Monkey Puzzle Lightwater named finalist for national award celebrating UK’s best nursery design
Our Lightwater nursery was proudly named a finalist at the prestigious Education Property Awards in the Early Years Project of the Year category – a national recognition that places it among the very best education-led developments in the UK.
The nursery opened in May 2025 as a purpose-built, light-filled spacious design with families, practitioners and children firmly in mind. Led by our head office and delivered in partnership with landlords, early years specialists and design experts, every detail was carefully considered to support day-to-day life in the nursery while thinking long-term about quality and sustainability.
Inside, the nursery balances warmth, calm and practicality to support children’s development and wellbeing. Acoustically designed sleep pods, free-flow access to outdoor spaces and open, light-filled layouts create an environment that feels intuitive and welcoming for all our children. Clearly defined areas for play, rest and mealtimes help them learn routines and feel secure throughout the day.
This thoughtful, child-centred design has resonated with families too, earning an impressive 9.8 rating on Day Nurseries.
The Education Property Awards celebrate the very best education spaces across the UK, recognising projects that combine thoughtful design with real impact. Being shortlisted in this national category reflects both the vision behind Lightwater and the collaborative effort that brought it to life.
Grace Cole, our Managing Director, said, “Being named a finalist at this year’s awards is such a special moment for everyone involved with Monkey Puzzle Lightwater. It really reflects the care, collaboration and ambition that went into a creating a nursery that works for the whole community – we’re incredibly proud to see that recognised on a national stage.”
Chess Rau, our Head of Marketing, added: “It’s an absolute honour to be named a finalist. You really feel the difference a well-designed nursery makes every single day. The layout, flow and natural light support both the children and the team in such a natural way – it genuinely helps us create the best possible learning environment.”
The awards ceremony took place on 11th February at the London Marriot Grosvenor Square, bringing together leading education and property professionals from across the UK. While we did not take home the category win on the night, being recognised as a national finalist is an incredible achievement and a testament to the vision and hard work behind the project.
For our wider franchise network, Lightwater being shortlisted and celebrated at a national level sets a clear benchmark for what great nursery design looks like in practice. It shows how the support, guidance and expertise we provide translate into settings that support children’s development, staff wellbeing and the day-to-day operations. It also reinforces the strength of partnership between us and our franchisees, building confidence that our new nurseries are being designed with care and consistency.
Finally, this national recognition highlights our proactive commitment to quality, thoughtful planning and future-focused design – creating nurseries that will stand the test of time.
“The design of our Lightwater setting really shows the depth of expertise in our team,” added Grace. “Although we didn’t win on the night, being shortlisted for these awards reflects our wider commitment to delivering the highest standards of early years education, now and into the future.”
