Like all things good, which change for better with time, the Education system also needs evolution. Two decades earlier, pre-schools were very rare in India. But now, especially with nuclear families and double incomes, pre-schools have become essential. But kids, at this tender age of below five years, don’t need an education that is all work and no fun.
When Mr. Kennedy came back to Chennai after completing his education in Africa, he saw the gap firsthand. Coming from a family of educators, and having witnessed how kids abroad are nurtured through various activities, he was quick to see an opportunity. Even though Chennai had a bunch of daycare centers, a typical preschool that caters to the overall development of kids below five years was missing. Without spending much time in speculations, he set out to establish his first preschool venture in 2000 by the name Pebbles Pre-School. The school has spread its arms to the states of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
Catering to the Exact Need:
Pebbles was founded at a time when Chennai was still contemplating the need for preschools in society. The preschool concept, being in its initial stage of development, was a bit challenging for the team. Mr. Kennedy recalls, “Joint families were the order of the day. There used to be people at home to take care of the little ones like grandparents, uncles and aunts and mothers who did not have a career to take care of. Today things are different, there are many nuclear families where both parents work and nobody at home to take care of the little ones. We were able to overcome this by educating parents on the importance of preschool education for kids. We were also able to instill confidence in the parents by providing a safe and hygienic environment and qualified trained staff to take care of the child.”
After convincing parents with the need for pre-school, the next task was to establish a premise that spoke high about the promises that the team was making. Tackling the first challenge of hot and humid weather, the management had air-conditioned all the classrooms in the establishment. By doing so, Pebbles became the first preschool in Chennai, with air-conditioned classrooms. Up next, the classrooms were fitted with everything to the child’s scale, allowing them to be independent of adults. The next priority was maintaining a healthy child-teacher ratio, thereby ensuring more care and individual attention to the child. At Pebbles, apart from adequate infrastructure and teachers, everything is built upon its extra-ordinary curriculum. It helps children to achieve complete school readiness in all areas of academic and social learning.
Teachers – The Pillars:
Teacher’s skill plays a strong role in influencing the child’s power to grasp and learn concepts. At Pebbles Preschool, teachers are trained in the best possible way and ensure that they are completely prepared for their responsibilities. However, handling the kids in real scenarios is much tougher than earning educational qualifications and attending training. Kids need more caring and warm approach. In the classrooms of Pebbles, one can see that magical approach with massive assistance from the highly experienced support staff. Along with that, the management regularly conducts in-service training and information about the latest trends in early childhood education and care as well.
The teachers and other employees at Pebbles are highly talented individuals who have a passion and enjoy the work they are doing. The management provides them an environment that promotes healthy work-life balance for women, which in turn makes them dedicated to the work they are doing. Mr. Kennedy adds, “We motivate them by giving them a feeling of belongingness to the organization. We are very transparent in our operations and make each person aware of their contribution to the betterment of the organization.”
Partnering for Growth:
For expansion, Pebbles looks at associating with highly motivated entrepreneurs who can easily carry forward their vision. It looks for people who:
- Have a Passion to run a playschool;
- Are willing to invest and sustain until it becomes profitable;
- Understand the advantage of taking up a franchise over setting up one on their own
- Look for long term association for mutual benefits.
Franchisees who partner with Pebbles get benefitted by being part of a renowned brand that has an experience of almost 2 decades. They can leverage a very well prepared in-house curriculum that focuses on all facets of a child’s growth. Proper manuals are in place to assist them in day to day operations. Pebbles also provides complete training and support to run the outlet at very affordable rates.
Looking Beyond Competition for Expansion:
Pebbles is in an expansion mode and even with limited branches, it is rated on par with the bigger players in the industry. Leveraging technology, its digital presence on the internet and especially social media, is assisting its growth. The team feels that digital presence is the future for the growth and expansion of any organization.
Aware of the competition in the market, the team opines that the Playschool industry is not a bed of roses as most people would think. It needs a lot of passion and dedication. It is also not like a restaurant where one can put in money today and expect results tomorrow. Mr. Kennedy further adds, “Playschools usually flourish over a while and most of the business happens through word of mouth. It is also a very sensitive industry as we have to take up the responsibility of handling little ones.”
Pebbles is a 20-year-old brand. Very few players in this industry have a foundation that dates back 20 years. With this strong base, it would be moving forward in a phased manner by extending its franchise across India as an affordable high-quality brand.