Little Seeds Nursery at Whittington Moor Nursery and Infant Academy

Five mornings shape the week at Little Seeds Nursery, the provision for three and four year olds at Whittington Moor Nursery and Infant Academy on Scarsdale Road, Chesterfield. Each session has a maximum of twenty-six children. This is a part-time nursery: families need to plan around a morning finish.

There is currently no provision for two year olds, following the 2025–2026 update. Ofsted graded the school's early years provision Good at the inspection on 8 and 9 June 2022; that judgement covers early years within the school.

Children's own choices sit alongside activities guided by adults. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together seven areas of learning: creativity and understanding the world, early reading and writing, maths, physical development, communication, and personal and social development. In parent terms, the curriculum connects learning to express ideas and manage relationships with the beginnings of literacy and number work.

Talk receives deliberate attention. Adults model spoken language and plan activities to develop communication, giving children opportunities to practise expressing themselves. In June 2022, staff's work on children's language was a strength, and the learning environment was organised to support exploration. The nursery curriculum also specified the knowledge and skills children should develop.

Younger children's curriculum. In June 2022, planning for children entering at two was less detailed, with developmental milestones before nursery age insufficiently defined. Those children received good care, but the curriculum needed greater precision. The current provision begins at three.

Milk and fresh fruit are provided each day without charge. Other snacks carry an optional charge, so families can distinguish the daily provision from an extra they choose. Ask the school for current charges.

For children who need them, parents supply nappies, wipes and nappy bags. If the nursery has to supply these items, a charge applies. This makes responsibility for everyday changing supplies clear.

Safeguarding arrangements include annual training for staff and designated safeguarding leads. Staff and governors undergo DBS checks, as do regular parent volunteers and visiting specialist staff. Visitors sign in and out and wear identification badges, providing a defined procedure for adults coming onto the site.

Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Parents must make a separate application to Derbyshire Local Authority, which coordinates applications for the academy. The route is the council's online application or a common application form; joining Little Seeds is a separate decision from securing a school place.

For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 15 January 2026, and applications after that date were treated as late. That cycle is now past. Keep the Reception application separate from nursery enquiries and follow the deadline for the relevant entry year.

Sessions run from 08:45 to 11:45, Monday to Friday, during term time. The funded pattern is 15 hours each week, spread across five mornings of three hours. Additional hours cannot be accessed at Little Seeds, so this arrangement suits families able to cover afternoons separately.

Funding starts in the term following a child's third birthday. Entitlement hours carry no charge. Curriculum trips can carry charges covering admission, transport and insurance, with details shared with families for each event.

To enquire, call 01246 450634 and speak to the nursery teaching team about availability and start dates. School visits can also be arranged through the office. The academy's general contact email is info@whittingtonmoor-mlt.co.uk.