early years educator

shift leader

nursery practitioner

nursery nurse

nursery room leader

The-Hunny-Nurseries

Multiple occasions we were left over ratio in the room, countless times I had been left as the only qualified member of staff in the room surrounded by inexperienced apprentices. This was always blamed on staff shortages or sickness, rarely an apology or even showed any empathy when issues were raised, but always an excuse. This in turn gave a feeling of almost ‘we’ll employ anyone’ as staff that were getting employed were to be completely honest, extremely poor. Issues again were raised about the quality of staff, to which the same excuses were given, struggling for staff etc. Communication from management was extremely poor to non existent, to the point where I was the head of room in the pre school room and they had promoted a member of staff to a senior position in my room whilst on holiday, and still to this day, years on, I have not been informed of that promotion, I was informed via staff working in other rooms. Multiple times concerns were raised about children in regards to their behaviour and possible additional needs etc, but it felt like this had fallen on deaf ears, we seemed to endlessly fill in ABC charts without ever looking at them to actually try and put a plan in place. I’d had a meeting with the HR department where I explained my issues in regards to this, to which I was told the staff shortages ‘were across the board’ so there’s not a lot they could do about that. No trying to fill me with confidence that they were doing their utmost to get in quality staff, just a very lack lustre and a swept under the carpet attitude to problems raised. At the time of working here I was really struggling with my mental health for months prior to kids planet taking over, the first meeting I had with kids planet in regards to my mental health was when I was threatened with a disciplinary if I was to have any more time off sick. I explained that I have been wanting and trying to reduce my hours temporarily to make work more manageable for myself at the time, I was told yes that’s fine but it will take 3 months to be granted. Again this was the FIRST contact from someone from kids planet. So I worked full time, no sickness, suffering and struggling day to day, was never once thanked, or a little ‘well done’ for putting on a brave face and doing as they’d asked. You’re just another number, they literally couldn’t care about your problems as long as you’re there on the nursery floor.  I was considering leaving prior to this, but after this meeting my mind was made up, I had to get out of there. The staff turnover has been unbelievably high, with people leaving left, right and centre, unsurprising really if this is the attitude they have towards staff. The one silver lining in all of this was our area manager for kids planet, who honestly really did seem interested in what you had to say and I can honestly say she seemed to try her hardest and do what she could to change things in the short time I knew her, unfortunately my mind was already made up. I’m honestly in a much better place since getting out of here, and would not recommend it to anyone.

As a whole my experience working for kids planet has been awful. 

Shifts are always given very late, in the welcome pack given to you it states shifts will be given 1 week in advanced minimum, sometimes we receive the shifts on the Thursday before the next week! So it’s impossible to book appointments . Hours are so long and some shifts given are ridiculous e.g working super long days and then given a 3-6pm shift. When you start you are promised so much, they’ll give you nice shifts for the first 2/3 weeks however after you’re put on awful hours. Turn over rate in kids planet in general is shocking. Towards the end my career with kids planet staff from our nursery would be sent to different settings across the city, it made all our staff extremely anxious and uncomfortable having to travel to a different setting, and might I add the conditions some of those nurseries are awful!  Managers will be rotated in to numbers and will maybe spend breakfast with the children, then they will say ‘oh it looks calm in here I’ll probably pop back into the office’ meanwhile you’re left understaffed and out of ratio! This greatly increased accidents and injuries. Management will often sit in the office and leave staff members working on their own whilst they go to the office to cut out pictures and print out thing. I really sympathise for a majority of the nursery staff, they all look so stressed and try so hard and for what? Just a tiny bit  above minimum wage. Management 100% have their favourites and you can tell, this is such an unprofessional environment, you see women 50+ acting like teenagers. Whenever someone has had enough and hands their notice in the manager will take their anger and frustration out on that staff member. Staff members who have worked at the setting for years have expressed this having seen a number of people experience a change in interactions and attitudes from the manager. I have witnessed safeguarding issues whereby parents haven’t been informed about things that have happened to their child, SEND children are not treated nicely as staff are stressed and lack any form of basic training, as a whole it’s just awful. An impressive OFSTED rating looks good and all but you never know what a setting is truly like until you work there. As a whole, kids planet and management want the world from you but they don’t care about you or your mental health all you are is a number. 

The only good thing about working here was having a close relationship with the practitioners you work alongside with and the being able to assist in the development of the amazing children.

There’s far better nurseries. 

I started at kids planet as a practitioner in 2014 and progressed through the ranks to room leader, deputy and finally manager. I must say that the career progression in the beginning was second to none and very well supported. The nursery was a small family business, and support and care was fantastic. 

However, in recent years this has not been the case. As the company has grown, the close net family atmosphere has been lost and support is minimal. I was Manager for 2 years and it had a detrimental affect on my mental health. The work load is huge, and there is an expectation to work long days, late nights and weekends with no obligation to be given this time back. It is impossible to have a work-life balance as part of the kids planet management team; as the amount of work required and standard expected can simply not be achieved in a 40 hour week. 

As a manager, my highest priority was to support the well-being of my team to ensure they were in the right frame of mind to provide the best care to the children. However, given that there is no mental health support for management, this became impossible to achieve. Towards the end of my employment, I was merely just trying my best to make it from one day to the next, and was physically unable to provide the support that my team needed. 

In the beginning, it was exciting to hear we had bought or built a new nursery, but having expanded by over 100 nurseries in 3 short years, the excitement wore off and it became more of an inconvenience than anything. 

Staffing has been incredibly difficult since the pandemic, and this had a huge effect on staff morale. Every day, hours would be spent trying to obtain staff to cover from local settings; who would often not arrive until almost half way through the day, putting immense pressure on the existing staff in the setting. Staff sickness was a huge problem, but I believe that a lot of this was due to the pressure upon staff and them losing motivation to come in when so much was expected. 

Between HR issues, sickness, recruitment, preparation for OFSTED, complaints and many more issues, it was simply impossible for me to continue and I had to make the difficult decision to walk away after 8 years of hard work. I was overworked and under appreciated. Kids Planet is not the same company that it was when I first accepted the job, and I had to put my mental health first. 

I’m terms of salary, I felt this was competitive at the time. However, after my resignation, my job was posted on indeed for considerably more money than I was being paid to do it; which was a further insult to my hard work. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
From day one, it’s clear that the Kids Planet genuinely values its employees. There’s a real sense of community and support across teams, where individuals are recognised not just for what they do, but for who they are. Leaders are approachable, and there’s an openness that encourages you to share ideas and contribute meaningfully. Most importantly, you feel valued. Efforts are acknowledged, successes are celebrated, and there’s a culture of appreciation that makes a real difference day to day. It’s an environment where people are empowered to do their best work and feel proud of the impact they make

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The role isn’t stressful in the traditional sense, but there is a constant awareness of the responsibility we carry—safeguarding is always at the forefront of everything we do. It’s not just important, it’s essential. That level of accountability means you’re always conscious of making the right decisions and maintaining the highest standards, but it’s also what makes the work so meaningful.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment at Kids Planet is really supportive and down to earth. People genuinely look out for each other, and there’s a good level of understanding across teams—you don’t feel like you’re on your own.
There’s also a nice sense of community, especially with head office events and team get-togethers. They make an effort to bring people together and celebrate things, whether that’s big milestones or just special occasions, which makes a difference.
It’s a place where you can really be yourself. You’re encouraged to bring your whole self to work, and that feels natural rather than something that’s just said

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day is quite varied, which keeps things interesting. It often involves working closely with others, whether that’s catching up with teams, supporting colleagues, or collaborating on different projects.
There’s a strong sense of support day to day—you can always reach out to people, share ideas, and work through challenges together. It’s not a siloed environment at all.
There’s also a reflective element to the work. Taking time to think about what’s going well, what could be better, and how we can keep improving is part of the culture, which makes it feel purposeful as well as busy.

A typical day at Kids Planet is busy, rewarding, and never quite the same. As a Nursery Manager, my day usually starts with welcoming children and parents, ensuring each room is well-staffed and prepared, and supporting my team to provide a safe, stimulating environment. Much of the day involves liaising with staff and families, overseeing planning and observations, and ensuring we meet EYFS standards — all while staying hands-on with the children whenever possible.

During my time here, I’ve learned a great deal about leadership, communication, and compliance. Kids Planet invests in professional development, and I’ve gained valuable experience in areas like safeguarding, Ofsted preparation, and staff training. Managing a large team has also taught me how to balance empathy with accountability.

Management at Kids Planet is generally supportive and approachable. There’s a clear structure in place, and the company encourages feedback and collaboration. Like any large organisation, communication between nurseries and head office can sometimes be a challenge, but there’s genuine effort to improve and listen to staff.

The workplace culture is caring and child-centred. Teamwork is essential, and when everyone pulls together, the sense of community is strong. Staff morale can dip during busy periods, but the passion for providing high-quality childcare always shines through.

The hardest part of the job is managing the workload — balancing administrative responsibilities with ensuring quality time in the rooms can be demanding. Recruitment and staff retention can also be challenging in the sector as a whole.

The most enjoyable part is seeing the children thrive and knowing you’ve made a difference to families’ lives. Watching staff develop and grow in confidence under your leadership is also incredibly rewarding. No matter how hectic the day gets, those moments of laughter and learning with the children remind you exactly why you do it.


I love working at Kids Planet Salford Quays. It doesn't suit everybody and the staff turnaround is high. This isn't because its a bad place to work- this is because the expectations are so high and the company do a lot. The management constantly strive for the highest possible from everybody for the children...which is why we do this job (Some people forget this and just come for the money thinking its an easy route.) We check in each day in the office with how we are feeling and also have peer observations and one to ones to keep in touch with how we are doing and feeling. 

the induction was a little rushed but my mentor who is the room leader has supported me in the room to learn everything which I think is better than sitting in front of a power point. I have already been offered the opportunity to start training with the kids planet training company (Level 4/5/EYT) and I've only been with the nursery for a few months. 

The staff team generally get along really well now, there were a few bad seeds that have left recently which has lifted the mood considerably. We all work really hard and support each other every day. 

The hardest part of the job is the hours- as is with all nurseries you go in early and you leave late but the time is owed and you get this back as time off in lieu. The hours really are understandable as you have to maintain the ratios as not all nurseries do. 
the most enjoyable part of the job is seeing the children grow and thrive. We have freedom to plan based on interests and new experiences and have plenty of resources to do this. its also an amazing bright and clean environment in which to work.

Kids planet is one of the worst places I have ever had to work. I was employed as an early years teacher for a number of years, but you are most definitely not treated as such. The only reason they employ a teacher is to show off to parents and cram more children in on a 1:13 ratio. 

Very often I was left working alone and well over ratio, especially with many challenging children with additional needs whom I was unable to provide enough care and support for on my own. 

It was an expectation to work longer hours and there were many weeks when I was placed on 50 hour working weeks without even being asked if this was doable for me. I ended up suffering a lot with my mental health and had absolutely no support from my management whatsoever. They would rather call you into the office and tell you everything you’ve done wrong rather than recognise all of the good you have done. Oh, but if you’re lucky they might buy you some snacks on the evening of a staff meeting (which is usually unpaid, btw). My salary was awful and I definitely was not paid as a teacher, one manager I had even said I got paid more than them so I dread to think how badly management are paid too. Since leaving a year ago, my salary has gone up by 21%!!! This shows how grossly underpaid staff are at Kids Planet!!!

I honestly lost hope in this company towards the end of my time with them. When I first started, they only had around 20-30 nurseries. They had then surpassed 100 by the time I left and the quality was now nonexistent. I’ve moved on to another company and my love of early years has definitely been restored. If you’re in the same situation I was; don’t lose hope! There are much better nurseries out there. 

I used to work for this company and most of the time I enjoyed my time here, like every work setting it had it's days especially when you're working in a fast paced setting with small children! You should never be bored that's for sure and it's definitely not for the faint hearted as you need to be on the ball constantly!
Management are really passionate about their job with lots of knowledge to support staff and expect nothing but outstanding practice as they should with a nursery setting where parents are paying for their children to be cared for and nurtured. 
The backbone of your day is your team and I was lucky to have an excellent one  in my room to support me day to day. 
However it can be very stressful at times as can any nursery setting and I do feel like the pay never reflects the amount of work you undertake and the hours can be really long with the possibility of not finishing on time due to ratios at the end of the day. However I feel like you will find this at any nursery setting as I have worked for a few and this has always been the case!
There is plenty of training available to enhance your current qualifications and skills and it's excellent that this particular setting have a good variety of further education courses to take in order to help you succeed! 
Normally good opportunities available if you are willing to progress. 
Overall a good place to work if you're energetic and passionate about childcare. 


Shifts are irregular and are often changed even when the rota is given out, meaning there is little to no work life balance and definitely no planning your life around shifts.
The induction is terrible. You get thrown in the deep end and are expected to telepathically know how the place is run. And then are repeatedly put down for the minor things you inevitably do wrong.   
Staff are under a lot of pressure from  management, which causes the work place to be toxic. The complete lack of communication and inconsistencies from management causes anxiety for a lot of the staff. 
The work load is atrocious, meaning that you often are expected to stay late, arrive early for shifts, or work through your unpaid break. 
The work is very fast paced and you are certainly never bored, but the rooms are often over crowded, ( 16+ babies and the required staff for one room is far to many, in my opinion) meaning it’s  loud and stressful for both the children and the staff. 
The staff turnover is unbelievably high. I worked at Angles for about 6 months and the amount of staff I saw come and go is ridiculous. Which only goes to show how miserable Angels by Day really is. 
There’s a positive side to everything if you look hard enough ( and trust me, I had to look incredibly hard) the parents and children are all so lovely, some of the staff are really friendly too. 
It’s really not worth the measly minimum wage pay check, though. Management need to up their game. Do yourself a favour and don’t waste your time working here.

I love working at Clifton Lodge due to the fantastic team who bring mixed skills to the nursery.We have very experienced knowledgeable staff , from a variety of work backgrounds.Those who are training are really keen to learn and are offered the right support from Management.The nursery manager and management team are fantastic and put the children first.Staff go above and beyond their job role and care about what benefits the children most.The sports coaches are a great element of the team and their sessions really benefit the children.Pre school work so hard to get the children ready for school and lower pre school are always striving to give the children great learning experiences.All rooms are the benefits of outdoors and plan trips off site.The toddler room is set out beautifully and the staff in that room have a range of qualifications and experience.In the baby room we devote our time to having a calm and loving environment and gain lots of support from our manager and the staff in the other rooms too.I am always very keen to get to work and enjoy being with the children and staff.I would highly recommend our setting where you really can progress and be supported with any struggles. Staff mental health is always of paramount.The management team know the staff well and are always there to share advice and listen to us.Within the company we have many people we can contact to gain advice from.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Early years educator 679 salaries reported	£24,749 per year
Shift leader 149 salaries reported	£27,992 per year
Nursery practitioner 102 salaries reported	£26,336 per year
Nursery nurse 1 salary reported	£13.15 per hour
Nursery room leader 17 salaries reported	£27,303 per year

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