What Tops Day Nurseries does

Tops Day Nurseries is a UK private early-years education and childcare provider operating over 30 nursery settings and 8-12 holiday clubs across six counties in the South and Southwest of England (Dorset, Hampshire, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, and the Isle of Wight). The company serves children from approximately 9 months to 11 years, with day nursery services for 0-5 year-olds structured around the Early Years Foundation Stage and wraparound breakfast, after-school, and holiday provision for 5-11 year-olds. Customers are predominantly working families accessing either government-funded entitlements (9-month-old, 2-year-old, 30-hour extended) or private fee packages, with additional institutional access through NHS Trust site prioritisation and the Workplace Nursery Benefit Scheme.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining subscription-style all-inclusive packages (30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 hours per week covering meals, enrichment activities, and consumables), government-funded hourly streams with optional add-ons, private hourly fees, and holiday club sessions. Pricing is set per nursery and age cohort with monthly billing. The technology layer is built on third-party platforms — eyLog for parent communication and learning journals, Shift Booker for flexible shift-based session booking, MyTops as an online family hub, and a web-based payment platform — with no proprietary AI or core platform disclosed.

The group operates under Hadland Care Group Limited (parent) alongside the Aspire Training Team apprenticeship subsidiary and Reside Care Home Limited adult-care subsidiary, and has transitioned to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) structure. The company is the first UK day nursery to hold B Corp certification, the first UK nursery group to achieve Green Flag certifications at every setting, and received both the Queen's and King's Awards for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. Founder and Managing Director Cheryl Hadland continues to lead the business and chairs an All Party Parliamentary Group lobbying for early-years sector funding reform.

Name

Tops Day Nurseries

Legal name

Tops Day Nursery Limited

Website

https://topsdaynurseries.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Tops Day Nurseries is a UK private early-years childcare and education provider operating over 30 nursery settings and 8-12 holiday clubs across six South and Southwest England counties, serving children from 9 months to 11 years via funded entitlements, all-inclusive subscription packages, and private fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Years Childcare and Nursery Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Day Childcare Centers (EDACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

School-Age Wraparound Childcare Centers (Holiday/Break Care) (EDACAAAL), Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB)

Keywords

• Early years childcare
• Day nursery services
• Holiday club childcare
• Government funded childcare
• Forest school nursery

Headquarters

HQ city

Bournemouth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Fee Packages: Families not accessing government funding, or needing hours beyond their entitlement, pay private fees. Options include an hourly rate or all-inclusive packages (30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 hours per week). Packages cover meals, enrichment activities, nappies, and other essentials.
2. Government-Funded Childcare Hours: Tops administers government-funded hours for eligible families (9-month-old funding, 2-year-old funding, 3 and 4-year-old funding, and 30-hour extended entitlement). Parents pay for top-up hours, meals, consumables, and optional activities above the funded entitlement.
3. Holiday Club: Holiday clubs offer breakfast, after-school, and holiday activities for 5-11 year olds (and 5-8 year olds at Havant), providing additional revenue across 12 club locations.
4. Optional Add-On Charges: Additional revenue streams include optional Consumables & Sundries charges (voluntary £5.70/day), meal charges (breakfast, lunch, tea), and enrichment activities not included in base packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tops Day Nurseries provides full-day nursery care and early years education for children aged 3 months to 5 years across over 30 settings in the South and Southwest of England, alongside 8 holiday clubs for school-age children aged 5–11. The company delivers the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum supplemented by enrichment activities including Tops Cooking School, Tops Forest Skills, and Tops Skills School. It administers government-funded childcare hours, offers private all-inclusive packages (30–50 hours/week), and operates an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) structure.

Product overview

Tops Day Nurseries operates as a multi-site early childhood education and care provider offering day nursery services, holiday clubs, and early years education programmes across over 30 settings in the South and Southwest of England. The core offering includes flexible childcare packages (Full Time Discount Package, Basic Funding Package, and Private Fees Package) that serve children from 3 months to 11 years. The company differentiates through its sustainability-focused approach and enrichment activities including Tops Cooking School, Tops Forest Skills, and Tops Skills School. Technology platforms including eyLog for parent communication, MyTops online family hub, and Shift Booker for flexible session booking support the service delivery across all settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Day Nursery Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Tops Wimborne celebrated 25 years of operation in 2026, serving thousands of local children and families.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hadland Care Group LimitedcoreOthersHadland Care Group Limited is the parent holding company of Tops Day Nursery Limited, Tops Day Nurseries Limited, Aspire Training Team Limited, and Reside Care Home Limited. All group companies are incorporated in England and Wales and share the registered office at 3 Wollaston Road, Bournemouth, BH6 4AR.
• Aspire Training Team LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAspire Training Team Limited is a subsidiary of Hadland Care Group and provides apprenticeship and training services. Tops Day Nurseries won the Dorset Commuter Challenge jointly with Aspire Training Team for sustainable travel efforts. Aspire delivers Level 1–5 childcare qualifications and apprenticeships to Tops colleagues.
• Harvest Fine FoodsminorOthersHarvest Fine Foods is a food supplier that provides fresh, locally sourced ingredients daily to Tops nurseries. This partnership supports Tops' no-added-sugar menus, balanced nutrition goals, and sustainability commitments.
• Trosnant Primary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTops Havant is based on the premises of Trosnant Primary School, with whom Tops has a strong partnership and working relationship. Tops also provides school drop-off and collection services to local schools from some nursery locations.
• Surfers Against SewageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurfers Against Sewage awarded Tops Havant the Plastic Free Schools title — the first day nursery in the UK to achieve this. Tops actively supports Surfers Against Sewage campaigns to tackle plastic pollution.
• Havant & Waterlooville Football ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHavant & Waterlooville Football Club participated in the opening of Tops Havant's new preschool building, providing a mini football session for preschool children. This community partnership supports brand visibility and community engagement.
• MorebusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMorebus ran an out-of-home advertising campaign featuring a Tops Day Nurseries child across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP), promoting Tops' flexible childcare services. This advertising partnership boosted regional brand awareness.
• NHS Trusts (multiple)minorOthersTops operates nursery settings on NHS Trust sites where NHS staff parents are given priority access to childcare places. This partnership provides Tops with occupied places and gives NHS workers access to nearby childcare.
• Portsdown View Care HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTops Havant hosts intergenerational events with residents from Portsdown View Care Home, including Valentine's Stay & Play mornings. These events create meaningful community connections across generations.
• DACEM / Bournemouth Chinese Dance TroupeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bournemouth Chinese Dance Troupe (DACEM) performed at Tops Pokesdown for Chinese New Year 2026 celebrations. This cultural partnership enriches children's understanding of different traditions and aligns with Tops' diversity and inclusion values.
• Local MPs (Simon Hoare, Tom Hayes)minorOthersTops has engaged with local MPs including Simon Hoare (pre-pandemic visit to Tops Gillingham) and Tom Hayes MP (World Book Day visit). Tops' Managing Director leads an All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Early Years Education to campaign for fairer sector funding and business rates reform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Busy Bees Nurseries: One of the largest UK nursery chains with several hundred settings, offering full-day childcare, holiday clubs and government-funded places. Directly comparable multi-site nursery operator with overlapping customer base (working families) and identical regulatory and funding model.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: International nursery group with a substantial UK footprint providing full-day nursery care, holiday clubs and employer-sponsored places. Closest listed peer given shared B2B employer-partnership channel (workplace nursery benefit) and broad age range served.
• Childbase Partnership: UK employee-owned nursery group operating around 50 settings with full-day care, holiday clubs and government-funded offerings. Highly comparable on multi-site model, EOT ownership structure and quality/Ofsted positioning.
• N Family Club: Premium UK nursery chain focused on full-day childcare with strong employer partnerships and a digital parent app. Comparable premium positioning, employer-channel go-to-market and parent-experience investment.
• Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries: UK franchise-based nursery network offering full-day childcare and holiday clubs across many regions. Comparable multi-site nursery services, age range (0–5) and government-funded hours administration.
• Partou Childcare: Netherlands-headquartered nursery group with a growing UK estate providing full-day childcare, funded hours and holiday clubs. Comparable multi-site model, age band and B2C/B2B2C channel mix.
• Grandir UK (formerly Grandir & Plus): UK-based nursery group (part of international Grandir network) operating full-day nursery settings and holiday clubs. Comparable multi-site operating model and regulatory environment.

Broad incumbents

• Kidsunlimited (Bright Horizons): UK nursery brand operating within Bright Horizons' broader portfolio, offering full-day nursery care and funded hours. Comparable full-day nursery service and customer profile, though positioned as part of a wider group portfolio.

Others

• Pre-school Learning Alliance (now Early Years Alliance): UK membership body supporting nurseries and pre-schools with training, compliance and sector advocacy. Comparable in that it shapes the regulatory and operating environment for nurseries like Tops, but does not directly compete for parents.
• National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA): UK trade association representing day nurseries, providing training, lobbying and awards (including NDNA Team of the Year which Tops has won). Adjacent sector body rather than a competitor, but a comparable ecosystem participant.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/topsdaynursery
• Facebookfacebook.com/TopsHeadOffice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tops-day-nurseries
• Instagraminstagram.com/topsdaynurseries

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tops Day Nurseries