Southern Enterprise Awards 2021

10 | Southern Enterprise Awards 2021 of its strength’s. Moreover, as private company decisions can be made quickly to be responsive to market changes, Tarka Tots is not afraid to invest in high-quality resources to satisfy its customers. The nursery is very fortunate that its managers and teams have worked tirelessly to continue to deliver its core operating offer, despite staff self-isolating due to PCR testing and a national shortage of qualified Early Years Practitioners in the sector. “The staff has kept parents in work, Tarka Tots Ltd delivers childcare and early education for children from three months to eight years and continues to develop services for children and families, such as holiday and after school clubs. Formed in 2005, Tarka Tots was awarded the ‘New Opportunities Funding’ from the European Social Fund after a successful bid to develop a neighbourhood nursery in the Bideford Community. Tarka Tots Ltd is a merger between its original nursery, Southbank House Nursery, established in 2002 and Tarka Tots, within the newly developed site at Bideford Bay Children’s Centre. Tarka Tots worked closely with health services, Devon County Council and Sure Start and was chosen from only a handful of integrated nurseries based in Children’s Centres. The 45-place day nursery was a pilot centre for 2gether funding for two-year-olds before it was announced that this would later become early years funding for two-year-olds nationally due to its success. Following a second successful nursery based The Pip Centre in South Molton, Tarka Tots continues to grow and develop services in partnership with other agencies such as the trustees of The Pip Centre, Devon County Council, and local health visitors. Sharon Merritt, the Director, trained at Plymouth University on the integrated master’s programme and is specialises in Leadership and Management in an integrated childcare setting. For 12 years, Sharon volunteered on the Children’s Centre Management board for Action for Children in Bideford before their services were restructured. As a fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management, she has developed a successful team of managers who continue to build the company’s vision for high-quality children’s environments with well-trained staff. Many of the nurseries’ employees are working parents, so the initial collegial culture lends itself well to working families. “Tarka Tots is open 51 weeks per year from 8 am to 6 pm with freshly cooked hot meals made by its talented food fairies. Additionally, the nursery has embraced Best Early Years Childcare & Education Business 2021 - Southwest technology using up to date invoicing and accounting systems that allow parents to access their accounts at any time,” explains Sharon. Finally, giving parents access to Tarka Tots online learning journals will provide an insight into their child’s progression in the Early Years Foundation Stage each term. Tarka Tots ability to integrate with a 2cross-section of public and private sector organisations to deliver services to its local communities is one Sep21555