Little Bicks will be running a fourth London area nursery from September, having taken over the premises of the nursery at Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue. The group - already operating in Borehamwood, Mill Hill and Ilford - is promising reduced prices and a lower starting age of 18 months. There will also be extended hours.

All the staff from the former Stanmore nursery, Little Gems, are being retained. "In fact," said Stanmore Synagogue's Jo Briggs, "it will be very much business as usual, but better, as the new nursery will reap the benefits of being part of a larger group."

Little Bicks owner Rivka Bicks said "parents need affordable childcare that they can mix and match to meet their needs. We also provide a caring environment enriched with Judaism and excellent secular education."