4 Major Points of Consideration While Starting a Pre-school Business

It has been only a couple of decades that the pre-school culture has started flourishing in India. The pre-school business is currently in demand in India owing to the increasing count of working mothers all over the country. If you are passionate about care for kids, stimulating their minds, and nurturing them with high energy and spirit, it is a great business opportunity for you.

Following the income trend of daycares in India, we have come to a conclusion that the pre-school business is high-yielding and worth investing in. 

As a pre-school owner, you become responsible for providing the kids with education through fun activities and child supervision. It is also the daycare owner’s responsibility to ensure that the children eat their meals at the right time, stay healthy, and get the necessary nap time.

Before you initiate a pre-school, ensure that you have all the necessary information for running a daycare and a thorough business plan. If you have not done this homework, your business is likely to fail in meeting certain ethical standards of a daycare business in India.

4 Points to Consider for a Successful Pre-School Business in India

The success of a pre-school business is highly dependent on the owner’s careful business management techniques. To ensure you have the correct business management plan, here are the 4 most important points of consideration for starting a pres-school in India.

1. Guidelines and licenses:

Licenses are important for every business. It is even more crucial for a pre-school since it involves the welfare of children. Before you start your pre-school, familiarize yourself with the State Education Act of India arrange all the relevant licenses. The Central Government of India currently doesn’t imply any registration law on pre-schools. However, the State Governments have various norms to follow.

For example, the Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu Government requires you to follow the Private School Education Acts. Some of the State Government education board authorities even monitor and control pre-school operations. 

If you are not sure about the State Government guidelines and licenses required to run a pre-school in your city, follow the RTE Act.

2. Business Planning:

Like any other business, a pre-school also requires a business plan from the beginning. As a part of the business planning, you should focus on devising policies, handbooks, and operational procedures for the students’ families and pre-school staff. Planning and preparing the policies will require market research.

Invest some time surveying the other pre-schools in your area or neighboring areas to understand how they run, decorate their interiors, the ideal school fee structure, etc. 

The next phase involves planning for the types of furniture requires in the pre-school, play equipment and toys needed, deciding on the ideal paints for the interior. A pre-school must have a bright interior to encourage children and spread a positive vibe. You will also need to decide on the daycare location and arrange for the advance rent for space. 

This phase also needs you to approach a local agent or lawyer to understand and prepare for the local licenses for a pre-school. We recommend developing a nutrition protocol, crisis or disaster management plan, health and safety policy, etc., while you plan your business. 

An ideal pre-school business plan should consist of the below-

• Information if it is a part-time or full-time daycare business
• Fund requirements for renting a place, salaries of staff and teachers, purchasing equipment, and arranging for vehicles.
• Clarity on the location of the daycare and its infrastructure
• Information on the number of children you can accommodate at the daycare facility.
• Clarity on the number of teaching staff, support staff to handle medical emergencies or admin personnel you are ready to hire.
• Presence of outdoor and indoor play area.

3. Daycare location and Foundation:

The place where you set up your pre-school is a major determinant of your business’ success. Before signing a lease, search for the perfect location that has acceptable space for setting up a pre-school or rather enough area for children to enjoy pre-school and play around.

We recommend choosing a child-friendly location with appropriate infrastructure. 

Hygiene and cleanliness are essential for a pre-school.

Hence, while choosing a location, ensure that that the area is not at any health risk. We always recommend business owners sign a long-term tenancy with the landlord for your pre-school. Also, mention your business plans of starting a pre-school to the landlord and seek permission to make necessary changes in the interiors of the space like the wall painting or similar.

4. Staff Selection:

You need trained and qualified staff with prior experience in handling children for your pre-school. When you hire pre-school employees and teachers, check for their educational background, experience in child handling, and references. Anyone with any prior child abuse or criminal background should be discouraged.

Apart from checking their qualification, you need to focus on having the perfect staff, teacher, and student ratio at your pre-school. The ratio varies with the size of the room and the number of children in each room.

You will always need one staff for supervision against one room. Your licensing requirements may vary with the number of employees your hire.

Conclusion

Starting a pre-school is always profitable. However, it involves meticulous research and execution of a detailed plan. Ensure you have proper licensure, maintain basic hygiene, and have the necessary staff to ensure students’ comfort.