On one particularly hot morning at Tree Tops II Preschool in Southampton, a dinosaur bath was happening on the playground.

The children excavated a small depression in the ground, filled it with soapy fluid from their water play bins, then threw in every plastic dinosaur in the nursery.

These giggling youngsters are the second generation of children to attend the school.

The preschool in the hall at St Anne’s Church in Southampton is celebrating its 25th year in operation.

“I am starting to see the children of former students entering the school,” owner Sarah Oatley laughed. “It makes me feel old.”

The original Tree Tops nursery was opened by June and Francis Stevens. Ms Oatley joined the staff in 1993.

In 2001, an invitation from St Anne’s Church in Southampton to establish a nursery on its grounds created the opportunity to expand. Backed financially by Mr and Mrs Stevens, she was tasked with staffing and equipping what became Tree Tops II.

“I was supposed to buy the founders out but I ended up inheriting it instead,” she said.

Tree Tops II now accommodates up to 76 children with a staff of 13, running at full capacity with a waiting list.

Families travel from as far away as Spanish Point and St David’s to attend the school.

During her time with Tree Tops II, Ms Oatley said the most difficult period was the Covid-19 pandemic. Tree Tops was one of the first nursery schools to temporarily shut because of the virus.

“Once we were able to test, that was huge,” she said. “I provided the tests.”

At the time the nursery operated two locations, one in Smith’s and one in Southampton.

During the pandemic, the business permanently shut its eastern outpost, partly because many expatriate parents pulled their children from nursery or left the island. The majority of the children at Tree Tops in Smiths were expatriate and those in Southampton were Bermudian.

Today, Ms Oatley’s biggest challenge is keeping school fees at a reasonable level while keeping the school financially viable.

Tree Tops II positions itself as one of the more cost‑effective options on the island, deliberately keeping fees below many competitors while still managing wage, premises and compliance costs.

Behind the scenes, long‑tenured staff give the business resilience and continuity. Many team members have been with the preschool for seven years or more, with one having served for more than 20 years.

To retain them, Tree Tops II offers benefits including up to five or six weeks of paid holiday, places for children of staff and a culture of regular recognition and support.

After decades in the childcare business, some people have asked Ms Oatley if she has any thoughts of retirement. The answer is a firm “no”.

“I love being busy,” she said. “I love the children. This is my passion.”