Why Kalendit isn’t a staffing agency — and why that matters
If you’re a nursery owner, staffing agencies have probably burned you before. You’ve paid £25–35 per hour while the educator got minimum wage. You’ve watched agencies exploit your legal obligation to maintain ratios. Here’s the truth: Kalendit is not a staffing agency.
The traditional agency model is broken
Traditional agencies sit between you and the educator, controlling everything and extracting maximum value from both sides.
- They pay educators minimum wage (£11.44–12/hour)
- They charge you £25–35/hour or more for emergencies
- They pocket the £13–23 difference — that’s a 100–200% markup
- You have no say in rates, no direct relationships, and no transparency
- The educator gets minimum wage while you pay premium prices
How Kalendit actually works
Think about how you book things in 2025: Uber, Airbnb, Upwork — you see options, check reviews, agree on price, and connect directly. Technology platforms have replaced expensive middlemen everywhere else. Kalendit does the same for nursery staffing.
- Agency sets the rate — you have no choice
- Educator receives minimum wage
- 100–200% markup hidden in rate
- No visibility of educator’s actual pay
- No quality incentive — margin same regardless
- Random practitioner each booking
- You set the hourly rate for every booking
- Educator earns 50–100% more than agency minimum
- Transparent 20–23% platform fee
- Educator rate visible before you confirm
- £20/month bonus for 5★ educators with 8+ shifts
- Build direct relationships and Favourites
What this looks like in real numbers
Same 9-hour shift. Completely different outcome.
With Kalendit, you save £95.04 per shift while the educator earns £36.72 more. Everyone wins — except the agency.