Founded by Belinda Ryan in 1988
Scallywags Nursery was founded in 1988. What began in the front room of a 3 bedroom house on Dorchester Road, has grown and developed over the past 35+ years into Scallywags Childcare Centre, our purpose built childcare facility.
In loving memory of Belinda Ryan
Scallywags team in 1992
Taken in 1992 when the team was a little bit smaller!
Two of the staff in this photo are still part of our Scallywags team.
Scallywags Nursery was founded in 1988 by Belinda Ryan, with the support of her loving husband Paul Ryan.
The dream was to offer the best start to life possible to young children in Weymouth and the surrounding areas. With this goal, drive and determination Scallywags, and the Scallywags team, began to grow and grow.
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Fast forward over 35 years and Scallywags Nursery has become Scallywags Childcare Centre, a purpose built childcare facility that has positively impacted thousands of children's lives.
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To this day Scallywags Childcare Centre remains a single setting, family run business with the same core ethics, to treat every child with equality, dignity, value and worth.
We strive to go above and beyond to support families and continue to provide the best Early Years Education that we can in a safe and loving environment.
Belinda, our founder, was a constant and passionate presence on the 'front line' at Scallywags, serving as both Director and Childcare Manager.
Incredibly, Belinda continued to grow Scallywags whilst battling primary Breast Cancer and later Metastatic Breast Cancer. Her vision, expertise, and hands on leadership were instrumental in creating the nurturing, high quality Scallywags that we are proud of today.
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Sadly, in September 2019 Belinda passed away.
We miss her deeply - her wisdom, kindness, warmth, humour, and unwavering support. She had a gift for guiding others and always made time to help those around her.
Belinda can never be replaced, but her spirit lives on in everything we do at Scallywags. Her light continues to shine through our team, our values, and the care we provide.
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​Paul, Belinda's husband and a lifelong paramedic, remains the owner of Scallywags with Thomas, their youngest son, the Managing Director.
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Thomas has been part of Scallywags since he was a baby, growing up within the setting and working in many roles over the years. His journey through the nursery reflects a deep, personal understanding of the setting, a lifelong commitment to its continued success, and a heartfelt dedication to carrying on his mum’s vision and legacy.
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Belinda's children have all been part of the Scallywags story over the years. Matthew, now an assistant head teacher, Benjamin, a senior police officer, and Emily, currently an au pair in Australia, have each spent time supporting Scallywags in various roles. Their career paths reflect the caring values at the heart of our family and our setting.
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Scallywags Childcare Centre is led by a brilliant management team: Sarah (Manager), Rachel (Deputy Manager), and Alice (Assistant Manager)​
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They bring a wealth of experience, unwavering determination, strong qualifications and perhaps most importantly, a passion for Early Years Education.
Together, along with our dedicated team of Educators, they keep Scallywags Childcare Centre moving forward, with a commitment to be better every day.
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