First Friends Ltd

Name

First Friends Ltd

Legal name

First Friends Ltd

Website

https://firstfriendsltd.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Day Nursery / Early Childhood Education Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Half-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAC)

Keywords

• Day nursery services
• Early childhood education
• Childcare preschool programs
• Family run nursery
• Outdoor learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Denmead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Childcare Fees - Non-Funded Hours: Parents pay hourly rates for childcare beyond government-funded hours. Morning sessions from 8am-1pm, afternoon sessions 1pm-6pm, full days 8am-6pm. Rates vary by location (Alton: £7.45/hour, other locations: £7.20/hour). Additional charges for food and Premium Package.
2. Government Funded Childcare: Company accepts government childcare funding including 15/30 hours free childcare for eligible families. Funding is stretched across 51 weeks. Parents may pay additional top-up fees for food and Premium Package beyond funded hours.
3. Enrolment Fees and Deposits: One-time enrolment fee/deposit to secure child's place. Standard fee £100 (currently £66 special offer), government-funded deposit £30 (currently £19.66 special offer). £30 refunded when child starts.
4. Premium Package Add-on: Optional enhanced curriculum package including Movement & Mindfulness, Earth Explorers, Thoughtful Food, and Makaton sessions. Priced at £1.50-£3.00 per session or day.
5. Breakfast Club: Optional add-on service at Basingstoke nursery from 8.30am-9am. Additional £5.00 per session (£2.50 for government-funded families).
6. Optional Add-ons: Additional charges for nappies & wipes (50p-£1.00 per session), late collection fees (£1.00 per minute), and late payment fees (£25.00).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

First Friends Ltd operates a family-run group of six Ofsted-registered day nurseries across Hampshire, providing full-day, half-day, and term-time childcare and early years education for children from 3 months to 5 years. The offering combines core EYFS childcare with a Premium Package of enhancement programmes (Earth Explorers, Movement & Mindfulness, Thoughtful Food, Makaton) and accepts UK government-funded hours.

Product overview

First Friends Ltd operates a family-run group of six award-winning day nurseries across Hampshire, offering premium childcare and early years education for children from 6 months to 5 years. The core offering is the First Friends Day Nursery service, which includes a Premium Package of enhanced curriculum elements: Earth Explorers Programme (outdoor learning), Movement & Mindfulness Programme (physical and emotional development), Thoughtful Food Programme (nutrition and food education), and Makaton Communication. Additional services include Ask Our Experts (parental Q&A), Play and Learn at Home resources, and an Events Programme. The company also offers FlexForce as a flexible staffing solution. Nurseries operate across Denmead, New Milton, Holybourne, Basingstoke, Eastleigh, and Alton locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlexForce: A flexible staffing solution providing cover for educators on leave, unwell, or attending training across First Friends' six Hampshire nurseries.

Products and services

• First Friends Day Nursery (Core Childcare Service) Family-run group of award-winning Ofsted-registered day nurseries providing premium childcare and early years education for children from 3 months to 5 years across six Hampshire locations (Denmead, New Milton, Holybourne, Basingstoke, Eastleigh, Alton). Includes flexible booking options (morning, afternoon, full-day, term-time), accepts UK government 15/30 hours funded childcare, and incorporates settling-in sessions and SENDco support.
• Earth Explorers Programme Outdoor learning experience inspired by Forest School, featuring child-led play and hands-on exploration to nurture curiosity, independence, and connection with nature for children across all First Friends nurseries.
• Movement & Mindfulness Programme Weekly programme combining movement, yoga and mindfulness activities to support children's physical development, emotional wellbeing, and self-confidence; delivered across all First Friends nursery settings.
• Thoughtful Food Programme Food programme involving children in planting, growing vegetables and preparing meals, designed to help children understand nutrition, develop independence and build positive relationships with food.
• Makaton Communication Programme Communication programme teaching Makaton signs and symbols to children, combining speech with signs to support early communication development across all settings.
• Premium Package Add-on Optional paid add-on bundle beyond basic EYFS, including Movement & Mindfulness sessions, Earth Explorers sessions, Makaton teaching, family events, high-quality learning resources, fresh home-cooked meals, and everyday essentials (hats, sun cream, toothbrush, nappies, wipes).

Quantifiable outcome

• 223+ five-star parent reviews on daynurseries.co.uk
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Naomi House & JacksplaceminorOthers · 1 January 2026Charity partner for 2026. Naomi House & Jacksplace is a hospice providing care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions. First Friends supports through fundraising activities and events throughout the year.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Childbase Partnership: Employee-owned UK nursery group operating premium day nurseries. Comparable on multi-site premium positioning, though with employee-owned rather than family-owned structure.
• Mama Bear's Day Nursery: Mid-sized independent nursery group with multiple sites in southern England. Comparable on multi-site premium nursery positioning and family-focused brand.
• Tops Day Nurseries: UK south-coast focused nursery group with multiple sites across Hampshire/Dorset area. Direct geographic overlap and similar multi-site operating model.
• N Family Club: Premium UK nursery chain with branded curriculum and parent-focused digital experience. Closest direct competitor to First Friends in positioning, fee tier, and enhanced curriculum model.
• Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries: Franchise-based UK nursery network with branded curriculum and central support. Comparable as a branded multi-site operator; differs via franchise rather than corporate-owned model.

Broad incumbents

• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large listed/near-listed UK and US nursery operator with premium positioning. Comparable on quality tier and parent-tech; much larger and broader footprint.
• Kidsunlimited (Bright Horizons): UK nursery brand now part of Bright Horizons; comparable premium positioning and curriculum focus. Part of a much larger corporate parent.
• Grandir UK: UK arm of international Grandir Group operating multiple nurseries. Comparable multi-site operator; benefits from international group backing.
• Busy Bees Nurseries: UK's largest nursery group operating hundreds of settings nationally. Comparable as a multi-site nursery operator; differs by scale, geographic spread, and PE-backed ownership.

Regional players

• Partou Childcare: Major Dutch nursery operator with UK sites, recently expanded into southern England. Adjacent multi-site operator with European scale advantages.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstFriendsDayNursery
• Instagraminstagram.com/ff_nurseries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-friends-day-nursery

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 First Friends Ltd