Aylesbury mum swaps teaching for childminding business with her own mini nursery

An Aylesbury teacher has swapped in her role in education to help youngsters in another way.

Mother-of-two, Rebecca Olaleye, has set up her own childminding nursery business within the comfort of her own home.

She is one of the Buckinghamshire mothers who have set up ‘micro nurseries’ using childminding agency, Tiney.

The scheme was launched by Teach First in response to the rising number of nursery closures throughout the UK.

Tiney hopes to recruit and train hundreds of new childminders in the area to meet local demand for high quality care services.

Rebecca has a background in theatre and education. In September, she decided to become a childminder to gain more flexibility for her family, while continuing to pursue her passions in drama and education. She said: "Earlier this year, I made a career transition to become a childminder after working in secondary school education. I decided to open a nursery in my own home with Tiney as I wanted more flexibility for both myself and my family. I wanted to spend more quality time with my two children while continuing to work in education, which I am so passionate about. Ever since opening my Tiney home in September, there has been demand from local parents and I even have a waiting list for next year.

“My professional background lies in theatre education, and most recently, I was the acting Head of Drama at a nearby secondary school. I love bringing elements of theatre and performance into my Tiney home to foster imagination in young minds. My approach revolves around providing a creative, discovery-driven, and play-based learning environment. I take great joy in witnessing children develop a passion for learning, fostering personal growth, independence, confidence, and creativity."

The number of nursery closures in England increased by 35% during the height of the pandemic. Figures obtained by Tiney show this is still the case, with a 50% increase in nursery closures reported over the latest 12 month period. A survey published by the care group showed that 83% of nurseries either make a loss or break even.