Leading day nursery provider Partou is today (10 June) celebrating Partou Day - the first anniversary since completing the merger of Just Childcare and All About Children under the Partou brand in the United Kingdom, and a remarkable 50 years of delivering unparalleled quality childcare in the Netherlands.
Celebrating Partou Day: Team members gather at Partou’s Nursery Support Centre in Manchester
Established in 1975, Partou is the biggest childcare group in the Netherlands with more than 700 settings, over 70,000 children and 9,000 team members.
Following last year’s merger, it now operates 106 nurseries in the UK which collectively care for around 9,000 children and employ more than 2,000 dedicated childcare professionals, including 240 apprentices.
Partou has built its standout reputation over the past half century on its core, guiding principle which is the same across all its settings in the UK and the Netherlands. Because at Partou, the children lead the way.
Rather than be told what to do, the Partou approach is to allow the children to choose their own activities, with scientific research showing that being interested in what they’re doing is the easiest and best way for them to learn.
However, whilst the philosophy has stayed the same over the past 50 years, the childcare sector has undergone many changes, particularly in the UK which has experienced significant social, political and cultural shifts.
Samantha Rhodes, Partou Managing Director
“What began as small local initiatives has become a cornerstone of family life - shaped by legislation, innovation and changing expectations about work, education and community,” Samantha Rhodes, Partou’s Managing Director, explained in a special anniversary statement marking Partou Day.
“The transformation from informal arrangements with neighbours and relatives into a professional, science-led service that underpins modern family life shows just how rapidly the world has changed. Half a century ago, many parents relied on friends, family members or small community playgroups. Today, early years provision is governed by rigorous inspection frameworks, evidence-based pedagogies and specialist training programmes - all designed to give children the very best start.”
Samantha reflected that, over the five decades since Partou was established, “key policy milestones such as the Children Act 1989, the introduction of Sure Start and the expansion of free entitlement hours, have reflected society’s growing recognition that quality childcare is essential infrastructure.”
She continued: “At the same time, Partou has evolved alongside the sector, moving from its roots in local care schemes to partnering with leading universities to inject robust data and scientific rigour into our daily practice.”
Samantha added: “We’ve had a wonderfully fulfilling first full year in the UK with our teams coming together to deliver first class childcare whilst empowering the children to lead the way and seize each fun-packed day.
“We look forward to growing the Partou brand and achieving even higher standards in the years ahead.”