Case Study: Little Faces Nursery
Overview
Little Faces Nursery founded in 2010 by Stephen Calvert, was created to address the need for flexible childcare, especially for parents working irregular hours.
The nursery operates two locations: one in Hazel Grove near Stepping Hill Hospital and the other near Manchester Airport. Both offer extended hours from 7 am to 7 pm, making it convenient for shift workers at both sites.
Originally accommodating 60 children, Little Faces has grown to nearly 170 places across both locations and employs 57 staff members. Many staff have been with the nursery for over a decade, reflecting its positive work environment, which is especially impressive in a sector facing recruitment and retention challenges.
Little Faces Nursery remains dedicated to flexibility, strong relationships, and providing excellent care for children and staff.
Michelle Plumb was crucial in launching Little Faces Nursery alongside owner Steve in 2010. She served as the nursery manager until 2017 and now works as the Area Manager. In her current role, Michelle oversees the operations of both nursery sites, focusing on staff training, recruitment, and compliance with Ofsted requirements.
Challenge
Before adopting Connect Childcare, Michelle and her team used a homemade database. This system allowed them to print registers and produce basic invoices. However, as the nursery grew and software needs evolved, the database became increasingly unreliable. It struggled with scalability, leading to data inaccuracies and difficulties in managing childcare operations. Challenges included an inability to generate detailed invoices as requested by parents and issues with tracking children’s bookings and managing finances. Additionally, the database lacked the advanced features needed for accurately tracking bookings and grant deductions.
Solution
Since Little Faces is located near Connect Childcare’s head office in Lancashire, the Connect Childcare team invited them for a demonstration of the software. Impressed by its effective management of flexible bookings and overall improvements in operational efficiency, Little Faces decided to implement the system.
The onboarding process was smooth, with a dedicated onboarding manager helping to customise the system to meet their needs. They started with the Connect Childcare Management system and later decided to add iConnect and ParentZone. The software’s user-friendly design made it easy to train the team through both individual and group sessions. The relevant team members received face-to-face training, which allowed them to effectively train their senior staff.
“The use of Connect Childcare has made our operations much more efficient. The invoicing system is reliable, and our senior team now confidently produces accurate invoices for parents. Overall, the benefits have been highly positive. The system is easy to use, which saves us time and greatly improves our efficiency.”
Support from Connect Childcare has been consistently helpful. The new system has significantly enhanced efficiency with accurate invoicing and streamlined administrative tasks, allowing the team to focus more on providing high-quality childcare.
Little Faces Nursery has been using the Connect Childcare solution for over 8 years now and it has transformed the way it manages its operations. The reports section enables management to easily track enquiries, bookings, and other important details, keeping the nursery owner informed about key aspects like FTE and outstanding debts. iConnect and ParentZone are excellent for monitoring children’s development, making it easier to stay on top of their progress. Overall, these tools have been invaluable in improving the nursery’s operations.
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About the Author
Content Marketing Executive at Connect Childcare