This month marks a special milestone for SMĀĻ°ķ as we celebrate 10 years of supporting children, families and colleagues across the UK.
What began in October 2016 as a shared vision between lifelong friends and co-founders, Ashwin Grover and Varun Chanrai, has grown into a family of more than 60 nurseries, supporting thousands of children during some of the most important years of their lives.
From the acquisition of our very first nursery, Hemsley House Nursery School in Maidstone, to becoming one of the UK's fastest-growing early years providers, our journey has always been guided by a simple belief: exceptional early years education and care should never come at the expense of individuality, community or meaningful relationships.
Today, SMĀĻ°ķ employs more than 2,400 colleagues, provides over 7,700 childcare places and continues to welcome new nurseries into the group, all while preserving the unique character and identity that makes each setting special.
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A vision that remains unchanged
While SMĀĻ°ķ has grown significantly over the past decade, our purpose remains the same: creating better outcomes for children.
Reflecting on the milestone, co-founder Ashwin Grover said:
"When we first started SMĀĻ°ķ, the vision was simple. We wanted to create something that made a genuine difference to children and families, while building a business people enjoyed being part of.
Ten years later, that vision hasn't changed. If anything, it's been strengthened by the incredible people who've joined us along the way, including our CEO, Sarah Mackenzie. Every nursery we've welcomed into the group has taught us something, and many of the ideas that make SMĀĻ°ķ what it is today have come from the talented teams already working within those settings.
The bigger we've become, the more families we're able to support, but growth should never come at the expense of quality. The impact we have on children has always been the measure that matters most."
A decade of growth and achievement
The past five years have been particularly transformative for SMĀĻ°ķ. In 2024, the acquisition of Children 1st added 23 nurseries to the group and accelerated our expansion across England. This year alone, we have expanded into eight new locations, from London to Lancashire.
Alongside growth, we have remained focused on delivering exceptional experiences for children and families.
Over the past year:
- Eight SMĀĻ°ķ nurseries were graded Strong for inclusion under Ofsted's new inspection framework.
- Woodville Preschool in Derbyshire became one of only a small number of settings nationally to achieve three Exceptionaljudgements and was later named Pre-School of the Year at the Nursery World Awards.
- SMĀĻ°ķ received national recognition for sustainability and individual excellence.
- Nineteen nurseries achieved the Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation for their commitment to environmental education and sustainable practice.
- Several SMĀĻ°ķ nurseries and teams were shortlisted at the Nursery Management Today Awards for excellence in SEND provision, inclusion and best practice.
Investing in people
At SMĀĻ°ķ, we know that exceptional nurseries are built by exceptional people.
That's why we've continued to invest in colleague wellbeing, professional development and long-term career opportunities. Last year, we became a Department for Education-approved apprenticeship provider and launched the SMĀĻ°ķ Apprenticeship Academy, helping to attract, train and develop the next generation of early years educators.
This commitment to our people continues to shape the future of our organisation and the experiences we provide for children and families every day.
Looking ahead
CEO Sarah Mackenzie has witnessed SMĀĻ°ķ's growth first-hand, joining the business when the group had fewer than 30 nurseries. She said:
"I joined SMĀĻ°ķ when it had fewer than 30 nurseries. Today, we're a national group supporting thousands of children and families, but what I'm proudest of is that our growth hasn't required us to choose between scale and quality. We've worked hard to build the infrastructure and expertise of a larger organisation while preserving the individuality that makes each nursery special.
Some of the moments I'm proudest of aren't milestones at all. They're the moments you witness in our nurseries every day, whether that's seeing an apprentice qualify, watching a team adapt their approach so a child can be fully included, or hearing from a parent about the difference a nursery has made to their family. Those very human moments are what everything else we achieve is ultimately about.
The first ten years were about building something special. The next ten will be about extending that impact to even more children and families, while staying true to the values that have shaped SMĀĻ°ķ from the very beginning."
As we celebrate 10 years of SMĀĻ°ķ, we're incredibly grateful to the children, families and colleagues who have been part of our journey so far. Together, we've built something special, and we're excited for what comes next.
