Company Directors Annie Silcock and Ros Faulkner have a wealth of qualifications, experience in the childcare sector, plus extensive business, training and people management knowledge and skills. They established Smartpractice as a joint venture in 2011 with the aim of working with start-ups and helping established settings deliver outstanding practice, effectively manage their staff and ensure they maximise profitability.
The people we work with
We have worked with individual nurseries and small nursery groups to improve their EYFS practice and their Ofsted outcomes.
Targeted Consultancy for Business and Investors
Our consultancy experience extends to supporting many sectors with childcare including several Universities and businesses where operating a nursery is not the core element of the business. Our business management knowledge of the nursery sector is second to none and we are highly experienced at ensuring high profitability whilst maintaining quality and standards.
We have woked on committees with local councils and the national day nursery association to assist in facilitating grant funding procedures, and best practice within the industry. We have spoken at NDNA conferences on how to become ‘Outstanding’ and have written articles for Nursery Management Today.
We understand the strain that changing regulations have put on the financial viability of settings and have ourselves spearheaded new ways of operating to remain both compliant and profitable.
The Childcare Consultancy with a Difference
Smartpractice is a early years consultancy with a difference… the difference being that we have run a large exemplary working nursery which has operated at an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ level for many years winning numerous awards including;
– Overall winner of NDNA (National Day Nursery Association) UK Nursery of the Year Award 2018
– Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ nursery for the past 20 years (last 4 inspections)
– NDNA Quality Counts accreditation at the highest platinum level
– Millie’s Mark Award – Excellence in Paediatric First Aid
Outstanding Delivery
When it comes to development, the early years are the most important ones and that is why we are passionate about not only providing the very highest levels of care and education for children in our own setting, but also about passing on our knowledge to others so that they too offer outstanding provision.
We deliver training through highly innovative methods ensuring that all practitioners are engaged through weaving practical hands on training with recognised exemplary practice. This produces inspired practitioners whose learning is demonstrated through improved performance.
