Ideas or expriences for owning a private nursery school, needed

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 19:34

Planning to open up a small private prep-school or nursery for little children. Can anyone give me advice or has any one opened one before or has any ideas. pls share. I do plan it, but it seems hard as i have never done such thing. Is there any thing that i have to worry about...?

the butler


Joined: 22/06/2007
Posts: 1958

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 20:11

Hi oceana,



If you were doing this in the UK, you and everyone you employed would need to be police checked. You would also need some kind of child care diploma. I doubt very much if this would be the case in the TRNC but it should be for the safety of children and peace of mind for the parents.





The butlers wife

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 20:47

Thanks for the comment firstly. I really needed it. In the UK rules are much more strict than it is in N.Cyprus. I'm thinking to open one here in N.Cyprus. Im an English Teacher and Pedagogy is included in my Diploma. I'm concerned about how to run it. Will it bring good income?? because I will have to rent a place... I think my plans need organizing first.

airy____fairy


Joined: 14/06/2008
Posts: 813

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 20:56

I think you may find that there are strict rules regarding the opening of such a facility as a pre - school - and I should certainly hope that there is !!!



Also to bare in mind is that these pre schools charge between 350 - 450 tl per month ( 5 days per week ) includes meals .



Make sure you check out the legalities before parting with any cash .

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 21:10

As far as I know some sort of child care diploma is needed here too for the safety of the children. but I haven't searched properly for what else can be needed.. I will have to do that. So with all the expenses do you think I could make a good income out of it or fail? every answer you give is very important to me.

airy____fairy


Joined: 14/06/2008
Posts: 813

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 21:18

You need to find out the legal requirements - for example how many children per person ( qualified or not ???? ) and then work out the costings and potential income based on facts

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 22:17

Sounds to me like you should not attempt it. A business plan is a must and you MUST do market research. My daughter in law now has 14 nurseries in UK and she took 18 months planning before she even found the right property for the first one and all that with an MBA in Business.....be wary!

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 23:14

I totally agree with you. It's a thought in my head for now. The reason for posting this is to get ideas from different people and see if they are happy with it. It's always good to have others opinions and to listen to their past or present experiences. It works for me. About your daughter in law, her first nursery must have been a very successful bussiness for her to open another 13. good for her. After a good market research like you have said, i will then have to organize and work out how everthing has got to be and how it should be and then look for the appropriate place. I can surely see that it will take time. Everything will need a good thought and I will definately do a market research to set my mind on to it properly, it's a must. It is not something you can do in aweek or month.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 23:19

I will attempt it but it will take time!

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
14/08/2010 23:29

Talk to Liz at Kings Court Hotel, she will give you all the info you require and she has the ideal premises for your requirement. E-mail me for contact details.

AJ

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 06:33

Well thats not much of a recomendation is it AJ didnt Kings school close?

nostradamus


Joined: 15/04/2008
Posts: 557

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 08:50

I can't really see how anybody would make money out of this, especially if you have to pay rent. You are supposed to have one helper for each five kids and the average price appears to be around 400TL a month. Rent, electricity, water, food, wages, insurance, teaching materials etc etc. It just isn't a business!

airy____fairy


Joined: 14/06/2008
Posts: 813

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 09:19

Hippo - thats a bit unfair - I beleive Liz had problems with staff - and as previously said there are strict regulations regarding the opening of these establishments - they are treated like schools.



Oceana - give Liz a ring - the school may still be available to rent from her .

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 10:05

Why is that unfair? surley pointing out that an experienced established buisness cant make it pay is a good pointer to why you shouldnt start a new one.

airy____fairy


Joined: 14/06/2008
Posts: 813

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 10:47

The facts behind that business closing are only known by the owners - however I was lead to beleive staffing problems ( ie qualified people ) was the issue - and if the oceana has the relevant qualifications required by law here then that is not an issue for her staring up.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 11:46

Oceana,



As you have declared yourself a teacher of English, I'm amazed out how many grammatical errors you have managed to perpetrate in such a short time.... spelling, punctuation and sentence construction.



We don't normally make an issue of such errors on this forum but it does beg the question, how good are your qualifications?

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 14:10

Well, I've just seen you making one of those errors on this forum! "I'm amazed OUT"!!!!.That is; I'm amazed AT. To your question Groucho, good enough to open one.



Thanks airy fairy.

keyholekate


Joined: 08/05/2009
Posts: 81

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 15:33

I agree Groucho. Anyone can make typing errors but a and i are nowhere near one another on the keyboard. Spelling definitely as definately is a common error, one which a teacher of English should never make.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 16:18

We all know that English language is not read as it is written, and that is the reason why spelling mistakes are often made. Here, people have conversations, the focus is on the subject, not on how you write and spell English! I don't think ou and a are any close to one another on the keyboard either!!

greenman


Joined: 16/02/2008
Posts: 526

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 17:58

Hi Mel. Don't be diverted from your own topic by the comments of others.

Can I clarify a few points with you?

1. Are you working on the basis that your clients will be looking for an English speaking nursery or are you going to offer a bi/multi-lingual learning environment?

2. What age range are you planning on providing for?

3. Which location are you thinking about setting up the nursery?

4. Do you intend on employing an experienced nursery teacher/nurse/worker,

OR If you are going into this initially alone

5. Would childminding be a better way to determine whether you are suited to this type of work and to gain some knowledge and experience, or work in an existing nursery.

Let me also reiterate the importance of market research and an understanding of the legal implications/regulations. Having answers to the above questions will help in this.

Good luck.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 17:59

"We all know that English language is not read as it is written"



No we don't... this makes no sense whatsoever. It may not be spoken as it is written, but not reading it as it is written applies to dyslexics I think.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 18:58

Dyslexics, more like refer to the one who answers something totally different to the questions asked in the topic! You have no right to judge me or anybody else on here!!! You need to judge yourself first before criticizing and judging others!!! It makes no sense to you, so why not give up!



Thanks Greenman for the comment.

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 19:04

Oceana....are you an English Teacher who is currently employed in the property/rental sector and is now looking to set up a Nursery?



The reason I ask is that many of your previous posts on here are property related.



Nothing wrong with diversification may I add.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 19:29

I did work at the property/rental sector for two months but not anymore, and before that, I worked at Ercan Airport in Ground Operation for 4 years but just couldn't put up with waking up at early hrs so I left. I'm an English Teacher but i do not believe that you can get a good pay doing teaching in this country and plus you need to have a back to get into goverment schools, so i thought the best thing for me is maybe to open my small play house for children or a prep-school.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 19:31

I'm unemployed at the moment and not an experienced Teacher

cronos


Joined: 26/10/2008
Posts: 2093

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 20:43

Sorry to hear that Oceana.

You are obviously a tryer and want to work,so good luck in whatever career you choose.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
15/08/2010 20:46

Thank you Cronos

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 07:04

Oceana,



You brought the spectre of your qualifications into the discussion. Please don't do so if you don't wish them to be subject to scrutiny.



I think your idea is at best, poorly conceived.



Let me leave you with these thoughts...



1. I don't think there is any real money to be made out of education here. If there was, you'd be in business 5 minutes before someone better funded and better 'connected' would put you back out of business. It happens all the time.



2. You will be snowed under with TRNC bureaucracy. Chasing ever changing interpretation of state regulations.



3. You would be better off trying to find a position in a nursery to see the business from the inside before starting your own up. You can then identify the costs and where the money leaks out of the business. How to spot bad payers, along with problem parents and their offspring.

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
16/08/2010 09:12

I would like to start off working in a nursery before starting up my own just to make everthing easier for the future, but the problem is, they seriously do not pay good money at all, 1.200tl start off and that will probably rise to max. 1.400tl, even 1.100tl as a start off at some places. You begin to think it's not worth it! Working from 8-5 or 6 till the afternoon! This is the way it is in this country I'm afraid! Expensive living, low salary and they expect you to live a comfortable life. This leads you to thinking of starting up a place of your own because you just can't cope with living standards and try to aim higher in life.

Pixie


Joined: 18/03/2009
Posts: 489

Message Posted:
21/08/2010 09:29

There is a lot of good advice on board, I also agree that you should plan eveything really well including budget and feasibility.

I am opening a place this september, and the procedures are crazy. The rules have changed for everything, and the education department has a list ,also the belediye. You need to get everything organised and it is very expensive and time consuming. You should talk to Aksel bey who is charge of courses and private schools at the ministry of education.

I have spent £20 000 on toys and materials so far. They are all made in the UK and will be transported here next month. I still havent ordered furnuture, art and craft materials,the stainless steel kitchen and toilets. Then there are whiteboards, office equipment, photocopier,printer,computer, curtains,carpets,flooring, swings,slides,seesaws,bicycles for the garden.

You need to think about advertising,awebsite and putting up signs. What about transportation? will you have a service bus?

Pixie


Joined: 18/03/2009
Posts: 489

Message Posted:
21/08/2010 09:38

Teachers pay is 1235 tl but including pension fund and tax you pay 1600tl.you have rent,utility costs, materials costs,food costs,petrolcosts,wages, advertising,telephone bills,and then ifthere is anything left over you pay 16% tax to the govt every month.

I know 1200tl doesn't seem like a lot of money, but running a business and teaching are verydifferent things.I taught a neighbours daughter this year and they didn't pay me for the last 3months. So you also need to make sure you get paid.

Im taking my chances because I have been doing this for 12 years and my mum is a qualified and experienced preschool manager.Ihave 40 kids enrolled at present.

You are looking at spending minimum £70 000 for setting up your own place,and if you do it like I will-around £100 000 .

You are more than welcome to email me and I will give you the contact details of the place I'm buying my furniture/toys/educationalmaterials from. The english school also bought through them.

Pixie


Joined: 18/03/2009
Posts: 489

Message Posted:
21/08/2010 09:43

I mean the esk. bluestriver@hotmail.com

I know you might not want to hear it but my advice would be to get some experience- which is priceless, and find some private students first.

Find some good schools and try your luck..

oceana


Joined: 12/07/2010
Posts: 395

Message Posted:
23/08/2010 20:50

Thank you so much Pixie



You've mentioned important things above that I will use once I decide to open up a place of my own. I will first get some experience and see how things go. I can see that you have enough experience and a mum who is qualified, experienced and been through similar stages as you will be going through. So you have your own experience and your mums past experience to rely on.





Good luck Pixie

Pixie


Joined: 18/03/2009
Posts: 489

Message Posted:
25/08/2010 16:52

thanx same to you...