REBRANDING of two Oxford nurseries will result in £200,000 worth of improvements.

The Co-op Childcare nurseries in Rose Hill and the John Radcliffe Hospital will share the investment as part of the move to becoming Little Pioneers nurseries.

The new name is said to reflect the nursery’s co-operative values of openness, social responsibility, equality and democracy, and parents will have more decision-making power about care.

Rachael Escott, sales and marketing manager at Co-op Childcare, said: "We are proud to be a co-operative, so we have changed our name to reflect what we stand for as a business, with our values at the heart of what we do and the children we care for firmly in our minds.

The latest investment will enable a new garden and refurbishment to further improve the facilities for the children in Rose Hill, which already benefits from a growing area for flowers, vegetables and herbs, and four individual classrooms for more targeted learning.

The John Radcliffe nursery in Headington has received an additional £25,000 investment on top of a £100,000 refurbishment last year.

Sarah Pearson, nursery manager at Little Pioneers in Rose Hill, said: “The values Little Pioneers stand for are at the heart of everything we do. We are looking forward to giving parents the chance to shape how the nursery is run.”