Zoe Tolley

If your nursery isn't full right now, take a breath. You haven't failed. You're not doing anything wrong. And you're certainly not the only one. Occupancy naturally ebbs and flows in early years settings. Children move on to school, families relocate, funding patterns change, and timing doesn't always align. Even strong, well-run nurseries experience quieter periods - it's just not something people tend to talk about openly. But, it's far more common than you think. When spaces open up, the...

When people talk about social media marketing, it often sounds very... internet-y. Algorithms. Reach. Engagement. Trends. But for nurseries, social media isn't really about "the internet" at all. It's about your local community. Parents don't usually choose a nursery overnight. They scroll, they observe, they ask around - often without ever realising they're doing research. Social media quietly supports that process by letting families see what life at your nursery really looks like. Before...

If you're marketing your nursery based on how full (or empty) you feel right now, you're not alone - but you're also making life harder than it needs to be. Many nurseries only think about marketing when occupancy dips, enquiries slow, or panic sets in. The trouble is, by the time you feel the gap, parents are already making decisions - and you're playing catch-up. So, how far ahead should nurseries be planning their marketing...? The short answer: further than you think. Parents don't...