Family First Nursery Group
Family First Nursery Group is a privately held UK childcare provider operating 97-100 nurseries across 14+ regions under ten distinct brands, serving 10,000+ families with children aged 3 months to 5 years through subscription-based early years education, government-funded childcare, and SEND-inclusive practice.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Family First Nursery Group does
Family First Nursery Group (legal name: Family First Nurseries Group) is a privately held UK childcare provider founded in 2019 and headquartered in London. The group operates 97-100 nursery settings across 14+ regions of England — including London, Surrey, Essex, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Southampton, Portsmouth, and Colchester — under ten distinct brands (Cherry Childcare, Davidson Roberts, Footsteps, Just Imagine, Kids Play, Little Garden, Orchard House, Play Away, Poppies, Woodberry) alongside a portfolio of independent nurseries, each retaining its local identity while receiving group-wide investment and quality oversight.
The group serves families with children aged 3 months to 5 years, providing early years education aligned with the UK EYFS framework, inclusive practice for children with SEND, forest school and outdoor learning, government-funded childcare (15 and 30 hours), flexible booking (including stretched funding over 51 weeks), and parent communication via the third-party Famly App. Core technology is conventional: standard nursery management systems, network-isolated internal tablets for learning observation capture with central monitoring for safeguarding, and GDPR-compliant data handling. There are no disclosed proprietary AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or SDKs.
The business model is subscription-recurring: families pay weekly or monthly fees, with government childcare funding deducted and families paying the difference for additional hours and extras (meals, nappies, trips, enhanced curriculum). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via website search, open house events, personalised nursery tours, and an in-house Customer Experience Admissions Team. Growth since founding has been driven almost entirely by serial acquisition of established nursery groups rather than greenfield expansion.
Family First Nursery Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Family First Nursery Group
- Legal name
- Family First Nurseries Group
- Website
- https://familyfirstnurseries.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Family First Nursery Group is a privately held UK childcare provider operating 97-100 nurseries across 14+ regions under ten distinct brands, serving 10,000+ families with children aged 3 months to 5 years through subscription-based early years education, government-funded childcare, and SEND-inclusive practice.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Family First Nursery Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Years Childcare Services
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (6244), Child Care Services (624410)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nursery School Programs (2–4 Years) (EDACACAB), Center-Based Toddler Care (18–36 months) (EDACAGAB), Nursery School Readiness & Transition Programs (EDACACAL)
Keywords
Where Family First Nursery Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices11 records
Markets served
Family First Nursery Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Childcare Fees: Families pay recurring weekly or monthly fees for nursery care. Government childcare funding (15 hours and 30 hours for eligible working families) is accepted and deducted from fees, with families paying the difference for additional hours. Additional charges apply for 'essentials and extras' including meals, nappies, wipes, sun cream, trips, and extra curriculum activities.
- Government Childcare Funding: Acceptance of UK government childcare funding schemes including 15 hours free childcare for all 3-4 year olds, 30 hours free childcare for eligible working families, and stretched funding options over 51 weeks. Funding is allocated pro-rata throughout the year.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Full-week childcare with government funding support |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Family First Nursery Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Family First Nursery Group operates 97+ children's nurseries across the UK under 10 distinct brands plus independent settings, providing early years childcare and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years. Services follow the EYFS framework, accept UK government childcare funding (15/30 hours), and include SEND-inclusive practice, forest school activities, and parent communication via the Famly App.
Product overview
Family First Nurseries Group is a UK-based childcare provider operating 97 nurseries across 14 locations. The company offers a portfolio of 10 group brands (Cherry Childcare, Davidson Roberts, Footsteps, Just Imagine, Kids Play, Little Garden, Orchard House, Play Away, Poppies, Woodberry) plus independent nurseries. All settings receive group-wide investment, support, and quality standards while maintaining individual character. Services cover children from 3 months to 5 years, offering early years education aligned with the EYFS framework, with additional services including government childcare funding support, parent communication apps, and flexible booking options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Family First Group Nursery Brands
- Independent Nurseries
Quantifiable outcome
- 9.3/10 average parent review score based on 4702 reviews
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Family First Nursery Group
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Family First Nursery Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Family First Nursery Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- UK Government (Childcare Funding Schemes)coreFamily First accepts UK government childcare funding including 15 hours free childcare for all 3-4 year olds, 30 hours free childcare for eligible working families (from 9 months from September 2025), Tax-Free Childcare, and Universal Credit Childcare support. Funding is administered through gov.uk eligibility checks and provides up to 570 hours annually per child.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Family First Nursery Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Busy Bees Nurseries: One of the largest UK nursery operators with around 350+ nurseries. Directly comparable to Family First in offering full-day childcare, government-funded hours, and multi-site operating model across the UK.
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Major UK and US nursery chain operating hundreds of settings under employer-sponsored and standalone models. Direct competitor for premium nursery placements, particularly in London and South East where Family First is concentrated.
- N Family Club: Premium UK nursery group operating around 40+ settings, focused on high-quality early years education in London and the South East. Comparable positioning to Family First's premium brands with similar target demographic.
- Childbase Partnership: UK employee-owned nursery group operating around 50+ settings. Directly comparable as a multi-site UK nursery operator with similar age ranges (3 months–5 years) and government funding acceptance.
- Babilou Family UK: European early years operator (formerly Kidsunlimited) with a UK nursery portfolio acquired via acquisition. Operates comparable full-day nursery services for 0–5 year olds across the UK.
- Grandir UK (formerly Asquith): UK nursery chain operating around 60+ nurseries, part of the Grandir Group. Comparable multi-site operator with similar EYFS-aligned curriculum and government-funded hour acceptance.
- Tops Day Nurseries: South England-focused nursery group with around 25+ settings. Directly comparable in offering full-day nursery care with government funding support and a multi-site operating model.
- Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries: UK nursery franchise network with 80+ settings, comparable in size to Family First. Similar target market of working families and similar reliance on government-funded childcare hours.
Emerging players
- Little Learners Day Nurseries: Smaller UK nursery group with selective geographic presence. Comparable in offering full-day early years education but at smaller scale than Family First.
Others
- Ofsted: UK regulator that inspects and rates nurseries including all Family First settings. Not a peer but a critical ecosystem participant whose inspection grades directly influence parent demand across the network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Family First Nursery Group social profiles
Digital presenceFamily First Nursery Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Family First Nursery Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Family First Nursery Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Family First Nursery Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Family First Nursery Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Family First Nursery Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Family First Nursery Group
What does Family First Nursery Group do?
Family First Nursery Group operates 97+ children's nurseries across the UK under 10 distinct brands plus independent settings, providing early years childcare and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years. Services follow the EYFS framework, accept UK government childcare funding (15/30 hours), and include SEND-inclusive practice, forest school activities, and parent communication via the Famly App.
Is Family First Nursery Group a public or private company?
Family First Nursery Group is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Family First Nursery Group founded?
Family First Nursery Group was founded in 2019. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Family First Nursery Group based?
Family First Nursery Group is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Family First Nursery Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Childcare Fees are the primary driver. The others are government Childcare Funding.
Who are Family First Nursery Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Busy Bees Nurseries, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, N Family Club, Childbase Partnership, Babilou Family UK, Grandir UK (formerly Asquith), Tops Day Nurseries and Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries. Little Learners Day Nurseries is listed as an emerging player. Ofsted is listed as an others.
Does Family First Nursery Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Family First Nursery Group.
What industry is Family First Nursery Group in?
Family First Nursery Group's product category is Early Years Childcare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACACAD, Full-Day Nursery Programs, with a secondary code of EDACACAB, Nursery School Programs (2–4 Years). Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.