Beckenham mum opens fifth Sunny Kids pre-school in Bromley

Josephine Godbold, a single mum, officially launched the new Sunny Kids pre-school at St Mary’s Church on College Road on Monday, September 2.

Josephine's journey began seven years ago when she opened her first Sunny Kids pre-school after studying at night school, college, and the University of Greenwich.

The grand opening of Sunny Kids in Bromley (Image: Josephine Godbold)

She pursued her education at the age of 30 while balancing part-time work and raising her two-year-old child.

Josephine told the News Shopper: "We had the mayor and an ex-pupil, Billy, come down for opening day.

“Billy gave a speech about when he first joined Sunny Kids—he was non-verbal—but through determination and working with the staff, he's now at school, and he's top of the class for English and writing books.

“It was really quite an emotional speech."

(Image: Josephine Godbold)

Last year, Josephine expanded her impact by opening two more pre-schools in West Wickham and Orpington.

Her latest venture in Bromley is housed in a “beautiful, bright hall and garden” with plenty of spaces for more children to join.

St Mary’s Sunny Kids also offers a breakfast club starting at 8am, for children who need to arrive earlier than the regular pre-school hours.

Josephine added: "It's always a risk [opening a new pre-school], but I am dedicated to the cause and have a good team behind me.

“A lot of the children are still recovering from the COVID situation, still struggling with speech and confidence, and I feel like that's my focus here.

“It's not so much the business side of it; I just need to make sure that we reach those children wherever they are, because a lot of pre-schools and nurseries are closing."

Before launching Sunny Kids, Josephine gained valuable experience working as a teaching assistant, pre-school practitioner, and deputy manager.

(Image: Josephine Godbold)

She decided to follow her dream of opening her own pre-school, driven by her desire to provide high-quality care and education to children from all backgrounds.

Josephine explained that she opened her first pre-school in April 2016 after working on the railway and realised she needed to do something more “rewarding” with her life.

Sunny Kids focuses on "play" to support children from all backgrounds, especially those needing extra support post-COVID.

The pre-school prides itself on identifying children's needs and supporting parents and carers through the Early Years Foundation Stage to enhance children’s learning journeys.

"We're not sitting here rolling in pots of gold because the government doesn't pay a lot," Josephine noted, "but what we want is to get children socially interactive and ready for school, giving them a good start in life."