Sustainability at Kids Inc: What’s an Eco-Friendly Nursery?

At Kids Inc Nurseries, we believe the best education starts with the environment your child grows up in. From eco-friendly nursery classrooms to our nature gardens, every choice we make is designed to give your child a healthy, inspiring start and to protect the planet they’ll inherit.

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Why Sustainability Matters for Your Child’s Early Years

Choosing an eco-friendly nursery is about more than reducing waste – it’s about giving your child the tools, values, and curiosity to care for the world around them. Our commitment to sustainability means your child will:

  • Learn in safe, non-toxic spaces with sustainable materials.
  • Enjoy fresh, locally sourced meals that support health and community.
  • Explore nature daily, developing a lifelong respect for the environment.
  • See first-hand how small actions, from planting seeds to saving water, make a big difference.
eco-friendly nursery staff member gardening with children
“By nurturing the hearts and minds of our youngest today, we plant the seeds for a sustainable tomorrow. When we all make small changes, together we create a big impact, and through our efforts in each community, we can shape a brighter, more sustainable future for all.”

Abbey Jessett, lead company eco-warrior

Children watching their plants grow at their eco-friendly nursery

Our Eco-Friendly Nursery Approach

eco-friendly nursery: Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility

We create warm, inclusive spaces where every child feels valued. With wellbeing champions in every nursery, community partnerships, and a curriculum that celebrates diversity, we help children grow into confident, compassionate individuals.

eco-friendly nursery: Environmental Care

Environmental Care

From bug hotels to bird feeders, our outdoor spaces bring your child closer to nature. We teach them to conserve resources, grow food, and understand the balance of the natural world – skills that last a lifetime.

eco-friendly nursery: Economic Sustainability

Economic Sustainability

We invest in high-quality training, fair pay, and resources that last. This ensures our nurseries remain vibrant, stable places for your child’s education and development.

Linked to Global Goals

Our nurseries align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, tackling climate action, quality education, and community engagement. It’s our way of making sure your child’s early years contribute to a brighter future.

UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals: eco-friendly nursery

Proud to Hold the Eco-Schools Green Flag

All of our nurseries are proud recipients of the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, the highest recognition for schools and early years settings committed to protecting the environment. We first achieved this honour in 2024, and we’re delighted to have earned it again in 2025.

This award reflects the dedication of our staff, children, and families in making sustainable choices every day, from reducing waste and saving energy to planting gardens and supporting local wildlife.

For your child, it means learning in a setting that’s not only safe and nurturing, but also recognised nationally for its environmental leadership.

eco-friendly nursery staff and children with the Green Flag award in 2025

Meet BRAINS, Our Sustainability Mascot

eco-friendly nursery mascot: Brains

BRAINS helps us remember our six guiding principles

  • Biodiversity: Connecting children with nature.
  • Reuse: Choosing long-lasting over throwaway.
  • Alternative: Finding sustainable solutions.
  • Influence: Inspiring families and communities.
  • Nurture: Caring for people and planet.
  • Self-Reflection: Always improving.

How BRAINS Shapes Your Child’s Experience

Biodiversity: Connecting Children to Nature
  • Nature gardens with bug hotels, bird feeders, flowers, fruit, and vegetables.
  • Community tree planting days.
  • Wormeries and compost bins to reduce food waste.
  • Seed swaps for families to grow plants at home.
  • Indoor plants to improve air quality.
  • Tree planting pledge – one for every new child and team member.
  • Meat-free days as part of a balanced menu.
  • Welcome packs with reusable items like bamboo toothbrushes and wet bags.
  • Reusable lunch bags and sporks for staff.
  • Fabric dress-up clothes from upcycled materials.
  • Rainwater butts for play and watering plants.
  • Book and toy repair stations.
  • Reusable decorations for events.
  • Promotion of charity shop finds and scrap store materials.
  • Future community swap sheds.
  • Sustainable furniture from Community Playthings and Millhouse.
  • Marmoleum biodegradable flooring.
  • Wooden resources with long life spans.
  • Reusable nappy options for families.
  • Reusable aprons and shoe covers.
  • Locally sourced food and a ban on food play.
  • Staff lunches to reduce food waste.
  • Energy-efficient appliances and regulated heating/cooling.
  • Eco-warriors in every nursery, with plans to include parents.
  • Sustainability in all Toolkit Training.
  • Reduced single-use plastics: eliminated aprons, reduced gloves, refillable bottles.
  • Bi-monthly sustainability training and new parent workshops.
  • Minimal leaflet printing and eco-friendly event materials.
  • Chef inductions on zero food waste and cooking with children.
  • Plastic-free breakfast bags.
  • Home learning packs teaching life skills like cooking from scratch.
  • Lending libraries with environmental and social themes.
  • Life skills workshops in sewing, woodwork, and gardening.
  • Level 3 SENDCo in every nursery.
  • Sustainability embedded in curriculum and training.
  • Eco-Schools Green Flag accreditation.
  • Environmental audits for representation of all cultures.
  • Eco-updates in newsletters and on our website.
  • Local sustainability resources on parent boards.
  • Sustainability checks in quality visits and audits.
  • “Bridging the gap” in communities, from food bank support to litter picks.
  • Regularly showcasing eco-projects for transparency.

Our Five-Year Plan

Building a Greener Future for Your Child

Clear, measurable goals to guarantee every nursery is an eco-friendly nursery.

Carbon footprint

Nurseries to assess their carbon footprint and work towards net zero.

Planting trees for new children/staff and community tree planting days.

Purchase goods and services that consider the lifecycle of items and minimise carbon footprint.

Nurseries to reduce the gaps within their communities to offer positive contributions.

Start shouting about what we are doing. This is updating the website, having an eco-contribution to newsletters.

We have 10 Toolkit Training sessions available within 2 different communities. We can open this up to other early years professionals free of charge.

To have all our nurseries thrive with flora and fauna.

To introduce dual mileage to encourage car sharing where possible. Encourage walking to work, or use of public transport. We are also having 2 training centres to have local training.

To have a variety of nappies in our nurseries to encourage alternatives to our families.

Embed our BRAINS model in each nursery, as our guiding principles.

Join Us in Raising the Next Generation of Eco-Conscious Leaders

When you choose Kids Inc Nurseries, you’re giving your child more than a high-quality education – you’re giving them the values, skills and inspiration to shape a greener world.

children playing with eco-friendly nursery toys
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Sustainability in practice

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Talk to one of our early years professionals

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    Our friendly and experienced staff will take you through our bright and welcoming rooms, our stimulating play areas, and our outdoor play space.

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