Fantastic - Early Years Practitioner Inspired Learning Group Employee Review

Can be supportive on work level when required. Allowed a certain amount of autonomy to run school/nursery as required.

he CEO initially comes across as a genuinely great person — someone focused on providing excellent opportunities for pupils and their families. Unfortunately, that perception quickly changes. Like any business, I understand that profits need to be made. However, it should not come at the expense of staff wellbeing and, ultimately, the children themselves. Pay and benefits are not competitive, and the holiday allowance is particularly poor, especially for early years staff. It is no surprise that staff retention is such an ongoing issue. While the organisation can be supportive at times, this is also one of its biggest weaknesses. Poor communication, lack of respect, and an often dismissive attitude towards hardworking employees have resulted in many loyal and dedicated staff leaving the organisation over the years.

There were a few genuinely nice colleagues who made difficult periods more manageable.

My experience at this company was extremely disappointing. I joined after being sold a vision of growth, development, and career progression, but it became apparent within the first month that these opportunities were unlikely to materialise. From the start, I did not receive a proper induction or onboarding experience. As a result, I was often left trying to navigate responsibilities, processes, and expectations on my own. Even after six months in the role, I still did not feel fully settled or supported, which I believe reflects the lack of structure and guidance provided to new starters. The workload was completely unsustainable. Expectations were consistently unrealistic, with responsibilities that felt more suited to an entire team rather than a single employee. There was very little structure, support, or clear processes in place, making it difficult to succeed despite working hard and trying to meet expectations. The constant pressure, combined with the lack of support, had a significant negative impact on my mental health. I regularly raised concerns about the workload and highlighted areas that were not working effectively, but I often felt that these concerns were viewed as part of the normal demands of the role rather than issues that needed to be addressed. This created an environment where excessive workloads became accepted rather than challenged. There appears to be a high level of staff turnover, and based on my experience, it is not difficult to understand why. Retaining employees requires realistic workloads, proper support, effective onboarding, and genuine investment in people, all of which I found to be lacking. Regarding the benefits package, annual leave entitlement is poor compared with many employers, and while private healthcare is offered, it is not a particularly compelling benefit. I would not recommend this company to anyone looking for a supportive environment, sustainable workloads, or genuine opportunities for development. My experience was one of feeling overworked, undervalued, and unsupported.