Treetops Nursery Bootle
Treetops Nursery Bootle is a privately run day nursery caring for children aged three months to five years. The nursery and its staff are committed to providing an outstanding, safe, and nurturing environment, fostering a passion for lifelong learning and play. This dedication ensures that every child is confident and well-prepared for the next stage of their education.
The nursery operates from a spacious two-storey premises, featuring dedicated areas for each age group and an excellent outdoor area, designed to encourage play, interaction, and engaging learning activities.
Challenge
Following an initial site visit to Treetops Nursery, the Horizons teams at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) recognised various opportunities for additional value through innovation. The team assessed existing processes and learner support packages to make recommendations that would enhance Treetops Nursery’s digital systems and boost productivity and growth.
Nursery provision in the UK necessitates various interoperable reporting and software management systems. Treetops Nursery highlighted the need for a more cohesive system for data analysis, reporting, and other business operations. Furthermore, prioritising the enhancement of technology provision for children at all levels was crucial.
Solution
Diagnostic discussions revealed the need to optimise both the indoor and outdoor spaces at Treetops Nursery, as building sizes impact nursery capacity under the Ofsted inspection framework. The nursery faced challenges with inconsistent software systems and aimed to improve technology integration across its curriculum. Key issues included ineffective communication, non-integrated software, space constraints, and insufficient technology-based learning resources.
3D scanning technology was used to assess space utilisation and explore structural modifications for capacity increase. Legal support was also provided to ensure all data complied with GDPR compliance, as connections were made with childcare management software providers to streamline operations.
To address these, the Horizons team provided advisory and technical support, recommending smart communication technologies and support for implementing Microsoft Teams to enhance connectivity and engagement. Funding was also secured for introducing new educational technology, including tablets for classrooms and mobile devices for staff, supporting digital skills development and enhancing learning.
Impact
The partnership between Treetops Nursery and the Horizons teams has greatly improved communication, technology integration, and efficiencies throughout the business. Key enhancements include streamlined guest reception and booking systems, better digital communication tools, and significant investments in interactive technology, enriching classroom experiences.
A notable success was securing a grant for the investment in teaching equipment, enhancing digital pedagogy and personalised learning, especially for children with special needs.
Ongoing projects, like 3D scanning, aim to optimise space and increase capacity, supported by collaborations with various LJMU departments and external partners. Treetops Nursery is focused on growth and digital transformation, with future goals of integrating data analysis for better decision-making and expanding digital resources for early education.
Overall, this partnership has modernised Treetops Nursery’s operations, improving educational offerings and strengthening community connections while ensuring a high-quality, technology-enhanced learning environment for young children.
The support and guidance has been incredible and really helped us to focus on how we can run our business so much more effectively, but raised important questions that we needed to answer – but we didn’t know the questions to ask! I would highly recommend any business, whether new or old, to engage with the team, because having someone come in from the outside and looking at our business has truly been invaluable. This collaboration has helped us to run our business more effectively and efficiently, but also helped us to future-protect our business too.
David Bedford, Director, Treetops Nursery Bootle