In what promises to be a remarkable summer for the UK’s leading nursery franchise, Monkey Puzzle continues its expansion, ensuring the brand is well-prepared for the anticipated surge in demand for early years places over the next few years.
In fact, a recent Early Years Alliance survey revealed that 86% of childcare providers are predicting an increase in demand1. It is therefore crucial for providers like Monkey Puzzle to increase capacity, particularly as the UK government announced plans earlier this year to offer places to two-year-olds and soon to children as young as nine months for eligible families from April and then September, respectively.
For Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries CEO Richard Blunden, the government’s new plans, coupled with the successes of the previous year, have built a solid foundation for expansion. “These next few months are going to be really exciting for us. We want to continue on our growth trajectory as we know demand for our services continues to increase. That’s why we plan to meet this need and service more communities by adding 25-30 nurseries to our franchise network by 2028.
“While we want to increase our capacity, we don’t want to take any shortcuts on the early years education service we are offering – compromising on quality is not an option. We take great pride in the strength of our model, ensuring that we are well prepared to grow whilst maintaining our high standards across all levels of the brand.”
By the start of June, Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries will have two new settings opened. The first in Northampton opened in April. The second, in Wokingham – launched by new franchisee, Dilpreet Singh – will open on 3rd June.
“There has always been a feeling in the back of my mind that my true passion was working in education. Despite not having a background in early years, Monkey Puzzle have been a shining light supporting me through the process of opening Wokingham.
“It feels like a dream come true. Like any journey, there has been ups and downs but Monkey Puzzle have been there every step of the way. The end result is amazing – I can’t wait to open and I’m incredibly excited to see what the future holds!”
Looking to later in the summer, Monkey Puzzle will be busy cementing their growth by adding a further four new nurseries to their roster. The Epsom setting is scheduled to open late July, along with properties for sites in Lightwater, Sevenoaks and Horsham ready to welcome children by September. Later in the year, an additional two sites, City Road in London and Stevenage will open their doors.
“With eight new properties scheduled to open between now and the new year, we believe we’re on course for our 2028 goal,” says Richard Blunden. “We’re also welcoming four new franchisees to our network – we’re very much looking forward to integrating them into our diverse network and seeing where they take their new businesses.”
For more information on franchise investment opportunities with Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries, visit https://monkeypuzzlenurseryfranchise.com/
1 Early Years Alliance, Demand for places in early years education, Feb 2024
