Plans To Leave My Nursery

[Chill]

Hi I would really welcome some advice please. I have finally decided that it is the right time to 'retire' from my nursery school. I have owned and run it for many years. I had planned that I would sell it but the implications of NEG as they affect private nurseries have now made that very difficult. My nursery is thriving at the moment and making an income but the future is not clear especially as my county is a pathfinder i.e. could be instigating the new NEG from April. As I cannot sell, I would like to appoint a manager from to take over from me from next September. I have a large staff and could appoint internally. So, how do I go about this to ensure a smooth transition, who would be the registered person with Ofsted, and at what point do I inform staff of the changeover. I feel sad but know in my heart that now is the time. Any advice would be very gratefully received.

[Guest]

Hi Chill, I can only talk from my own experience, in 2005 I stepped away from the daily doings of the preschool and placed a manager in who had been with my preschool from day one.

These were the issues I faced. ( not in a particular order of importance)

 

1. It is really difficult to let go.

2. The new manager didn't want to do any of the 'business' side of things, ie: PAYE, newsletters, marketing, policy writing, accounts, fees invoicing and collecting etc.

3. overheads increase because you are paying a salary for time you used to give.

4. No other person can fully represent you to the same level in respect of, your ethos, customer service abilities, your total commitment to your business, etc -

5. they can walk away, it is in reality just a job for them.

6. if they lose a customer through whatever reason, they still get paid the same.

7. I remained the registered person therefore the responsibility stayed with me. I am not sure if you can have the manager as the registered person, this would help to ensure they took full responsibility of how the place was managed in terms of inspection and legal responsibilities etc. Whether someone would accept this as part of their job description is a different matter.

8. positive - more time away from daily hands on work to spend time on marketing, developing systems, policies, general paperwork.

9. positive - an outside view of the business and time to research more about local/national implications for your business growth.

 

 

In my circumstance the costs became too high and the numbers have fallen ( a combination of reasons, some out of my control and others due to my less involvement over a period of a year) I had to make staff redundant in August, including the manager and I have had to go back in full time to afford to stay open.

 

I still think there is a market out there to be able to sell your business, if your situation is able to move forward with the upcoming governemnt NEG requirements.

 

I don't know your situation obviously, I am based in a rented hall and therefore have these restrictions.

 

Maybe it would be useful to have a word with a specialist nursery business estate agent ( don't know what they are called) see what they say, maybe they can advice on saleability and at what price you may get.

 

As for your staff, you know them best as to how and when to tell them your plans, the most important thing to them is feeling secure, and being aware of facts not rumours that enable them to feel confident in thinking about and planning for their own futures.

 

good luck

 

peggy

[Chill]

Thank you Peggy, I would hope that a manager would have the commitment to move forward with the nursery. But I do take your point about maybe not to the same extent as owning it. I envisaged offering a wonderful opportunity but perhaps I need to be a bit more hard headed and realistic!

[sharonash]

Hi

 

I had been thinking of doing this for sometime so stepped back to trial it-I have a good deputy who has now decided to move on so I have to step back in again.

I found it very hard and I was still working all the hours god sends, at the weekend i go in and spot all the thing that I dont think appropriate and spend all my time rectifying problems. I honestly feel I did more now than I when I was there as a full time Manager and as Peggy says paying someone else to do it.

 

A very hard decision I f pam the type of person who cant let go so would be better selling my business, no one is going to put the hours and as much commitment they are employees at the end of the day!

I have dealt with Dowling Redwood Kerr in the past they have changed their name so search on google and they will come up.

[Chill]

Mmmm thank you for that. Certainly some extra things to think of. Have just looked at Dowling Redwood kerr - it feels so harsh to put it up for sale.

[Guest]

HI

 

i think the registered person remains the person that owns it, although i could be wrong....

 

could look with it all

 

Dawn

[hali]

good luck with whatever you decide to do, it must be really hard

[Guest]

Hi I'm in the same boat, although I don't want to sell but have stepped back in the sense that the day to day running of the group I have delegated to most of the staff. I still go in ever day but apart from greeting the mums that is as much as I do with theie children. I leave the day to day planning staffing arrangements training and the fees to other people. I still overall run the place but have got very good at stepping back. I agree with Peggy that the ethos of the group is still me!!!!! I am gradually get staff that work and feel the same about things as i do, I know it might be conceited but the group is me, my feelings my emotions and sentiments on how I feel this world should be. I don't think that if you step away you will ever leave someone in complete control in the same way that you are. I have found that as I have got older I put time in with the children when and how I want to. It is still the reason why I go in every morning. I now also go in with the idea of helping the mothers who seem to be so young and with very little direction and support. Maybe its because my children have grown and thats how I see things from a different age group.

I think that you know your staff as well as any one, and you have to go with your own instincts of how much you pull back or in which direction you pull back from. Physically I couldn't do the day to day bending and moving of things. I would make it as gradual as you like. Make a list of what you still like doing and delegate the rest!! you've earned the right, but most of all enjoy what you do life is to short for regrets. sit back and take stock of how old you are and what you want out of your life now and for the next ten years. make a plan of where you want to go then go for it.

Take the time to look at everything then do what you feel you want to do.

Good luck

[Guest]

I too was seriously considering handing over the runing to my deputy, but I just couldn't let go!!

Our QUiLT accreditatiion process has highlighted my lack of delegation as it is, and that's just in respect of planning etc, so how i ever expected myself to let go of the whole thing I don't know!

 

This was, I admit at alow point and my stress level was high! I just felt so overwhelmed doing everything, and not just doing it all, but worrying about it all once it was done!

 

I'm feeling very positive now, and have renewed enthusiasm for everything, it just seemed that the powers that be were throwing everything at us little pre schools to make us give up.

Edited November 4, 2006 by Guest