Cute Companions - Thackley

When Catherine Bryan opened Cute Companions Day Nursery in West Yorkshire nearly 15 years ago her three main objectives were to create a safe, friendly fun environment, provide daily challenges to encourage children to reach their full potential and to give parents peace of mind.

This third objective she could only achieve by ensuring mums and dads knew their children were safe in the hands of dedicated and experienced staff - and that meant well trained too.

As a result Catherine is committed to Smart Training. She undertook her own training with the organisation and all her staff take their Level 3 Childcare as a benchmark standard.

"I've always found Smart Training to be a very conscientious company," said Catherine, who has also seen her deputy manager Michelle Carter through Level 3 and Level 4 Management qualifications to earn promotion through the ranks from starting as a nursery worker. She is now funding the Level 5 Management Diploma course for Michelle.

"Smart Training works well because of the Saturday course option," Catherine adds. "We've dealt with Smart Training since the day the Leeds office opened. We have a good rapport and great support.

"Going back into the classroom can be a bit daunting but Smart Training makes it easy because of the support and backup."

Just Learning Nursery - Whips Cross

First class training for staff. That’s how Karen Russell, manager of the Just Learning Nursery – Whipps Cross in Leytonstone, London, describes the service from Smart Training.

“We’ve utilised various training providers but Smart Training is far superior,” she said. “The study days are very helpful for our learners, and if they ever have any queries there’s always someone there at Smart Training to answer them.

Karen has managed the nursery for eight years since it opened and in that time eight of her staff have studied with Smart Training – from Level 2 in Childcare right up to Management.

West London borough council

Flexibility and support are the key to the success of Smart Training's work with a West London borough.

For more than two years the borough council has chosen Smart Training to run childcare courses as one of the many local authorities and London boroughs signed up to take advantage of the expertise and experience of the UK's largest specialist training providers.

Nine learners have successfully completed their Level 3 Childcare Management qualification and currently there are 13 childminders and childcare workers studying on a Level 3 Childcare course in a children's centre in a disadvantaged part of the borough.

Smart Training's flexibility in arranging courses at a time and place to suit the needs of both learners and employers has earned praise from a manager at the council.

"Smart Training has been very supportive of our workforce strategy by being prepared to provide a course where the learners are, rather than expecting learners to come to them," she said.

"The course in the Children's Centre was run there because there were no other training providers offering courses in that location and the learners in the area find it difficult to travel to other parts of the borough." 

Sunflowers Nursery - Cottingham

Nursery Manager Sarah Rand knew just what to do when three of her team at Sunflowes Nursery in Cottingham, Hull, realised that despite years of experience in the childcare industry they needed a formal qualification - call Smart Training!

She knew the three colleagues, who have all clocked up their half-centuries, would get the support they needed from Smart Training and was thrilled to see them taking on new learning challenges.

"When you have worked in childcare for many years and already have a lot of practical experience, it is hard to think about training - but it is important that all our staff are trained to Level 3 so we can meet the Government's 2015 deadline for all childcare workers to be well qualified.

"I think returning to learning has been daunting for them but the courses are really practical and broaden their experience enormously. The Smart Training staff are very flexible, helpful and supportive."

One of the learners, Sheila Carmichael, said: "If it hadn't been for Smart Training I don't think I would have even tried again. None of us thought we would be able to do it but the tutors are wonderful and take the time to explain everything clearly."

At sister nursery Sunflowers Too in Hessle, 25-year-old manager Gemma Biggs, who gained her management qualifications with Smart Training, is another convert to the Apprenticeship way.

"We have 15 staff at Sunflowers and the majority are going though Apprenticeships with Smart Training.  It is ideal for people who can't go to college because of their other commitments and for people who want to earn money while they are training."