SocialChange
Classroom to Construction Site: Hands-On Learning for Foundation Apprentices
Foundation Apprenticeships create opportunities for pupils to take their first steps into industry. With our delivery in North Lanarkshire showcasing this by allowing a group of pupils form Coatbridge and St Ambrose High Schools undertaking their Foundation Apprenticeship on a live site.
In partnership with Kier, North Lanarkshire Council and hub South West Scotland we are able to deliver Foundation Apprenticeships on the site of St Kevin’s Community Hub. Allowing the young people to experience life in construction and understand what really happens on a live site.
Running through the duration of the academic year, from August 2024 to June 2025, the students attend every Friday and spend the full day in the environment of a live site. Throughout the year they will learn skills in bricklaying, joinery and more, along with soft skills such as employability. A significant part of their Foundation Apprenticeship is the completion of a work based project. To complete this they are building benches that will go into the Bargeddie Community Gardens, allowing the young people to make a tangible positive impact in their own community.
We thank our partners for the opportunity and experience provided to these young people. These collaborations provide students with insights into the construction industry’s expectations and opportunities, bridging the gap between education and employment. We believe that investing in apprentices is an investment in the future of the construction industry. Through collaboration, training, and real-world experience, we are preparing the next generation of skilled professionals who will go on to shape Scotland’s construction sector for years to come.
Inspiring Potential since 2001.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is a big deal here at tigers. We’re always excited to hear from candidates about their apprenticeships. We want to know what they learned and how they’ve grown as people, both personally and professionally.
During the week, we caught up with both Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships on their experiences, we had a look behind the scenes and made sure to have fun throughout the week.
Our content from the week
To kickstart Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025, we had the pleasure of joining Jackie Baillie MSP on a visit to Drumfork Nursery & Family Centre in Helensburgh. The visit was a fantastic opportunity to witness the impact of apprenticeships in early years education and to celebrate the commitment of those shaping the future of childcare.
To read this blog in full, please visit: Drumfork Nursery & Family Centre visit with Jackie Baillie MSP
Caitlyn shared her journey of completing a Level 4 (SCQF Level 9) Modern Apprenticeship in Early Years at Lullaby Lane Nurseries and how this has prepared her for her next steps into leadership!
We spoke to Jayden, Curtis & Lillie who showcase the benefits of the apprenticeship family, having completed Foundation Apprenticeships while at school, they are looking ahead with ambitions to undertake Modern Apprenticeships!
Having studied to become an Art Teacher, Katie struggled to find permanent work and looked towards Early Years. Now completing a Modern Apprenticeship at Lullaby Lane Nurseries, Katie is loving life in Early Years and we were delighted to be able to share her story!
Sophie first joined tigers as a Foundation Apprentice while at school, before completing an Early Years Modern Apprenticeship at Lullaby Lane Nurseries and is now back at tigers group as a Digital Marketing Apprentice!
Chloe has found her way into Construction through joining the team at tigers as an apprentice trainer! Working with the experienced team at our Construction Academy, Chloe is ready to inspire more young women into the industry!
We also went behind the scenes at our Construction Academy, with a day in the life, finding out what a day looks like completing a Modern Apprenticeship with tigers!
@tigersgroup_ 🦺 Spend a day with us at our Construction Academy and find out more about what a #ModernApprenticeship with tigers entails! #ScotAppWeek25 #MadeForBusiness #InspiringPotential ♬ original sound - tigers
We had some fun, inviting all our apprentices to take park in the sunglasses trend, Scottish Apprenticeship Week edition 😎
@tigersgroup_ 😎 Sunglasses trend Scottish Apprenticeship Week edition 🕶 #scotappweek25 #madeforbusiness #inspiringpotential #sunglassestrend #sunglasses #fyp #youngpeople ♬ original sound - 𝓆𝒾𝓁 - 𝔮𝔦𝔩
Paradigm Landscapes shared a thought-provoking blog on how they support the next generation, celebrating the opportunities that apprenticeships create for young people and businesses across Scotland!
Read this blog in full: Scottish Apprenticeship Week: How Paradigm Landscapes Supports the Next Generation
We were also proud to share a new blog, on what has been A Year of Exceptional Achievement in Qualification Delivery, which included highlighted starting Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025 with over 500 live candidates, all progressing through various qualifications. Along with having successfully certificated over 1000 candidates over the past year.
Read this blog in full: A Year of Exceptional Achievement in Qualification Delivery
We’re already looking forward to Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026, see you there!
Celebrating #IWD2025
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible women in leadership at Lullaby Lane Nurseries. This year, we’re privileged to share the stories and experiences of our talented depute managers, who bring passion, dedication, and inspiration to our nurseries every day.
In this special feature, you’ll hear firsthand about their unique journeys—from starting as apprentices to becoming leaders within our organisation. They’ll share insights on balancing work and family life, the challenges and rewards of being a working mother, and how they navigate the responsibilities of leadership while staying true to themselves.
Join us as we celebrate their achievements, learn from their experiences, and continue to support and uplift women in leadership roles at Lullaby Lane Nurseries and beyond.
Collette Cassidy
Hello, my name is Colette Cassidy, I am one of our Depute Managers at Lullaby Lane Nursery Milngavie.
My journey at Lullaby Lane started 10 years ago as a Modern Apprentice when I was only 16 years old. I have always been passionate about watching children grow & thrive. After 4 wonderful years of caring for our babies, I decided I would like to take the next step in my career. This is when I completed my SVQ Level 4 in Leadership & Management & progressed onto my team leader position. My passion has always been creating a safe, nurturing environment full of love for our children and now leading our team to support them grow & develop is now one of my many responsibilities.
In 2021 I first became a mum to my little boy, then 2022 we completed our family with my little girl. Returning from maternity leave was difficult but I was so fortunate to have a wonderful team around me to support. I had always wanted to continue to progress within my career after having my family. Upon my return to work I was promoted to Depute Manager.
I am forever grateful for the support in helping me to find a healthy work & family life balance.
Rachael McElroy
I have been with Lullaby for 8 years in June this year! Starting off my journey at Lullaby Westerton as a nursery practitioner then moving to our Milngavie site. Whilst in Milngavie I was promoted to Deputy Manager and moved back to our Westerton nursery. Throughout my time working my way up I have had nothing but support from all the ladies in leadership at Lullaby, without them I wouldn’t have the confidence I have today to be where I am!
Whilst at Westerton I was promoted to Manager, and I then fell pregnant with my first child. This was a whole new experience for me however the support from Pauline and Donna made the transition so much easier. I was thinking miles ahead in terms of when I would return/hours, however Pauline assured me just to enjoy my time with my boy as I wouldn’t know how I felt until I had him. When it was time to return, it was a scary stage. I struggled with post-natal anxiety and was starting to feel better but then it was time to settle my baby and return myself.
However, this was made so much easier as I was able to chat with Pauline regarding my hours and my position, as I was bringing Rio to Milngavie to support my work life balance. I also moved back to Milngavie and joined the leadership team as one of our deputy mangers.
I feel there is a stigma around women having a career and family however it is manageable if you’re able to set your own boundaries and have a fantastic team behind you like I do! The highlight of being in leadership is supporting our team to be the best they can be to support our children.
Natalie Agnew
My journey at Lullaby Lane started nearly 7 years ago. Before this I worked in the third sector and during my maternity leave with my first child, the funding for my role ended, so I began to look for other opportunities. This is when I came across Lullaby Lane. It was a daunting time returning to work after being in a baby bubble for so long, and especially to become the new person in the workplace again, but I was welcomed into the team with open arms and this really helped ease me back into the world of work after 9 months off.
I have continued to progress within the nursery from a modern apprentice up to my current role as Depute Manager. When I voiced that I’d like to take on more responsibility within the nursery this was always met with support and opportunities to allow me to do this. The leadership team championed me and if I ever needed help or made the wrong decision then someone was always there.
In between all of this, I’ve had my second baby, who will be 2 soon. Again, this was met with nothing but love and support from those around me at Lullaby.
This made going off on maternity leave and returning to work a lot easier than I imagined, as the connection was still maintained in a number of ways throughout my time off.
Of course, it’s always hard finding that balance between work and motherhood but working in a female orientated workplace you’re always met with people who you can relate to and who understand what it’s like when you’ve been up every hour throughout the night, or you don’t want to miss your child’s sports day. It helps you to realise that you’re not alone and you build a sense of community with people who are always there to pick you up when you need it. I’m lucky that the other deputes and our manager, Donna, are all working mums as well, so we all pull together to ensure we are getting that time to navigate being in a leadership role whilst being a mum.
There’s no better feeling when you’ve got people around you who celebrate your little ones as much as you do.
There can sometimes still be a stigma around women in leadership, and that women should have to choose between a career or a family, but with the right people around then it’s possible to be both.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2024
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is always a highlight of the calendar here at tigers. We love to hear from candidates on their experiences during their apprenticeships, not only to hear about what they learned but also on how they’ve grown as an individual.
During the week we spoke to a range of Apprenticeships candidates, across Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships.
Aaron, Callum & Jack all completed Modern Apprenticeships as part of tigers Joint Venture with Morgan Sindall Construction and since completed their qualifications are now employed by Dalcon Civil Engineering working across Scotland!
Amyleigh & Harry first joined tigers when they undertook Foundation Apprenticeships while still at school. Since then they have both taken the next step and moved on to Modern Apprenticeships with Primrose City Nursery!
We also caught up with G4 Claims who have been upskilling their staff through SVQ’s in Management
Ewan found his opportunity with Paradigm Landscapes through tigers Joint Venture with Morgan Sindall Construction, he’s since completed his Modern Apprenticeship & joined Paradigm Landscapes as a Junior Landscaper!
We rounded off the week with Hollie sharing her story. After completing her Level 3 Hollie has taken the step up to Team Leader at Lullaby Lane, becoming a role model & inspiring the team around her as she now works towards her Level 4!
Scottish Apprenticeship Week also gave us an opportunity to again hear from our Schools partners, sharing the voices of teachers and pupils from Glasgow and West on the impact Foundation Apprenticeships have had in their schools.
You can find all of these videos over on our YouTube!
We’re already looking forward to Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025!
Clare's journey back to the workplace
I found out from a family friend about a new programme starting called the Women Returners. This programme was developed to help mothers with young children return to the workplace. As I had not worked since my daughter and son were born, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for me to gain some new skills which might help me to secure future employment.
When researching the programme, I found out that a local training company called tigers were delivering the courses in my area. I went onto to tigers website and saw that they delivered lots of different training programmes and had excellent testimonials from a wide variety of people. This gave me the confidence to apply to join the programme. I was very nervous and unsure of myself to begin with but the guy running the course put me at ease straight away. I found attending the course not only helped to build my confidence, I also gave me practical Microsoft Office experience. As part of the course, we were helped with CV writing, Job Applications and Interview Techniques. This was the kind of support I needed to get back into the workplace, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to return to the workplace.
I was told by the tutor that there was a vacancy for an administrator at Tigers and he thought I should apply. I was very anxious when I was invited for any interview. However, at the interview the panel were all very welcoming and helped to put me at ease. They told me about the company and what the main duties of the job role would be. They also assured me that they were aware that I had small children at nursery and school and where more than happy to be flexible with my working hours.
I was extremely happy to find out the same week of the interview that I had been successful and would be given the opportunity to join the team at Tigers. After a probationary period, I was offered a permanent contract, and was delighted. They also offered me the opportunity to gain a Modern Apprenticeship in Business & Administration Level 3. As I hadn’t studied since college over 10 years previously and had a young family, I was really worried about not being able to complete a qualification. However, they assured me that it was a work-based qualification and I would not be expected to do work at home. I meet with my assessor who explained all about the qualification and how my work duties would be part of the evidence needed for each unit. She also explained that she would visit me at work on a regular basis to observe me working and go over each unit and what was involved it gaining the evidence. I found this to be a really rewarding experience and it really helped me to understand my job better. Going through the individual units with my assessor gave me the confidence in my own ability and also gave me excellent new skills, which I could bring to my job.
I am really thankful to Tigers for giving me the opportunity to develop and grow new skills with excellent qualification which will help me to have a future career.
Clare Johnstone
Trainee Co-Ordinator
Third Lullaby Lane Nursery opens at Hogganfield Loch!
We first opened our doors at Lullaby Lane Westerton in October 2013, later Lullaby Lane Milngavie in 2017.
We opened with a simple ethos, to treat each child like they were our own, offering them love, compassion and a home from home.
We wanted our families to feel proud about the choice that they made for the care of their children. We wanted them to part from their children with the confidence and knowledge that they were leaving them in the care of people who were emotionally available and who would take their unique, precious child into their hearts.
We wanted to offer comfort and safety by providing cuddles and close connection.
On the 5th February we opened our doors to our 3rd nursery, Lullaby Lane Hogganfield at Golf It!. We will have the joy of welcoming more children and families who will experience our #AttachmentLedPractice and our emotionally attuned #FamilyCare. It truly is a privilege to be asked to care for someone’s child.
Our new venture is the collective achievement of our Lullaby team, present and past, supported by many of our teams across the Tigers Group. Our Hogganfield team stand on the shoulders of all their colleagues. This has been a true team effort to get to this stage.
We wish to thank Laura Devennie, Donna Adams, Christopher Keane, and Tracey Nimmo, none of this would have happened without their exceptional work and their immense courage. And to our friends and colleagues Jenny Brown, Russell Smith, The R&A, VS+YO, & Iain Smith for being visionary thinkers.
We must finish by thanking the person who has been part of this development from the very beginning, and who has been integral to all operations every step of the way, Brian Carmichael. As so accurately said by Jenny recently, “Brian is great, he makes things happen”. Thank you to our dear friend.
Welcome to Lullaby Lane Hogganfield. We cannot wait to see what adventures await our whole community 🎉🙏
Pauline and Ian Scott ❤️
Tigers School Partnerships
At tigers we are delighted to be working with over 20 schools across Glasgow and the West of Scotland delivering various Foundation Apprenticeships; these vocational qualifications are the equivalent to traditional highers in Scottish Schools.
This academic year we’ve proud to have welcomed 324 new Foundation Apprentices from six different Local Authority areas into our learning environments.
Our three learning academies are active in the schools delivering the following:
Our Business Skills Academy are delivering a Foundation Apprenticeship in Business Skills,
Our Early Years Academy are delivering a Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services Children and Young People (SSCYP),
Our Construction Academy are delivering a Foundation Apprenticeships in Construction Craft and Civil Engineering.
In recent weeks we have been sharing across our social media platforms some of the wonderful feedback from staff and pupils in our partner schools, we are humbled by their enthusiasm and generosity of commentary.
I think its good to actually be out and learning something that I want to do when I’m out of school. It’s better, it just feels like you’re just having fun.
Ashton Adamson, Bannerman High
Sam and Craig have just been amazing with the guys, they build relationships with pupils that struggle maybe to build relationships with the teachers across the school. They just get so much out of them, and the pupils get so much out of the course as well.
Lesley Mulholland, Principal Teacher of Employability, Bannerman High
It’s very engaging, I like how the teachers engages with the class. Demonstrations, activities basically, I like that about it. I think that’s better for learning, he’s talking all the time so you’re more likely to take it in. He cracks jokes while he’s at it, so people don’t get bored, and they don’t zone out. People are always in the zone when he’s there because makes it enjoyable.
Adam Cuthbertson, Trinity High
We understand that there is a need within our local context and nationally for a broader curriculum that offers more vocational based courses to meet the needs of all of our young people.
Dr. Ruth McGuire, PT Pastoral Care, Trinity High
If you’re interested in hearing more from all the schools we are working with and have visited to date you can head to our YouTube channel where each week we feature a new school, sharing positive stories of Vocational Education.
To follow us on social media you can here:
For the Love of Reading, Early Years and Beyond
By Early Years Assessor, Lynsey Beaton.
Whether you are 6 months old and curious about the world around you or an adult managing the ups and downs of life, a book can offer you comfort, connection, closeness, and a sense of escapism. As we navigate our way through life the simple joy that books can bring is something that we must hold on to in this fast world full of technology. Some of my earliest memories are getting tucked into bed and asking for “one more story” before drifting off to sleep. I know this isn’t always the same for all children, I know I was fortunate to have that connection.
When I was an early years practitioner I cherished story time, observing excited faces as they turned the next page and predicted what was going to happen next, cosied in with blankets and love in our story areas. It was a time for connection and physical proximity.
The recent expansion of Early Learning and Childcare across Scotland is an opportunity for professional practitioners to use the power of stories and story time to build trusting relationships with their children. We can consider both the physical and emotional environment and co-create cosy, soft and safe places to snuggle up with books. We can support our children to design their own stories and ignite that lifelong love for reading. When children feel safe, loved, supported, and regulated in their environment we can carefully interact and observe playful interactions, the place where communication and language start to thrive.
As we celebrate Book Week Scotland at Tigers, we are delighted to host the Scottish Book Launch of “My Family, Your Family” written by Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Laura explains her book “aims to share that all children and their families matter and how important it is for every child to see that there are diverse types of family that are different from their own. I have included, as an example, blended families, children who may have had a parent who has died, children who have parents who are the same sex/gender, and children who are adopted or fostered. It was important to use the correct terminology, such as surrogacy, kinship, and donor; these terms are the reality for some children and mirror their families.”
It is so important that children can see themselves within a variety of books, understanding and celebrating their differences, along with a sense of belonging. We look forward to an engaging afternoon of shared family stories and connection, where the adults in children’s life’s can take back Laura’s books and share them within their settings.
Reading is for adults too. Books can create a sense of belonging and relief as we can see parts of our own lives within the stories that we are reading. A book can stoke our imagination. You don’t just hold a book in your hands, you hold it in your mind, giving yourself permission to dream, to go on an adventure, to escape your everyday life, to feel connected, and to build empathy and compassion for others.
Reading really is a lifelong joy! Think about taking time to unplug the devices and pick that book up, you never know where it will take you…
Lullaby Lane Nurseries Opens Third Location at Golf It!
We're in partnership with The R&A!
We are thrilled to announce the opening of our third location at the Golf It! complex in Glasgow. This exciting expansion comes in partnership with The R&A, the esteemed governing organisation of golf. The new nursery will open on 5th February 2024 and will provide childcare for children from aged two until primary school age.
With the opening of our third nursery, Lullaby Lane aims to extend its Attachment-Led ethos, prioritising the emotional needs of our children, to meet the growing demand for early learning and childcare facilities in Glasgow.
Pauline Scott, our owner and Managing Director expressed her enthusiasm for the new venture, stating, “We are absolutely delighted to open our third nursery at the Golf It! complex in Glasgow, in collaboration with The R&A. This partnership allows us to provide a high-quality care service to families, while being a part of a thriving, community-driven sports hub. This partnership has been values aligned from the beginning. We share the vision of creating community spaces where children can develop their individual talents and self-belief, in fun, playful, and experiential environments.”
Pauline added, “We believe in providing emotionally attuned, uniquely responsive, and loving relationships that support the healthy biological development of our children. We know that children’s learning, exploration, and creativity is optimised when they are in the presence of emotionally regulated and developmentally informed adults. We believe in the adage ‘start with the adults present in the lives of children’ and we will be sharing our ethos and practice with our families by offering them our unique ‘Daring Ventures’ programme. We look forward to welcoming families to visit our nursery throughout December and January, and to officially welcoming our first families in February.”
We are delighted to announce that Christopher Keane, our current Deputy Manager at Lullaby Lane Nursery Milngavie will become the new nursery manager.
Chris commented, “I am honoured to be part of the Lullaby Lane Nurseries team and excited to lead our new nursery at Golf It! We are dedicated to partnering with our families to ensure each child receives the individual care they deserve. Our Attachment-Led Practice aims to support our children’s emotional safety by creating a home from home environment where we put the emotional well-being of the child at the core of all our practice and policies. An example of this is that at Lullaby Lane we offer our families free and unlimited settling in (building a relationship) sessions that are child-led. We also encourage home visits so that the child’s care practitioner can spend time with our children in their own environment. This helps to develop secure and trusting relationships before it is time for families to separate from their children.
As the manager, it is my responsibility to care for the adults who are caring for the children. I believe in prioritising the emotional wellness of our team and providing them with learning opportunities that build their confidence and knowledge in the science of Attachment Theory, early brain development, play and learning.”
Families interested in applying for a place at Lullaby Lane Nurseries can visit the company’s website at www.lullabylanenurseries.com or contact the nursery directly to schedule a visit on hogganfield@lullabylanenursery.co.uk.
324 New Foundation Apprentices join tigers
Our new academic year has started with real purpose across our three thriving learning academies.
We are proud to have welcomed 324 new Foundation Apprentices from 6 different Local Authority areas into our learning environments since the beginning of September 2023.
In the words of our Group Managing Director, Pauline Scott, “At tigers we understand that significant learning and development only happens in the presence of secure, positive relationships.”
“Creating environments, alongside our values aligned partners, that support that understanding, we believe is a key driver in the success of our Foundation Apprenticeship delivery,” said Alex Wright our Business Skills Academy Manager.
The pupils drawn from 20 schools across the West of Scotland will undertake a range of Foundation Apprenticeships in the following industry sectors ;
- Construction
- Business Skills
- Early Years
Tigers Foundation Apprenticeships’ offer pupils the opportunity to move out of the traditional classroom and learn through vocational education in tandem with our ethos of relationship led practice.
At tigers we believe that a vocational education is a first class education and in the coming weeks we will be sharing further commentary from our partners and apprentices, who have experienced our Foundation Apprenticeship delivery in the previous academic year, who echo that sentiment.
You can follow that commentary and share your own experiences both here and on our social media channels.
For the next eight weeks we will share more content from our schools partners, across our socials at 8am each Friday morning, starting next week 27th October when you will hear from Bannerman High School in Glasgow about their tigers experience in 2022/23.