Leading day nursery provider Partou has completed the acquisition of Nature Trail Nursery Group which operates eight settings in Chorley and surrounding areas.
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 of Just Childcare and All About Children under the Partou brand, it currently 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.
Nature Trail Nursery Group Heskin Setting
Nature Trail is one of the foremost independent nursery groups in the North West of England with a reputation for offering high quality, personable childcare.
The Group has an existing operating capacity for over 500 children across its settings which are all located within 10 square miles of Chorley.
The high level of care it provides is reflected in the most recent Ofsted reports for each nursery with seven graded as ‘Good’ and one as ‘Outstanding.’
Samantha Rhodes, Partou Managing Director, said: “We are delighted to welcome Nature Trail Nursery Group into the Partou family.
“There is a clear cultural alignment between the two organisations, including a shared philosophy to provide a safe environment where children have the freedom to flourish by becoming confident, independent learners through their play.
“The acquisition represents a key step in Partou’s strategic expansion plans in a UK region where we already have a strong presence.
“We look forward to working with Nature Trail Nursery Group team members and families to deliver our child-led approach to care, learning and development.”
In a statement, the exiting shareholders of Nature Trail Nursery Group said: "We have worked incredibly hard to build a group of nurseries that offers a nurturing home-like environment where children feel safe, supported and inspired to thrive, as well as transparent, flexible care that works for families.
"We chose to entrust the long-term future of the Nature Trail Nursery Group with Partou because it was clear to us that they're committed to building on our legacy. We're confident that with their strengthened support, the teams we've built will continue to benefit and thrive.
“It's an exciting time for all of our colleagues, children and their families. We're looking forward to watching the business go from strength to strength under the new leadership."