Robert Gordon University

CASE STUDY: Nursery Services The Treehouse Early Care and Education Centre at Robert Gordon University

Robert Gordon University Robert Gordon University (RGU) is a dynamic, modern place to study with an Our nursery has internati onal reputati on for providing high quality educati on from undergraduate “ expanded and through to PhD level. With a diverse and exciti ng range of degree programmes taught in state-of-the- become an integral art faciliti es by specialists who maintain close links with the world of work, RGU is part of university consistently ranked among the UK’s top universiti es for graduate employment for many years. Recent accolades have included: life, providing • ‘Best Modern University in the UK’ – The Times Good University Guide 2012 not only excellent • Scotti sh University of the Year 2011 quality childcare • Top Modern University for Research in Scotland for students, staff How did RGU begin working with Bright Horizons? In 2004 Robert Gordon University had a 24 place nursery for the sole use of the university and members of staff and students, which was managed by the university itself. This was becoming the wider Aberdeen burdensome on university resources and also hampering the potenti al of the nursery. A more spacious building was available on the campus and it was felt that a larger community, but nursery would be desirable, but only viable with specialist support from a trusted also forging external partner. Following tender and contract negoti ati ons, Bright Horizons was appointed to assume cross-curricular management of the nursery and to transiti on the service to a new dedicated building links across the expanded to 99 places and available to the local community. university’s faculti es Why did RGU choose Bright Horizons as their to mutual benefi t. Nursery Provider? “Our decision was made aft er having researched childcare companies, meeti ng their Chris ti ne Buchanan, ” representati ves, checking inspecti on reports, examining their curriculum and quality Dean of Students, measures. We found Bright Horizons to have an outstanding internati onal reputati on, Robert Gordon University the ability to comply with external quality controls, an excellent child-centred curriculum and a dedicated, enthusiasti c staff team.” Christi ne Buchanan, Dean of Students, Robert Gordon University From brilliant beginnings to a new opportunity Treehouse Nursery quickly began to go from strength to strength. Within two years it had become a centre of excellence endorsed by the local educati on department and cited by the Care Commission as a quality benchmark for other provision in the area. Aberdeen City Council has used the nursery as a training environment for other childcare staff within the Aberdeen area. By 2009 developments at the RGU university campus now presented an exciti ng next chapter for the nursery. The university needed to move the nursery to another building on the campus and wanted to turn this logisti cal challenge into an opportunity to look afresh at the nursery environment and see what could be further improved. RGU and Bright Horizons worked together to design the new nursery and to make the transiti on to the new building comfortable – as well as exciti ng – for children and families. Conti nued overleaf…

__74414_BH_RGUni_v6.indd74414_BH_RGUni_v6.indd 1 228/11/20128/11/2012 15:5715:57 While the new building was in constructi on, staff kept families up to date with regular meeti ngs, newslett ers, displays illustrati ng the progress of the new building – and even a We are proud webcam with live access to the site! Once safe to do so, tours were organised of the new “ nursery prior to opening so that parents and children could get to know the new building. to know that The children undertook some imaginati ve topic projects inspired by their visits. our nursery has The new Treehouse nursery now has a fresh new design, more indoor space, and two gardens with soft surfaces, providing each age group – over and under two years – become a centre to play, explore and learn safely, in all weathers. of excellence, What do RGU’s students, staff and the local endorsed by our community parents say about Treehouse Nursery? local educati on The nursery conti nues to be highly popular with parents, many of whom have a relati onship with the nursery spanning many years and feeling like “part of the family.” department as a “We know that our son has loved being at Treehouse at every stage. He has had so much quality benchmark fun, learnt so much and has formed such close relati onships with so many of you. You have played such a big part in these important fi rst years.” for other provision “The Treehouse is a fantasti c nursery – all the staff are a credit to the management. This is in the area. my third child to go to the nursery and I am extremely happy with the care and educati on they provide.” Chris ti ne Buchanan, ” Dean of Students, “The level of care my boys receive and the quality of the faciliti es available to them can Robert Gordon University only be described as excellent. I feel that the boys enjoy their experience at Treehouse and will have no problem transiti oning to primary educati on. The fact that I worry that their educati on may take a step back once they move from the pre-school room into primary educati on speaks volumes for the regard in which I hold Treehouse and the staff there.” What does our client at RGU say about Bright Horizons as a nursery provider? “I am absolutely delighted with our partnership and have every confi dence in Bright Horizons. Our nursery has expanded and become an integral part of university life, providing not only excellent quality childcare for students, staff and members of the wider Aberdeen community, but also forging cross-curricular links across the university’s faculti es to mutual benefi t. We are proud to know that our nursery has become a centre of excellence, endorsed by our local educati on department as a quality benchmark for other provision in the area. On an administrati ve level, Bright Horizons has relieved us of an enormous amount of day-to-day responsibility. The University can focus on what we do best, assured that Bright Horizons has the experti se to comply with the complex legislati ve aspects and Contact Us logisti cs involved in running a high-quality nursery facility.” Contact us today to learn more about how Christi ne Buchanan, Dean of Students, Robert Gordon University Bright Horizons can help your organisati on. [email protected] www.brighthorizons.co.uk/employersoluti ons Tel: 08432 898 579 Follow us on Twitt er @BHatWork and @BHFamatWork Follow us on Facebook htt p://www.facebook.com/ BrightHorizonsFamiliesUK

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