I started work on the First Learning concept when I was four months pregnant with my daughter Sophie in early 2001. I have always been passionate about food from an early age, and am a strong believer in changing the way we treat our food, particularly for children. I am a campaigner for children’s welfare and safe food and a mother who wanted to provide a nursery which is as good in every way as it can be. First Learning was always going to be organic with sound, practical environment policies.

Our research into nurseries who prepared only organic food ‘fell on stony ground’; we were met with responses such as ‘organic-what’s that?’ and ‘organic –oh no! That would push fees up’. Such negative responses simply spurred us on: we were determined to prove it could be done and at no extra cost to parents.

We spent a year developing the policies and procedures, the internal layout and sourcing the best play and nursery equipment. We took time in the design and learned about what life is like at nursery from a child’s point of view. We worked tirelessly with the Soil Association to gain our Organic Status to ensure quality and our continual commitment to our children’s health and welfare.

By listening to our parents and children and with awareness of our changing world, we strive to make First Learning a wonderful place to learn laugh and play. We are not a ‘big-profit’ organisation, just a collection of ordinary, capable people who want to make positive change happen.


Kimberley Foster BSc
Managing Director