Our Story

My name is Kathryn, and as a founder and Director of Railway Children Day Care, I have been fortunate to build a career doing what I love most: caring for and supporting children. It is a passion that has been with me for as long as I can remember. 

My journey in childcare began as a live-in nanny and later as a daily nanny. As my own children grew up, I became a childminder, gaining valuable experience alongside childcare and teaching qualifications.

Over the years, I worked in a variety of early years settings, including local schools, day nurseries and community crèches. I later moved into further education, working as a Childcare Lecturer and Assessor at Rotherham and Dearne Valley Colleges. These roles gave me the opportunity to support and inspire future childcare professionals, while learning from many outstanding early years settings across South Yorkshire.

In 2006, I fulfilled my dream of opening a nursery of my own. Together with my husband Andy, we established our first nursery at Elsecar Heritage Centre with a simple vision: to create a nurturing, welcoming environment where children feel loved, safe and inspired to learn.

From the very beginning, Railway Children Day Care Nurseries have been a true family venture. Andy has always been by my side supporting the business, while my parents, Sheila and Philip, were part of the journey from day one. Today our daughter Jenny is our Operations Manager, while our son James supports our marketing and communications. Even my mum, now in her 80s, still enjoys helping in the office from time to time.

Nearly 20 years later, I remain incredibly proud of everything we have built together. Although much has changed since 2006, our commitment remains exactly the same: to provide exceptional childcare, creating happy memories and giving every child the very best start in life.

We are proud to be a family-run nursery, and we look forward to welcoming you and your child to the Railway Children Day Care family.