About Us
Our Philosophy
“Our task, regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible.”
– Loris Malaguzzi
At Nära Nurseries, we understand that having a contented team means joyful children, and joyful children mean delighted parents, and this cycle is at the forefront of everything we do.
The best outcomes for children come about through a true synergy and connection between our children, their families, and our teams, which is why nurturing, nourishing, and cherishing everyone within our nursery communities is our number one priority.
Discover career opportunities at Nära Nurseries
Our Purpose
To provide excellence in early childhood education by nurturing the special relationship between our children, families and team.
Our Mission
To nourish the hearts, hands and minds of our children; and cherish each child’s early years as a unique and special time, which builds the foundation for future success, wellbeing and lifelong learning.
Our Vision
To build the most inclusive community of children, educators and families, united by our uncompromising values and determination to ensure a better future for all.
Our Values
We commit to promoting happiness, fulfilment and quality to all members of our community through a culture of kindness, respect, integrity and inclusivity.
Our Nurseries
“Play is the highest form of research.”
– Albert Einstein
Nära Horton
Nära Horton is the first nursery to join the Nära community and was acquired in September 2022.
The Nursery is located on Oxford Road in Banbury and is situated on the Oxford University Hospital site. It has been serving the local community and hospital staff since 1996 and provides a wonderful home-from-home environment in which children flourish. Since joining Nära, the Nursery has had a full refurbishment and has had some fantastic additions to the curriculum to further enhance children’s opportunities for learning and development.
The team at Nära Horton are delighted to be the first nursery to join the group, and their Manager said:
“The team and I are absolutely thrilled to be the first to join Nära Nurseries. We are delighted that Nära’s philosophy of nurturing, nourishing and cherishing our entire nursery community aligns so closely with our own aspirations for our children and families. We look forward to implementing Nära’s inspirational educational approach and to seeing the positive outcome this will have on our children’s experiences with us. The team and I are committed to creating an outstanding flagship nursery for the group and are excited for the future.”
Nursery Manager – Nära Horton
Nära Charlbury
Nära Charlbury (The Charlbury Railway Children) joined the Nära community in June 2023. The nursery, which is located on Forest road in the picturesque town of Charlbury in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, has been serving the local community since 2004, and offers a warm, friendly and caring environment for children.
The nursery is excited to shortly be introducing a range of Nära Enrichments.
Our Team
“The most valuable resource that all educators have is each other. Without collaboration, our growth is limited to our own perspectives.“
– Robert John Meehan
Gill Medhurst
The founder of Nära, Gill Medhurst has over 30 years’ experience in childcare, including working for local authority Early Years Centres, as a nursery practitioner, deputy, and manager. Gill has since worked in an exciting variety of roles, including Childcare Inspector, Local Authority Adviser, Tutor and as assessor for the level 2 and 3 Early Years Educator qualifications. In recent times she has worked as a Head of Operations, Head of Childcare and Education and Integrations Director for three growing nursery groups.
These experiences have helped her to understand what is really important when working with children, staff and families; and that is to nurture, nourish and cherish every member of the nursery community.
This empathetic approach is underpinned by Nära’s company values statement, in which they commit to promoting happiness, fulfilment and quality to all members of their community through a culture of kindness, respect, integrity and inclusivity.
Outside of work, Gill enjoys spending time with her young grandsons, and walking her rescue dog, Ralph.
Accreditations
Mental Health First Aid England
We take the mental health and well-being of our teams seriously. To support the delivery of our well-being strategy, help build a mentally healthy workplace and challenge stigma, our senior team are all trained Mental Health First Aid Champions. We also have trained Mental Health First Aid Champions in our nursery to act as a Well-being Champion for our team.
To further support positive well-being, we provide every member of our team with access to the mindfulness app, Headspace, as part of our benefits package.
Real Living Wage
When we say we want to look after our teams, we really mean it. That is why we are proud to be an accredited Real Living Wage Employer.
The Real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate which is voluntarily paid by employers who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets the cost of living, including those unexpected costs like a trip to the dentist.
The Real Living Wage is different from the government’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW), and is higher than both of these because it is independently calculated based on what people need to get by. It is also paid to everyone from the age of 18, unlike the NMW and NLW which are only applicable to those over the age of 21 and 23, respectively. There is also a separate higher rate for those living in London, unlike the government rates. Find out more at www.livingwage.org.uk
NDNA
The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is the representative body for nurseries in England and Wales. Being a member of the NDNA gives our teams an extra layer of support and expert advice to allow them to focus on what they do best: caring for our children.
Early Years Nutrition Partnership
The Early Years Nutrition Partnership (EYN Partnership) is working to improve the future health outcomes of young children by setting a standard for nutrition practice in early years settings. We are proud to be working towards this accreditation in our nursery, to ensure our children receive only the very best nutrition during their time with us.