At a glance

Storal Nursery Group is celebrating its tenth anniversary, having expanded from a single nursery to over 60 locations across the UK, providing more than 7,700 childcare places. Founded by Ashwin Grover and Varun Chanrai, the group has grown significantly, including a major acquisition in 2024, while maintaining a focus on quality early years education and individual nursery identities. Storal has been recognised for its commitment to quality and sustainability, with multiple awards and accreditations, and continues to invest in staff development and wellbeing.

Storal is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month, marking a decade that has seen the nursery group grow from a single vision shared by two childhood friends into one of the UK’s fastest-growing early years providers.

Founded in October 2016 by lifelong friends Ashwin Grover and Varun Chanrai, Storal was built on a belief that exceptional early years education and care should never come at the expense of individuality, community or meaningful relationships. Ten years later, that vision has grown into a group of more than 60 nurseries across the UK, employing over 2,400 people and providing more than 7,700 childcare places, while remaining committed to preserving the unique identity of every nursery within the group. Since acquiring Hemsley House Nursery School in Maidstone, Kent, as its first setting in 2016, Storal has become recognised as one of the UK’s Top 20 Large Nursery Groups by daynurseries.co.uk.

The past five years have been particularly transformative for the organisation, including the landmark acquisition of Children 1st in 2024, which added 23 nurseries to the group and accelerated its expansion across England. This year alone it has expanded into eight locations from London to Lancashire. Yet despite its growth, Storal remains guided by the same ambition that shaped its founding: creating better outcomes for children.

Co-founder Ashwin Grover said: “When we first started Storal, the vision was simple. We wanted to create something that made a genuine difference to children and families, while building a business people enjoyed being part of.

“Ten years later, that vision hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s been strengthened by the incredible people who’ve joined us along the way, including our CEO, Sarah Mackenzie. Every nursery we’ve welcomed into the group has taught us something, and many of the ideas that make Storal what it is today have come from the talented teams already working within those settings.

“The bigger we’ve become, the more families we’re able to support, but growth should never come at the expense of quality. The impact we have on children has always been the measure that matters most.”

Over the past year alone, nine Storal nurseries have been graded Strong for inclusion under Ofsted’s new inspection framework, while Woodville Preschool in Derbyshire became one of only a small number of settings nationally to achieve three Exceptional judgements. The nursery was recently named Pre-School of the Year at the Nursery World Awards, contributing to three national award wins for the group, including recognition for sustainability and individual excellence.

Alongside this, 39 Storal nurseries were awarded the Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation, recognising their commitment to environmental education and sustainable practice. The group has also been shortlisted across a number of categories at the Nursery Management Today Awards celebrating SEND provision, inclusion and best practice in early years education.

Recognising that exceptional nurseries are built by exceptional people, Storal has also invested heavily in colleague wellbeing, career development and long-term retention. Last year, the organisation became a Department for Education-approved apprenticeship provider and launched the Storal Apprenticeship Academy, helping to attract, train and develop the next generation of early years educators.

Today, that commitment is reflected in the quality of its nurseries, its investment in people and its ambition to help shape the future of the early years sector.

Sarah Mackenzie, Chief Executive of Storal, said: “I joined Storal when it had fewer than 30 nurseries. Today, we’re a national group supporting thousands of children and families, but what I’m proudest of is that our growth hasn’t required us to choose between scale and quality. We’ve worked hard to build the infrastructure and expertise of a larger organisation while preserving the individuality that makes each nursery special.

“Some of the moments I’m proudest of aren’t milestones at all. They’re the moments you witness in our nurseries every day, whether that’s seeing an apprentice qualify, watching a team adapt their approach so a child can be fully included, or hearing from a parent about the difference a nursery has made to their family. Those very human moments are what everything else we achieve is ultimately about.

“The first ten years were about building something special. The next ten will be about extending that impact to even more children and families, while staying true to the values that have shaped Storal from the very beginning.”

Editorial insight

Storal’s tenth anniversary comes at a time of heightened attention on early years provision in the UK, with sector leaders and policymakers debating how to expand access and improve quality amid ongoing workforce and funding challenges. The group’s rapid growth, including its recent major acquisition and national award recognition, positions it as a notable example of independent providers scaling up while emphasising local identity and staff development.

For families and practitioners, Storal’s trajectory highlights the increasing role of larger nursery groups in shaping early years education, particularly as demand for high-quality, flexible childcare continues to rise. The group’s focus on sustainability, inclusion, and staff training also reflects priorities that are gaining ground across the sector, as providers respond to new regulatory frameworks and changing expectations from parents and government.

Story ideas and journalist angles

Local/community

Impact of Storal’s Growth on Local Communities

Storal's expansion from a single nursery to over 60 locations across the UK has implications for local communities, particularly in terms of employment opportunities and access to early years education.

Target audience local news outlets in areas with Storal nurseries Story potential 7/10 Jobs/employment

The Role of Apprenticeships in Early Years Education

Storal's establishment of an Apprenticeship Academy highlights the increasing role of apprenticeships in training early years educators, with potential implications for employment and educational standards in the sector.

Target audience education and employment-focused publications Story potential 6/10