Specialist baby care in Chesterfield

Our Flexible Approach

The Government provides funded childcare during 38 weeks of the year (term time weeks), which equals 570 hours annually for the 15-hour entitlement and 1,140 hours annually for the 30-hour entitlement. While this model suits schools and term-time nurseries, it does not always meet the needs of working families who require year-round childcare.

At Little Acorns, we have designed our provision to better support working parents by stretching funded hours across 51 weeks of the year.

This means:

• 15 funded hours = approximately 11.4 hours per week
• 30 funded hours = approximately 22.8 hours per week

We also reserve a limited number of fully funded only places.

Before confirming a place, we will discuss all available options with you to ensure we can meet your needs.

Before confirming a place, we will always talk through the available options with you to ensure they best suit your family’s needs.

What Government Funding Does Not Cover

Government funding supports the delivery of the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) curriculum. Our extracurricular programme enhances learning beyond the basic requirement of the EYFS, supporting children’s learning and development in a fun environment, with engaging activities.

Our enhanced activities include arts and crafts, messy play, music and movement classes, baking, outdoor learning, mindful wellbeing, gardening and opportunities to explore a range of other extra curricular activities. Our extensive celebrations and events calendar throughout the year help to build children’s knowledge of the wider world. We also host regular parent partnership events, bringing families into nursery life throughout the year.

Funding does not cover additional costs such as:

• Meals, snacks and drinks
• Consumables
• Enrichment activities and extracurricular experiences
• Special events and celebrations
• I.T. Package
• Health and hygiene items
• Settling In sessions

For sessions covered by funded hours, these items are supported through additional charges.

Our Packages

Option A: Our All-Inclusive Experience

Our most popular option, Option A, offers the full Nursery experience. It is designed to support your child’s development, wellbeing, and daily enjoyment while offering convenience for families.

This package includes modest daily charges to cover:

• Nutritious meals and snacks
• Learning consumables for enriched and extracurricular activities
• Flexible booking pattern options. 
• Choice to stretch or non stretch funded hours for 51 weeks.
• £100 Settling-In-Package Fee paid on enrolment; Three hour settling in sessions which can be spread over two sessions, snacks and/or meal where applicable, plus all the required administrative setup.

Session options:

*8.00am-1.00pm or 1.00pm-6.00pm claiming 5 funded hours (you can select the option that works best for your family where there is availability) we ask for £11.00 per session and this will include but is not limited to catering costs, care products and enhanced enrichment experiences, enhancements not covered by the government funding and enables the continuous flexibility for childcare sessions.

 *7.30am-5.30pm or 7.45am-5.45pm claiming 10 funded hours (you can select the option that works best for your family where there is availability) we ask for £22.00 per session and this includes but is not limited to catering costs, care products and enhanced enrichment experiences, enhancements not covered by the government funding and enables the continuous flexibility for childcare sessions.

Once you have allocated funded hours to your booking pattern, any additional sessions will be charged in accordance with the private nursery fee structure.

These experiences support children’s social, emotional, and cultural development, creating meaningful learning opportunities beyond the core curriculum.

Option B: Fully Funded Option (up to 15 hours per term time week only)

For families who do not wish to join the all-inclusive package, we offer Option B, which provides a fully funded place during term-time only, time specific sessions, subject to availability.

These sessions up to  5 days per term time weeks at – 9.00am – 12.00pm  or 1.00pm -4.00pm 

This option  incurs no charge; however, you are required to provide your own care products. There is no option for any sessions outside of the specific times or outside of term time weeks, nor is it an option to stretch funded hours all year. These sessions are limited and will be allocated on the basis of nursery availability. 

Please note: Participation in Option A is not a condition of accessing a funded place.

Fair Access for All Families

We are committed to inclusion and accessibility. Additional consideration is given to children eligible for:

• Disadvantaged 2-Year-Old Funding
• Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)

This ensures that access to funded childcare is not limited by a family’s ability to pay.

Our Fees

Invoices are emailed out mid-month and are required to be paid by the 1st of the month. We offer a full day sessions as well as morning and afternoon sessions.

Our care package and fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change.

Parents will receive at least 28 days’ notice of any increase via email and/or parent portal.

Please speak to us for more information.

Non Funded Sessions (As of April 2025)

Full day - 7.30am -6.00pm - £71.00

Am session - 7.30am-1.00pm - £49.00

Pm session- 1.00pm- 6.00pm - £49.00

Optional additional Charges for Funded Sessions (As of April 2025)

Option A:

Additional charges for opting into full care package using funded hours.

Full day 7.30am - 5.30pm £22.00 claiming 10 funded hours

Full day 8.00am - 6.00pm £22.00 claiming 10 funded hours

Am Session 8.00am – 1.00pm £11.00 claiming 5 funded hours

Pm Session 1.00pm – 6.00pm £11.00 claiming 5 funded hours

Early bird 7.30am -8.00am £5.00

Option B:

No additional charges for opting into a fully funded Term Time Place.

You are required to provide your own care products. There is no option for any sessions outside of the specific times or outside of term time weeks, nor is it an option to stretch funded hours all year. These sessions are limited and will be allocated on the basis of nursery availability. 

Limited availability.