Strikingly, only two per cent of the early years education workforce in the UK are male. In fact, out of 380 professions surveyed, early years had the greatest gender imbalance, with the lowest percentage of men present¹. But the appeal of franchising with us allows for prospects from all walks of life to discover a new career path – often in a field they’ve never explored.

For Dilpreet Singh, one of the latest franchisees to invest with us at Monkey Puzzle, is proud to celebrate being part of a minority male early years providers. Dilpreet was inspired to launch his nursery in Wokingham in June through his own experiences as a father.

“I was in the process of adopting and I was advised to spend some time in a nursery school. I loved being surrounded by all those young children – the warmth, the joy, the curiosity – it struck a chord with me, and I felt as if I’d found my calling.”

Dilpreet, whose background is in engineering and telecommunications, began his due diligence and landed on Monkey Puzzle. “Opening Monkey Puzzle Wokingham is an incredible honour and a dream come true for me. As soon as I ignited my passion for early years, I knew this was what I wanted to do.

“With my background, I was actually unaware and quite surprised by the gender imbalance in early years. Culturally, it’s the norm to co-parent children in the home, so I find it fascinating that this isn’t the case in a more formal setting, like nurseries. There’s such opportunity for a fulfilling and rewarding career, for both men and women – I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone to explore these opportunities.”

Andy Fleetwood works with his wife Cherry, the owner of our Hartley Wintney setting. As a dad working in early years, Andy feels he had a head start with the children, but he recognises that male role models are still somewhat of a novelty. “As a dad, I already knew all of the songs, the games – and I know how to get down to a child’s level and communicate with them. I can relate to parents, their worries when first leaving their child at the door, and what they expect from a setting. I know how I would want my own children treated, and therefore I expect the children at the nursery to be treated in the same way.

“Also as a male figure, we’re still a bit of a novelty in a nursery setting. We have three men who work at our setting and that really helps to give the children a more varied experience. We show children that men can be caring and work in a caring role – bringing a different dynamic in play, much like mums and dads at home. Certain children will gravitate to men for different play, and dare I say it we’re sometimes considered to be more fun! I like to think that I can be a good male role model for the children, some of whom may not have this at home for whatever reason.”

Although not a nursery practitioner, Andy ensures he shows his face as much as he can, “Working in the office means the children don’t see me all the time, but I am visible when I’m in, and always say hello. They know who I am, they trust me, and whenever I go into a room, I am always surrounded by children who want to show me what they’re doing and involve me in their play. It’s important to make time for them, even if I just popped in to speak to the room leader.”

When children see positive role models, it enriches their learning and helps break down outdated stereotypes – encouraging more men to join early years leads to a more balanced and dynamic educational experience, benefitting everyone involved. It’s all about creating an inclusive environment where both children and educators thrive.

¹ Froebel Trust, Where are the men in early childhood education?, Jan 2024