Patricia Holding, who runs two Luton nurseries with her husband, was recently invited to a reception with Ofsted to share good practice with other outstanding providers.
The results of the session will be used to create a leaflet offering helpful advice to nursery providers on how to improve their Ofsted rating.
Holding said: "For me, the biggest thing is to value your staff, respect their ideas and have them involved in decisions all along. If they feel that they have ownership and are helping to run the establishment then it runs much more smoothly."
Holding also emphasised the need to prioritise training and development for staff. "The other big thing is creating a warm, happy environment. That's what parents are looking for. They don't just want a learning environment," she said.
