The team at the Hermitage Nursery School in Whitwick are celebrating after its company won the Nursery Group of the Year (Medium) at the 2024 Nursery Management Today Awards. 

This is the second year running that Storal, a nursery group which operates the school, has won the sought-after award.

The group says this is testament to the consistency and hard work of its nursery teams and the high-quality care and early education it provides. 

The company saw off strong competition from rival companies across the country to win the award which recognises and celebrates the achievement of leading nursery providers across the UK. 

The Hermitage Nursery School is judged to be 'Good' by Ofsted and is rated 9.8/10 by parents on leading peer review site DayNurseries.co.uk.

In October, Storal expanded further in Leicestershire with the acquisition of Long Eaton-based Children 1st Day Nurseries. 

Within Leicestershire, the company now also operates nurseries in Birstall, Syston, Hathern, Shepshed and on Tarragon Road in Leicester city centre, all of which are judged to be either Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. 

Sarah Mackenzie, CEO of Storal, said: "This incredible achievement is a reflection of the care, dedication, and expertise of our amazing teams across all our nurseries. 

"We are focused on providing the best possible nursery provision for our children, and that wouldn't be possible without the commitment of our teams. 

"It is a moment of huge pride for everyone associated with Storal." Storal provides over 5000 nursery places across 56 Ofsted registered settings which they operate as 53 nurseries across the UK. 

"While growing in size, the Storal team remain as committed as ever to providing exceptional nursery provision and supporting their individual team members across the country, empowering them to deliver an exceptional service to their communities, families and children."