Irish childcare provider opens its first UK nursery

The Dublin-based nursery group Tigers Childcare has opened its first nursery in the UK.

Tigers Childcare group opens nursery in Elephant and Castle. Credit: Oksana Kuzmina/Shutterstock

Tigers Childcare, which already operates 13 early years settings offering care to 1,250 children, is opening a nursery in London's Elephant and Castle.

The nursery has crawl spaces and sensory rooms and will care for up to 120 children aged from four-months-old.

The company won the contract to operate a 7,000sq ft facility in London’s Elephant and Castle.

The nursery group plans to exceed UK statutory requirements surrounding childcare staffing.

It aims to have senior staff with degree qualifications with the remainder of the team qualified in early years care and education.

Tigers Childcare was established in 2003 by Karen Clince, who worked as a teacher in Dublin.

Karen Clince, managing director of Tigers Childcare, said: "We want to provide something different to what’s currently available in the UK market when it comes to quality and family experience."

The childcare setting is part of Elephant Park, an urban regeneration project involving the London Borough of Southwark and Lendlease.

Some 3,000 homes, restaurants, shops and a park are being developed on the 28-acre site.

Ms Clince added: "Winning this tender from Lendlease helps us gain a foothold and gives us the confidence to bring our successful childcare and education services to families here."