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Here at Grace’s, we understand the challenges of parenting whilst juggling busy lives.
More importantly, we understand the difficulty of trusting someone else to take care of your child. We, too, are parents, and Grace’s Day Nursery was born as a result of our own experiences with this very decision.
For many parents, the challenges of early parenting swiftly change when we inevitably need to return to work.
This was the case for Jo, one of our founders, who put her career as a paediatrician on hold to care for her newborn. In 2000 she qualified as a doctor and since 2001 has worked in paediatric medicine.
However, in November 2006, she started the hardest part of her training – becoming a mother. Nothing had prepared her for the highs and lows, hopes and anxieties that motherhood had in store.
Without doubt it has been her most challenging and yet most rewarding job in the world.
However, when it was time to return to her profession, she needed to make a decision of where and who to entrust with her daughter. She soon discovered that there were lots of nurseries to choose between but finding the right one for her family was very hard. She wanted an environment that was safe yet not restrictive, nurturing, diverse, stimulating and encouraged personal growth and development for each child as an individual.
Every child is different; their individual personalities, dreams and curiosities need to be nurtured and encouraged in different ways. She wasn’t looking for a nursery with a one-size-fits-all approach and struggled to find somewhere that shared similar values.
So in 2011, along with her husband James, his cousin Andrew, with whom he co-runs the garden centre and Michelle, our Childcare Director, they decided to create a nursery built on these fundamental beliefs.
We wanted somewhere that allowed children to safely explore the wider world around them, but equally still felt like home.
The Grade II listed 17th century manor house, on site at Ruxley, was the perfect place.
Set within the grounds of Ruxley Manor Garden Centre, the charming house was once the home to the grandmother of Andrew and James, affectionately known as Grandma Grace.
It was always remembered so positively by them both as somewhere they used to play as children and a place they looked forward to going to and so it seemed fitting to name the business after her.
We know that finding the right nursery can be challenging, but it can also be remarkably rewarding for both you and your child.
Our incredible team are great role models, encouraging curiosity and building confidence in the children we take care of. We pride ourselves on the responsibility we have and work hard to ensure that parents feel as much a part of the family as the children and team do.
