Outstanding Ofsted judgement
Ofsted judged the overall quality of the provision at Pennies Day Nursery, Hockers Lane, to be Outstanding.
Read the 2011 Ofsted report ↗︎Experience in practice
I have worked inside the decisions I now advise on.
The Nursery Business is built on direct operating experience gained inside nursery groups.
Pennies World
From one nursery to four.
1→4sites during my Operations Director role
£4.1mapprox. turnover reached during that role
150+workforce led with group operations responsibility
During nine years as Operations Director at Pennies, I worked through the shift from a single nursery to a multi-site group. That meant far more than opening extra buildings.
The work included group budgets and P&L responsibility, staffing and labour cost, management information, procurement, an acquisition and integration, and delivery of a purpose-built new site through planning, registration preparation, recruitment, fit-out and opening.
As the group grew, the management structure and operating disciplines had to grow with it. That experience is why my advice focuses on the business behind the setting: the parts that determine whether growth is controlled and whether the organisation can function without everything coming back to the owner.
These figures come from my operating role before I founded The Nursery Business. They are not client results.
Historic recognition during my time at Pennies
Results inside the setting.
These are dated achievements from Pennies settings while I worked within the business. They are part of my operating background, not current ratings or consultancy client results.
Top 20 South East
Hockers Lane was named one of daynurseries.co.uk's Top 20 Nurseries in South East England.
View the Hockers Lane listing ↗︎Environmental recognition across the Pennies group
During my time leading group operations, Hockers Lane, Newnham Court and Mark Cross received repeated Eco-Schools, Eco Green Flag and Wilder Kent recognition. These were setting and team achievements within the group I helped lead.
Community Nursery of the Year finalist
During my time as Operations Director, Pennies Day Nursery Newnham Court was shortlisted as a finalist in the Community Nursery of the Year category at the National Nursery Awards.
View the 2023 finalists and winners ↗︎What that changes
Advice has to work on a Monday morning.
A recommendation can look sensible on paper and still fail when staffing changes, cash is tight or an owner has twenty competing priorities. I tend to start with what can actually be implemented and what information the owner needs to make a better decision.
Discuss your business ↗︎Independent recommendations
What people I’ve worked with say.
These are short excerpts from recommendations written by people who have worked with me across nursery operations, leadership and business.
LinkedIn recommendation
I have had the pleasure of informally mentoring Dominic over the last 5 years.
Dominic has a fantastic growth mindset. This has allowed him to transform his approach through formal and informal learning and adapt his leadership to every environment he finds himself in. Combined with his natural empathy and focus, this enables him to quickly understand the inherent challenges in an organisation. His experience in the nursery sector sets him up well to then discern appropriate solutions for that specific situation.
I look forward to supporting Dominic and watching him thrive!
Richard CoatesCorporate Technology Product Director at JPMorganChase · informally mentored Dominic for five yearsView LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn recommendation
“He brought strong operational knowledge and commercial awareness, but never lost sight of the people behind the numbers.”
Jude KnibbsWorked alongside Dominic in Early YearsView LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn recommendation
“Dominic is someone who understands nurseries on a deeper level. He knows the pressure, the detail and the importance of getting the business side right while never losing sight of the people involved.”
Mike KingsmanWorked with Dominic on nursery-sector branding and design projectsView LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn recommendation
“Ideas did not just stay as plans or conversations. He pushed projects forward, followed things through and made sure actions turned into real improvements.”
Trish YabaManagement team member while Dominic was CEO at Repton Community TrustView LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn recommendation
“He sees the whole picture, spots what others miss, and gets things done without drama.”
Colin HookMentor to DominicView LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn recommendation
“He communicates clearly, asks the right questions and brings a grounded, constructive approach to business conversations.”
Greg ThomasProfessional business relationshipView LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn recommendation
“Time and again, I’ve relied on Dominic’s expertise to provide insightful, professional, and comprehensive perspectives on various challenges I’ve encountered.”
Tim NicholsonLong-standing professional relationshipView LinkedIn profile
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