Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

A teepee, apple trees and a sensory garden give Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School a clear outdoor identity. Inside, a Grade II listed building houses spaces arranged for babies, toddlers and preschool children. The combination puts a historic house and hands-on exploration at the centre of the offer, rather than relying on activities alone to give the day its character.

At its May 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, recognising its curriculum and care while asking for more accurate answers to children's questions and better teaching of mathematics. Those improvement points matter: an engaging activity needs adults who can explain it correctly and extend the learning.

The nursery has 73 places in total, for children aged two months to five years. Business Days, Nursery days, morning, afternoon and School days give families several attendance patterns to consider.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: play and everyday routines support children's communication, physical skills and growing independence. Chesterfield adds cookery sessions in which children handle ingredients and explore how food is grown. That gives food a role beyond mealtimes, linking preparation with curiosity about where ingredients come from.

In May 2022, babies explored paint with their bodies and hands, while toddlers investigated water, sand, foam and paint. Older children painted people important to them. These were practical, sensory experiences, with different ways for children to participate according to their stage of development.

Books and songs also ran through the day in May 2022. Babies examined illustrations, toddlers listened to familiar stories and preschool children discussed characters and what happened to them. Rhymes invited younger children to join in through sounds and actions. The useful distinction is between simply having books in a room and giving children repeated opportunities to engage with them.

The teaching had weaknesses too. In May 2022, adults sometimes invented answers when they could not answer children's questions, and opportunities to develop mathematical ideas during play were missed. Number, shape and measurement needed more deliberate attention. These are specific teaching concerns, rather than a criticism of the choice of activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

The sensory garden and vegetable patch sit alongside apple trees and a teepee. They offer different reasons to spend time outside: exploring textures, investigating growing things and exploring the teepee. For families who value outdoor experiences, the physical layout is a stronger consideration than a long list of activity names.

In May 2022, babies used a garden area of their own, and preschool children played on tyre swings. A mud kitchen supported imaginative play, with children sharing equipment and making pretend food together. Outdoor time combined movement with social practice, rather than being only a break from indoor activities.

National Deaf Children’s Society fundraising gives the nursery a named community connection. Activities across the year include sponsored challenges, dress-up days and bake sales. The charity supports deaf children and their families; involvement gives families a practical way to take part in nursery community life.

Relationships and Communication

In May 2022, key workers passed children's individual care and development needs to colleagues working with them. Parents received app updates covering food, sleep and the skills their children were developing. That combination mattered: information could follow the child between adults, while families could understand both the practical routines and the learning behind the day.

Emotional development also received attention in May 2022. Children were given time to settle after disagreements and encouraged to explain their feelings. Adults helped children share equipment during play. These everyday exchanges gave children practice in managing frustration and communicating with others.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the May 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and recognised that staff identified additional learning needs promptly, working with parents and other professionals to organise targeted support. This is a dated assessment of practice, rather than a promise about an individual child's support arrangements today.

In May 2022, babies were gently helped to sleep outdoors in prams after being dressed warmly. Regular emergency exercises covered both fire and lockdown situations, and safeguarding training was reinforced through team discussions. Together, these details show how rest and emergency preparation operated at that point.

An on-site chef cooks the meals, using local ingredients where possible. Menus accommodate dietary requirements.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Dryhurst House, Royal Hospital, Calow, Chesterfield, S44 5BL. Five named patterns give families a choice of day length: Business Days run from 8am to 6pm, Nursery days from 8am to 5pm, Mornings from 8am to 1pm, Afternoons from 1pm to 6pm and School days from 9am to 3pm.

Chesterfield operates throughout the year, with Christmas week and two staff training days set aside for closure. This makes the closure calendar an important part of matching childcare to working arrangements.

Enquiries can be made through the nursery's branch enquiry form or by telephone on 01246 563644. A non-refundable registration charge applies, and the deposit is put towards the first invoice. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Funding and Paid Extras

Eligible children aged nine months and above can access the Government's 15 Hours or 30 Hours offer. Funding is spread across 51 weeks, giving up to 11.18 or 22.35 funded hours each week respectively. Up to 10 funded hours can be applied per day during Nursery or Business day sessions, with remaining hours usable towards other regular sessions.

Private fees include meals, snacks, milk and infant formula, together with nappies, wipes, nappy cream and sun cream. Funded sessions have separate food, consumables and activity charges; additional private hours are charged too. These distinctions matter when comparing the cost of the same attendance pattern with and without funding.

Activity charges on funded sessions apply to children over two, with no activity charge for under-twos. The Chesterfield fees and funding page brings the session patterns and charge structure together, making it useful for planning a booking.

• Teaching beyond the activity. The May 2022 improvement points concerned incorrect explanations and missed mathematical learning. During a visit, ask how staff now answer unfamiliar questions and develop number, shape and measurement through play.
• Your child's starting arrangements. The nursery accommodates babies through to five-year-olds in age-appropriate spaces. Ask how settling visits, sleep routines and communication will work for your child, especially when beginning in baby care, and confirm current dietary arrangements if your child has allergies.
• Funded-session costs. Food, consumables and activities carry separate charges during funded attendance. Discuss the alternatives to the integrated package and obtain a written quotation for the exact pattern you want.
• Closures and community events. Christmas week and two training days require childcare planning, while fundraising includes dress-up days. Before joining, ask for the closure calendar and what participation in those events involves.

Chesterfield suits families choosing between longer Business Days and shorter morning, afternoon or School days sessions, especially those who value a garden with spaces for growing, sensory exploration and imaginative play. Cookery and the National Deaf Children’s Society connection add useful substance to the everyday offer.

The May 2022 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by clear teaching improvements. A family decision should give those questions proper weight alongside the setting's physical character, session choice and the additional costs attached to funded attendance.