved and what qualifications they have.\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have this ready, you can start exploring the different funding options. As a starting point, it\u2019s worth looking into whether you qualify for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-loans\/startup-loans\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">startup loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These loans are designed specifically to help new businesses launch and expand and can offer a lump sum of up to \u00a325,000. You then repay this money in monthly instalments, with interest added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To qualify, your business must have been trading for no more than 36 months. You must be able to prove that you were unable to obtain a loan from alternative sources and that you can afford the repayments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can\u2019t get a startup loan, you might be able to get a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-loans\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business loan<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from a high-street bank or online lender. These work in a similar way as you borrow a lump sum and then repay it over a set term in monthly instalments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can also be worth checking whether you are eligible for a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-grants\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business grant<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is a sum of money awarded to a business to help it grow and develop. Business grants are usually awarded by the government or other companies and don\u2019t need to be repaid. There are hundreds of different grants you can apply for across the UK, but they are often targeted to specific industries, community groups or types of business, so you\u2019ll need to check whether you qualify.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might also want to try your luck with crowdfunding. This could work well if your local area desperately needs a new nursery. It works by letting you collect money from a large number of people via online platforms like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seedrs.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seedrs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crowdfunder.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crowdfunder<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crowdcube.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crowdcube<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Depending on the type of crowdfunding you use, these people might get a share in the company or a reward in exchange for their investment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/uk\/business-credit-cards\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business credit card<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> could be a useful option for buying new equipment for the nursery or covering unexpected expenses. You can borrow flexibly up to your agreed credit limit and then repay the balance in flexible monthly instalments, with interest usually added. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be64ab0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"be64ab0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Get started with Swoop's business funding platform<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71b77e22 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"71b77e22\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When deciding which finance option is best for your nursery, you\u2019ll need to think about how much funding you actually need, taking into account how much it will cost to get your business up and running as well as your <a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/business-glossary\/operating-costs\/\">operating costs<\/a> for the coming year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re not sure which funding option is right for you, the team of experts at Swoop will be happy to talk through your options and help you find the best solution. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/contact-us\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get in touch today<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-55b9509 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"55b9509\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/app.swoopfunding.ca\/stage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Apply now<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","start-a-business-sectors":[339],"class_list":["post-27019","start-a-business","type-start-a-business","status-publish","hentry","start-a-business-sectors-business-ideas"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","image_blog":"","image_blog_full":"","image_podcast":"","image_banking":"","image_blog_internal":"","image_blog_medium":"","image_single_banking":""},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"<p>Do you have a background in childcare and fancy running your own nursery? This comprehensive guide will explain everything you\u2019ve ever wanted to know about how to start a nursery business. Get a quote Why consider starting a nursery? Running your own nursery business can be a highly rewarding experience. After all, you\u2019ll be heavily involved in children\u2019s early development and can help to give them a good start in life.\u00a0Demand for new childcare settings is also high. With more parents going back to work after having a baby, and as new government schemes are introduced to help parents with&hellip;<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"","author_info_v2":{"name":"Rachel Wait","url":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/author\/rachel-wait\/"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business\/27019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/start-a-business"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business\/27019\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38595,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business\/27019\/revisions\/38595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"start-a-business-sectors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swoopfunding.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/start-a-business-sectors?post=27019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}