'Outstanding’ St Albans day nursery joins Bright Stars Nurseries

Operating for over 20 years under the ownership and guidance of Julie O’Kelly and Bernadette Lee, this beautiful, Ofsted-rated 'Outstanding' nursery is a mainstay within its local community. Offering high-quality care and education for children aged three months to five years, the setting enjoys a consistently high occupancy level, with parents eager to secure a place given its superb reputation and location in the tranquil surroundings of Highfield Park.

The nursery utilises a child-led curriculum and consistently achieves exceptional outcomes for its children, building excellent parental relationships in the process and creating a true family feel within the setting.

Following a confidential sales process with David Eaves at Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Bright Stars Nurseries which now owns 98 settings.

Julie O’Kelly & Bernadette Lee, former owners of Ladybirds Nursery, comment, “We are immensely proud to have founded Ladybirds Nursery in 2002 and led its development into the excellent setting it is today. By nurturing the Ladybirds family, we have been rewarded with a fabulous staff team that we will miss. We look forward to our retirement knowing the nursery will continue to flourish in safe hands.”

Stephen Booty, Chairman at Bright Stars Nurseries, comments, “Ladybirds Nursery has built a remarkable reputation for being a triple ‘Outstanding’ setting, and we couldn't be more excited to welcome them into our group. One of the most compelling aspects of Ladybirds Nursery is its passionate staff - we were immediately impressed by their enthusiasm, expertise, and genuine love for what they do. Their unwavering commitment to the children's well-being and development is truly inspiring.

“Ladybirds Nursery will continue to operate under its well-established name, maintaining the trust and recognition it has earned over the years. We highly value the unique identity and reputation of each nursery within our group, and Ladybirds Nursery will be no exception. Having grown up around the corner in Camp Road I have a very strong affiliation with the local area and indeed, a strong family historical connection to the Highfield Trust, the custodians of the area. To all the families and staff members of Ladybirds Nursery, we extend a warm welcome to you all. We are honoured to have you as part of our family, and we are confident that together, we can create an even brighter future for all the children in our care.”

David Eaves, Director – Childcare & Education at Christie & Co, comments, “It was a pleasure to support Julie and Bernadette with the sale of their ‘Outstanding’ setting. Having established the nursery over 20 years ago, Ladybirds has become the nursery of choice in the local area owing to its unparalleled reputation and ethos of providing exceptional care and education. Single settings of this quality are rarely available in the market, and when an opportunity such as this presents itself there is typically a clamour amongst well-funded experienced operators, resulting in a competitive bidding process and an excellent outcome for our clients.

“This fantastic sale demonstrates the demand in the market for high-quality nurseries, with Hertfordshire and the northern Home Counties high on the list of desirable locations for operators seeking to grow their portfolios.”

Ladybirds Nursery was sold for an undisclosed price.

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For further information on this press release, contact:
Phoebe Burrows, Corporate Communications Manager
P: 07540 063 598 or E: phoebe.burrows@christie.com

Contact the agent:
David Eaves, Director – Childcare & Education
P: 07711 767094 or E: david.eaves@christie.com

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