The Pumpkin Patch

What The Pumpkin Patch does

The Pumpkin Patch Children's Nursery is an independently run, privately-owned childcare provider operating from a single three-floor facility at 28 St Andrew Street in North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland. The nursery serves local families with children from baby age through pre-school, structured into three age-segregated playrooms — Little Pumpkin (1–2 years), Little Puffins (2–3 years), and Rainbow Room (3–5 years) — with licensed capacity for up to 60 children. Service hours run Monday to Friday, 7:30am–6pm, offering morning, afternoon, and full-day sessions, plus a daily outdoor-adventures programme that leverages proximity to North Berwick's beaches, parks, library, and care homes as a core differentiator.

The business operates on a subscription-recurring revenue model with monthly billing for fee-paying sessions and longer-cycle contracts for funded/blended models. Revenue is generated through three streams: direct childcare session fees, Scottish government funded hours for 3–5 year olds delivered under partnership with East Lothian Council (including multiple blended models that combine council nursery attendance with additional hours at Pumpkin Patch), and legacy childcare voucher acceptance. Pricing is not publicly listed and requires direct inquiry. Enrichment offerings include weekly French classes delivered by external tutor Vero since 2015 using the Mini Languages methodology, plus a Grandparents Programme that provides 25% fee discounts and Paycare benefits to grandparents who join the staff — an unconventional workforce and demand-generation lever.

The company employs between 11 and 50 staff, led by a Nursery Manager with 23 years of childcare experience who has run the setting since June 2016 and is progressing toward a PDA Childhood Practice qualification, supported by a Deputy Manager with a lifelong early-years background. The nursery operates under Scottish Care Inspectorate regulation, adheres to the GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) national framework, implements safeguarding procedures including the Safecall independent reporting service, and partners with East Lothian Council on both funded hours and a Green Travel Plan. No proprietary technology, mobile app, or digital platform supports the operation; the business is delivered through a standard WordPress website, phone-based inquiries, and in-person service delivery.

Name

The Pumpkin Patch

Legal name

Pumpkin Patch Children's Nursery

Website

https://pumpkinpatchnursery.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Independently run nursery in North Berwick, Scotland providing childcare and early education for up to 60 children from babies to pre-school, serving local East Lothian families through three age-segregated rooms, East Lothian Council funded hours, and a nature-based outdoor learning programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childcare Services (Early Childhood Education)

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursery School Programs (2–4 Years) (EDACACAB), Half-Day Nursery Programs (EDACACAC), Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB), Nursery School Readiness & Transition Programs (EDACACAL), Nursery School Wraparound Care (Extended Hours) (EDACACAG)

Keywords

• Childcare services
• Early childhood education
• Nursery day care
• Pre-school child care
• Outdoor learning activities

Headquarters

HQ city

North Berwick

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Childcare Session Fees: Morning sessions (7:30am-12:50pm), afternoon sessions (1:10-6pm), and full day sessions (7:30am-6pm). Fees include quality childcare, spacious playrooms with age-appropriate resources, outdoor play areas with access to natural spaces, breakfast, morning & afternoon snacks, activities & extracurricular classes, and parent communications including newsletters & parent's evenings.
2. Government Funding: Partnership with East Lothian Council to provide 3-5 year old funding. Funded model offering 22.8 hours over 50 weeks, plus blended models for children attending council settings with additional hours at Pumpkin Patch.
3. Childcare Vouchers: Accepts all childcare vouchers (no longer available for new families).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Pumpkin Patch is an independently run children's nursery located at 28 St Andrew Street, North Berwick, East Lothian. It provides full-day, morning, and afternoon childcare and early education sessions for children from babies to pre-school age (up to 60 children), organised across three age-specific rooms (Little Pumpkin for 1-2 years, Little Puffins for 2-3 years, Rainbow Room for 3-5 years). The nursery delivers a child-led learning programme complemented by daily outdoor excursions to beaches, parks, the library, and care homes, plus French classes and partnership-funded 3-5 year old childcare hours through East Lothian Council.

Product overview

The Pumpkin Patch Children's Nursery is an independently run day nursery offering integrated childcare and early education services for children from babies to pre-school (up to 60 children capacity). The service is structured across three distinct rooms—Little Pumpkin (1-2 years), Little Puffins (2-3 years), and Rainbow Room (3-5 years)—providing age-appropriate care and learning. Additional offerings include French language classes using the Mini Languages methodology, daily outdoor adventures to local community destinations (beaches, parks, library), and partnership with East Lothian Council for government-funded childcare for 3-5 year olds. The nursery operates Monday-Friday 7:30am-6pm from its three-floor facility in North Berwick.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Morning Session Morning childcare session running Monday-Friday 7:30am to 12:50pm for children from babies to pre-school age, with quality childcare, access to age-appropriate playrooms, breakfast, morning snacks, and outdoor learning activities.
• Afternoon Session Afternoon childcare session running Monday-Friday 1:10pm to 6pm for children from babies to pre-school age, with quality childcare, age-appropriate playrooms, afternoon snacks, and outdoor learning activities.
• Full Day Session Full-day childcare session running Monday-Friday 7:30am to 6pm, including breakfast, morning and afternoon snacks, meals, age-appropriate playrooms, and outdoor learning activities for children from babies to pre-school age.
• 3-5 Year Old Funded Childcare Government-funded childcare sessions for eligible 3-5 year olds delivered through a partnership with East Lothian Council, providing 22.8 hours over 50 weeks and a range of blended models combining council nursery attendance with Pumpkin Patch sessions.
• French Classes Weekly French language classes for children attending the nursery, delivered by Vero, an Early Years French Tutor, using the Mini Languages methodology built on music, movement, play, and positivity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Capacity for up to 60 children from Baby to Pre-School

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• East Lothian CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with East Lothian Council to provide 3-5 year old funding. The nursery participates in the Scottish government funded childcare program, offering funded sessions and blended models for children attending council nursery settings. Also partners on Green Travel Plan to support sustainable travel to and from the nursery.
• Vero (Early Years French Tutor)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal French tutor delivering language classes at the nursery since 2015. Vero uses Mini Languages methodology based on music, movement, play and positivity. Mother to three bilingual children, bringing personal experience to the classes.
• SafecallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnonymous independent reporting service for safeguarding concerns. Staff and parents can report issues online at www.safecall.co.uk/report or by telephone 0800 915 1571. Posters displayed around nursery for awareness.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Childbase Partnership: UK employee-owned nursery group with sites across southern England. Comparable core offering of full-day nursery care with funded hour uptake, but with multi-site scale and central back-office support functions.
• Kidsunlimited (Bright Horizons): UK nursery brand operating under Bright Horizons, offering full-day early years care and funded places. Comparable core offering but integrated within a larger group with centralised resources.
• N Family Club: Premium London and South East UK nursery chain. Similar in providing full-day, funded-hour-integrated nursery care for 0-5s, but operates a multi-site premium positioning with central operational infrastructure Pumpkin Patch lacks.
• Tops Day Nurseries: UK-wide nursery chain offering full-day care, funded places and wraparound for 0-5s. Comparable in service mix (sessions, funded hours, meals included) but operates from multiple sites with centralised curriculum.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Global premium nursery and early-education provider operating in the UK. Comparable in age range and full-day care model, but serves corporate employer-sponsored clients and operates at much larger scale than a single independent site.
• Partou Childcare: European nursery group with UK sites, offering full-day care and funded places for 0-5s. Comparable core service but operates across multiple countries and sites with standardised curriculum.
• Co-operative Childcare: UK nursery chain part of the Co-op group, providing full-day childcare with funded hour uptake. Comparable in service range for 0-5s, but with multi-site infrastructure and brand association Pumpkin Patch does not have.
• Busy Bees Nurseries: UK's largest nursery chain with hundreds of sites, offering full-day childcare for 0-5 year olds. Directly comparable in core service (day nursery for pre-school children) but operates at national chain scale with different cost structure and curriculum consistency.

Regional players

• Storal Learning: Growing UK nursery group with sites focused in the Midlands and Home Counties. Comparable full-day nursery model with government funded places, but operates regionally and at small-chain scale closer to Pumpkin Patch than to Busy Bees.

Direct peers

• London Early Years Foundation (LEYF): UK charitable nursery network focused on high-quality, community-based early years education for 0-5s, including funded places. Most directly comparable peer in mission (community-embedded, child-led learning) though operating across London sites rather than a single rural setting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/350775102052459
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-pumpkin-patch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Pumpkin Patch