What Sherpa Kids Ireland does

Sherpa Kids Ireland is a school-age childcare provider operating before-school, after-school, and holiday programmes for primary-school children across Ireland. Established in 2014 and headquartered in Kinsale, County Cork, the company serves more than 7,000 families daily through a network of 130+ partner primary schools spanning 11 counties. Its core product portfolio comprises three programmes: Rise then Shine (before-school breakfast programmes), Stay and Play (after-school programmes with a Junior Hour extension for infants), and Holiday HQ (multi-activity school-holiday camps with weekly themes, special events, and excursions). All services are Tusla-registered, with Garda-vetted and Children First-certified staff, and operate under the regulated Childcare Act framework.

The company's GTM model is a school-embedded partnership: Sherpa Kids delivers its services on partner school premises in exchange for a revenue-share or flat monthly fee arrangement, while families book and pay directly through the Enrolmy online booking platform or via local school coordinators. Pricing is per-session or per-week-pass, with fees reduced by the National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidy (universal rate €2.14/hour, means-tested up to €3.75/hour). The technology stack is intentionally minimal — Enrolmy for bookings, Storyblok for the website, and no proprietary platform. The company is a subsidiary of Junior Adventures Group (JAG), which acquired it in 2021, providing group-level training, operational infrastructure, and brand backing.

Sherpa Kids differentiates through a structured Adventure Programme curriculum (seven activity categories including Wellbeing Warriors, Super Sports, Global Kids, Flavour Fest, Creative Inventors, Power Teams, and Brain Boosters), a No Phones Policy for safeguarding, and an ecosystem of third-party activity providers (Dublin Zoo, Fota Wildlife Park, Croke Park, Bricks 4 Kidz, Einstein Science Club, MakerMeet, AirMax) that enriches Holiday HQ programming. Marketing is conducted through organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), email newsletters, parent testimonials, and school-driven word-of-mouth. The company employs 123 staff and operates as a private Irish company (Sunago Limited T/A Sherpa Kids Ireland, Company Number 540434). Revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Sherpa Kids Ireland

Legal name

Sunago Limited T/A Sherpa Kids Ireland

Website

https://sherpakids.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sherpa Kids Ireland is a Tusla-registered school-age childcare provider operating before-school, after-school, and holiday programmes across 130+ partner primary schools in 11 counties, serving 7,000+ families daily as a subsidiary of Junior Adventures Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School-Age Childcare Services

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

School-Age Wraparound Childcare Centers (Holiday/Break Care) (EDACAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Extended Day Programs at Preschools & Childcare Centers (EDACAHAB), Holiday, Inset-Day & Break Coverage Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAK)

Keywords

• School-age childcare
• Before-after school care
• Holiday camp programmes
• School partnership model
• Childcare franchise services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kinsale

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Before & After School Care Fees: Sherpa Kids charges families on a per-session, part-session, or week-pass basis for before-school (Rise then Shine), after-school (Stay and Play), and Junior Hour programmes. Fees vary by school location, session length, and child's class year. The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) subsidy is deducted from fees for eligible families.
2. Holiday Programme Fees: Holiday HQ summer camps and multi-activity holiday programmes are charged per day, half-day, or week pass. Additional experience fees apply for special workshops (e.g., LEGO STEM, Cardboard Creations). Pricing varies by location.
3. School Partnership Revenue-Share: Sherpa Kids generates revenue for partner schools through a flat monthly fee or percentage-of-turnover arrangement, providing schools with financial benefit in exchange for facility access. This creates a dual revenue dynamic: fees from families and a revenue-share structure with schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sherpa Kids Ireland delivers school-age childcare programmes for children aged 4–13, embedded within partner primary school premises across Ireland. The core offering comprises before-school care (Rise then Shine), after-school care (Stay and Play / Junior Hour Stay and Play), and holiday programmes (Holiday HQ) including themed multi-activity days, summer special events, and supervised excursions. Service is built on a structured Adventure Programme curriculum and staffed by Tusla-registered, Garda-vetted personnel.

Product overview

Sherpa Kids Ireland operates as a school-age childcare provider offering a unified portfolio of before-school, after-school, and holiday programmes delivered at partner schools across Ireland. The core offering consists of the Adventure Programme framework, which encompasses Rise then Shine (before-school breakfast programmes), Stay and Play (after-school programmes with Junior Hour for infants), and Holiday HQ (school holiday programmes including multi-activity camps, special events, and excursions). The programmes are child-led, with activities split across seven adventure categories (Wellbeing Warriors, Super Sports, Global Kids, Flavour Fest, Creative Inventors, Power Teams, Brain Boosters), and are designed to support families' flexibility while fostering children's physical, emotional, and social development through inclusive play-based activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Holiday HQ: School holiday programmes featuring weekly themes, excursions, special events, and activities including sports, baking, creative arts, and STEM workshops for children aged 4-12.

Products and services

• Rise then Shine Before-school supervised care programme for primary school children, delivered at host partner schools to support working parents needing early-morning cover. Activities are structured around the Adventure Programme framework.
• Stay and Play After-school supervised care programme for primary school children, delivered at host partner schools from school finish until collection, including structured activities, snack, and homework time under the Adventure Programme framework.
• Junior Hour Stay and Play Shorter after-school care session offered as an alternative to the full Stay and Play programme, targeted at families who require cover for a limited window after school dismissal.
• Holiday HQ Holiday-period multi-activity care programme for primary school children delivered during school breaks, including themed activity days, summer special events, and supervised excursions under the Adventure Programme framework.
• Adventure Programme Structured activity curriculum framework used across Sherpa Kids Ireland's childcare programmes, delivered through themed activity blocks and partnerships with activity providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 130 schools and 7,000+ families served daily across 11 counties in Ireland
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• A Lust for LifeminorOthers · 1 January 2024In 2024, Sherpa Kids partnered with A Lust for Life as their Charity of Choice, dedicated to supporting the mental health of primary school children in Ireland. This is a charity partnership providing community impact rather than a commercial or product partnership.
• Dublin ZoominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDublin Zoo is partnered with Sherpa Kids as an excursion destination for Holiday HQ summer programmes, providing children with wildlife experiences as part of their holiday activities.
• Fota Wildlife ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFota Wildlife Park is partnered with Sherpa Kids as an excursion destination for Holiday HQ summer programmes, offering children wildlife encounters.
• Croke ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCroke Park is partnered with Sherpa Kids as an excursion destination for Holiday HQ summer programmes, providing sporting and heritage experiences for children.
• Bricks 4 KidzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBricks 4 Kidz delivers LEGO STEM workshops at selected Sherpa Kids Holiday HQ locations during summer camps, providing hands-on engineering and creativity activities for children.
• Einstein Science ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEinstein Science Club partners with Sherpa Kids to deliver science and STEM club activities at selected Holiday HQ locations during summer camp.
• MakerMeetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMakerMeet delivers cardboard creation and making workshops at selected Sherpa Kids Holiday HQ locations, providing hands-on creative construction activities for children during summer camp.
• AirMaxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAirMax provides bouncy castle and inflatable activity experiences at selected Sherpa Kids Holiday HQ summer camp locations.
• Junior Adventures GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSherpa Kids joined the Junior Adventures Group in 2021. Junior Adventures Group is the parent company of Sherpa Kids Ireland. The group provides operational infrastructure, training frameworks, and a shared brand ecosystem for its childcare portfolio companies. This is a corporate ownership/partnership that provides Sherpa Kids with national-level resources, sector-leading training, and brand backing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Giraffe Childcare & Montessori: One of Ireland's largest private childcare and Montessori operators with multiple centre locations. Directly comparable to Sherpa Kids as a national private childcare provider serving working families, though Giraffe's model is centre-based rather than school-embedded.
• ABC Start Right: Irish childcare chain providing before/after school, preschool, and full-day care. Closest direct competitor in the school-age childcare segment that operates within school settings in Ireland.
• Kids Inc. (Ireland): Irish provider of after-school, breakfast club, and holiday camp services operating in primary schools. Direct competitor using a similar school-embedded delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Junior Adventures Group (parent portfolio): Sherpa Kids Ireland's parent company and a multi-brand operator of school-age childcare and OSHC services across multiple geographies. Relevant as both parent and as a portfolio peer showcasing the broader category strategy.
• Busy Bees: Largest UK private nursery and childcare operator with global presence. Comparable as a scaled, multi-country private childcare platform facing similar regulatory, subsidy, and labour dynamics in adjacent markets.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Global provider of employer-sponsored childcare, early education, and back-up care. Comparable in serving working parents via institutional partnerships, though primarily centre-based rather than school-embedded.

Regional players

• Little Stars Childcare (Ireland): Regional Irish childcare provider operating preschool, after-school, and holiday camp programmes. Comparable as a smaller-scale competitor in overlapping Irish geographies.
• Childminding Ireland: National organisation supporting registered childminders in Ireland. Indirect competitor for the working-family childcare segment, particularly for parents preferring home-based care over centre- or school-based care.

Emerging players

• N Family Club: UK nursery and out-of-school club operator with a premium positioning. Comparable as a multi-site private operator focused on working-family childcare in regulated markets.

Others

• PGL Travel: UK-based activity camp and school-trip operator with holiday programme services. Comparable on the holiday-programme / activity-camp segment that overlaps with Sherpa Kids' Holiday HQ offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SherpaKidsIreland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sherpa-kids-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/sherpakidsireland

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sherpa Kids Ireland