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Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Dryhurst House, Calow, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S44 5BL
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Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School, Chesterfield
Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School, Chesterfield
Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School, Chesterfield

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School is situated close to Chesterfield city centre within a listed building with a fabulous garden. The nursery has been refurbished to offer children from birth to five years a warm, welcoming and stimulating learning environment. Funded places are available for eligible 2, 3 and 4-year-olds.

The nursery features age-appropriate rooms and a large outdoor garden with outdoor classrooms, a mud kitchen, a fort and a woodland...  

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery

Opening Schedule

Open all year

Full days available

Yes

Half day sessions offered

Yes

Group / Owner

Person in charge

  • Katie McNamara(Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 20

Total Places for Children

  • 73

Age Range

  • from 0 years 2 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday08:00-18:00
  • Tuesday08:00-18:00
  • Wednesday08:00-18:00
  • Thursday08:00-18:00
  • Friday08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Funding & Fees

From April 2026
Business Days (8:00am to 6:00pm) from £79.00

We also offer Morning and Afternoon Sessions

We want to make life simple, so our fees include infant formula, milk, freshly prepared snacks, and meals. We also provide nappies, wipes, and sun cream, or parents can bring their own if they prefer

Contact Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School to get a personalised quote:

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School Reviews (168)

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10

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School has a Review Score of 10 (10.000) out of 10, based on 36 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School has 168 reviews.

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Review from Olivia R (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

I can't thank and recommend this nursery enough. We moved our son here after not being comfortable with him at another setting. He entered through the Bobtails room and he settled so well, better than I could have ever expected. Miss Anisha was his key worker and she was amazing from the first settling in session right through to him moving up to his next group, I believe she is one of the main reasons our son settled so well, he formed such a connection with her. All the staff are amazing, and the activities they do with the children are so lovely to see.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that your son settled so well with us and that he has enjoyed his time in Bobtails.

Your kind words about Anisha and the wider team mean so much. Building strong relationships with our children and families is incredibly...  

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Review from Andrew E (Father of Child) published on 28 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
Our daughter has been at the nursery for 2 1/2 years, since being 12 months old. The staff are friendly, supportive and have helped her develop wonderfully. They have excelled in those times when things like drop off are tough (because we all have those!).
The facilities are great, with relatively small groups across a number of different areas and the outside space is fantastic.
A measure of how much our daughter loves nursery is that she complains that she doesn't go every day and she wishes she did.

This is not our closest nursery, but we have never regretted making the trip past four closer ones to get here.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Thank you for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear how much your daughter has enjoyed her time with us and that you've seen her grow and develop with the support of our team.

It's wonderful to know she loves coming to nursery, and we truly appreciate your kind words about our staff,...  

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Review from Olivia P (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

This nursery is THE BEST! My daughter started age 1 and my son. I have all positive things to say. The staff are the most caring wonderful people who love the children like their own. My children had never been looked after by anyone but my husband and I so I was worried about them starting nursery when I went back to work. They both settled in wonderfully, the staff found everything out about the children before and really tailor the care to each child. They do so many amazing things with them and they have the best time there! My son and daughter came on leaps and bounds because of this nursery. Every single member of staff is incredible, the mangers, the cleaner the staff; everyone is cheery picked. The food is lovely and my children both eat more there than anywhere else. The staff helped with potty training and were very supportive. I never have a single worry about my children there. Honestly could not wish for a better nursery. It is 10/10 and I would recommend it to everyone.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that both of your children have had such a positive experience with us and that they settled so well into nursery life.

It means so much to know that you feel confident in the care and support provided by our team. Thank you for your kind words and recommendation. We'll be sure to share your lovely feedback with the whole team.

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Review from Sara B (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
We couldn't be happier with the care and support our daughter has received. From the very beginning, everyone has been so welcoming, kind, and genuinely invested in her happiness and development.
A special thank you to Tara, her key worker, who is so kind, sweet, and caring. It's clear how much she genuinely cares for the children, and it gives us so much reassurance knowing our daughter is in such loving hands. Tara has helped our daughter settle in so well, and we are incredibly grateful for the patience, warmth, and attention she shows every day.
It's been wonderful to see our daughter's confidence and independence grow. She always comes home happy, and it's clear that the team puts so much thought and effort into creating a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment where children can learn, explore, and thrive.

The staff are incredibly approachable, and we really appreciate the updates and communication.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School
Thank you for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear how happy your daughter is with us and the progress she has made.

Your kind words about Tara and the team mean so much, and we'll be sure to pass them on. Thank you for your trust and support.

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Review from Anya T (Mother of Child) published on 28 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
Would like to say a massive thank you to all the staff at this nursery. They go above and beyond to make all the children feel special. Our daughter has had numerous key workers, all of which have created a welcoming personal experience.

Would highly recommend!!!!!

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School
Thank you for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear that your daughter has had such a positive experience with us and that our team have helped her feel so welcomed and supported throughout her journey.

We truly appreciate your kind words and recommendation, and we'll be sure to pass your feedback on to the team.

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Review from Annabelle J (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
When you leave your child at nursery, you want somewhere that inspires them, nurtures them, and makes them feel safe and loved and that's exactly what we've found.
From the moment you walk through the door, the team create such a warm and welcoming environment. The staff genuinely care about every child and go above and beyond to support their development, confidence, and individuality. It's clear how much thought goes into the activities, which are always engaging, creative, and help the children learn through play.

Thank you to the whole team for everything you do. Especially Miss Anisha & Miss Gabby both huge assets! - it takes special people to raise little people! We couldn't ask for a better start to our child's learning journey, and we would recommend this nursery without hesitation.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that your child feels safe, happy and supported with us, and that you've had such a positive experience with our nursery.

Your kind words about Anisha, Gabby and the wider team mean so much. We truly appreciate your feedback...  

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Review from E B (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Amazing nursery, my 14month old loves coming, the staff are excellent, shes developed so much since starting in Feb, the portal is brilliant so we can see how much fun shes having each day. Highly recommend.

Reply from Jessica Griffin, Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Thank you for your lovely review. We're so pleased to hear your son is thriving and that you've had such a positive experience with our nursery.

We truly appreciate your kind words and will be sure to pass them on to the team.

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Review from Holly B (Mother of Child) published on 14 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
I cannot recommend this nursery highly enough. Since my daughter started here, she has come on leaps and bounds. Her communication skills and confidence have improved so much, and it's been wonderful to see how happy and settled she is.
The staff are always so friendly, approachable and genuinely caring. They have always gone above and beyond to cater for my daughter's individual needs, and it gives me great peace of mind knowing she is in such safe and nurturing hands.
A special thank you to Lilac, her key worker, as well as Ellie and Gabby. Your kindness, patience and dedication have made such a positive difference to my daughter's development, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do.

Thank you to the whole team for creating such a warm, supportive and stimulating environment. We couldn't have wished for a better start to our daughter's early years

Reply from Jessica Winfield, Regi at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Thank you for your lovely comments and for trusting us with your daughter's early years education. We feel privileged to be part of her learning and development and look forward to seeing her continue to grow, learn and flourish.

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Review from L H (Father of Child) published on 10 July 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

Everything about this nursery is fantastic, a view shared by myself and my wife but more importantly by our son. He loves the staff, the interior and exterior activities and we've seen a huge impact on his development. Our son will be at school next September and well all miss the nursery a lot

Reply from Jessica Winfield, Regional Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

We are delighted to hear that both you and your wife have had such a positive experience with our nursery, and even more so that your son enjoys it so much. Knowing that he loves spending time with our team and engaging in the wide variety of activities both indoors and outdoors is truly rewarding.

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Review from Jessica B (Mother of Child) published on 27 May 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
This nursery and its staff are fantastic, I recommend to anyone who's looking for a nursery.
Staff are very helpful and polite. Facilities are great. The garden is the best.

Meals are really good. Communication is very good too. Learning and development is forefront to this nursery. My son has come on so well since starting here last year. Always very clean.

Reply from Jessica Winfield, Regional Marketing Executive at Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Thank you for your kind words and continued trust in us. We look forward to sharing many more happy milestones and achievements with your son as he continues to grow and thrive at nursery.

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Review from Megan B (Mother of Child) published on 31 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My little girl absolutely thrives at nusery and has come along so well since starting. She loves all her nursery workers and speaks about them at home and gets excited when she's on the way to nursery.

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Review from Emma G (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
This nursery is nothing short of amazing!
I honestly can't thank them enough for being such an integral part in my daughter's upbringing. She's really come out of her shell and all the staff there understand her so well. They have so much patience and care for the children.
She comes home excited to tell us about her day and clearly feels safe and cared for by the staff there.

I'm so grateful for their contribution to this incredible start to her learning life and will be gutted when she leaves them to start school. But thanks to them, she will be ready.

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Review from Charlotte G (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
We're so pleased with the care our little boy receives at this nursery. The environment is warm, welcoming, and nurturing, and it's clear how much the staff genuinely care about the children.
Our little boys key worker is nothing short of wonderful and caring, and all the team are kind, patient, and supportive. They've played such a big role in helping our little one grow in confidence and develop so well. It's been lovely to see his progress since starting here.
We also really appreciate the super regular updates and observations, which keep us informed and involved in his development. Including lovely pictures that we cherish.

A fantastic nursery that we'd highly recommend!

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Review from Olivia T (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
Our daughter started at Children 1st in September 2025 and we are very happy with how well she has settled in and the bonds she has developed with the staff in her room, who are all so lovely and approachable. Her speech and communication has developed significantly since she started nursery and we are so impressed when she sings and dances along to the songs that they teach her.
The staff have been amazing at encouraging our daughter to use cutlery when eating and we have noticed this improve in a very short time, along with her eating habits in general.
I couldn't recommend Children's 1st nursery enough and we are so pleased that we chose to send our daughter here. We can't wait to see her continue to thrive.

A huge thank you to all the staff who make it such a fantastic, safe and engaging nursery for our daughter.

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Review from L J (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
A truly incredible nursery and I couldn't be happier with the care and support they provide to my daughter. Since my daughter has started she has come on leaps and bounds. It's been incredible to see her confidence grow. The staff has always been warm, attentive, and genuinely invested in my daughter's development.
The nursery creates a safe, nurturing and safe environment where every child can learn, play and thrive. I'm always impressed by the variety of activities my daughter takes part in and the effort that goes into supporting through play.

Communication with myself and my partner is excellent and it's very reassuring to know she is such capable hand. Children's 1st has made such a positive difference to her early learning.

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Review from Megan H (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

I feel so relieved to leave my child in the care of others with no worries. Constant updates and photos for reassurance. My child absolutely loves it and is always so excited to go. She has developed amazingly well and learns so much. Her meals are always balanced and her needs always taken care of. Absolutely fantastic nursery.

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Review from Jodie H (Mother of Child) published on 23 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

My little boy has been going to the nursery for the last 2 years and its brilliant . The staff are so kind, helpful, caring and professional. They are all amazing and my son thinks this too! They know my child so well and I feel so reassured when he is there. He comes home telling us all the brilliant activities he has been doing and shows us all the different skills he has learnt. The support and transitions when moving rooms is brilliant, the facilities are great, especially the outdoor area. Management have been so helpful and accommodating when I've changed my work days too. The app/information/communication between the nursery and parents is great too. I always recommend this nursery to whoever is looking as it's fantastic!

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Review from Lauren S (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
We have been part of this nursery community for many years-our eldest attended from 2018 to 2022, and our youngest has been here since 2021 and will be leaving talon to start school.
This nursery has been more than just childcare; it has truly felt like a second family. The team has supported us through changes in our family life, always showing kindness, understanding, and care. They have been there for us when we needed reassurance and support, and we are incredibly grateful.
We are genuinely sad to be leaving, and the only reason for doing so is our child moving on to school.
Daily pick-ups are always detailed and reassuring. Staff take the time to share how the children have been, what they've eaten, and what they've enjoyed. Our child comes home excited, full of stories about the fun activities and experiences from her day.

We also love that it's an all-weather nursery. The indoor and outdoor facilities are fantastic and give the children wonderful opportunities to explore. 5stars

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Review from T W (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience

The nursery is nothing short of amazing! My child loves coming, he feels so comfortable here and that has allowed him to be able to thrive and develop with confidence. The staff are very welcoming and friendly, the outside space is what my child loves the most he can be his authentic self letting his imagination run wild. I feel confident in knowing when my child is at nursery he is cared for as if he was at home. Couldn't ask for anything more as a parent.

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Review from Dan H (Father of Child) published on 1 March 2026 Submitted via Website
Overall Experience
My daughter started at this nursery in January 2026, after some successful breaking in days. It is evident that the staff really truly care about the children who they are looking after. Our daughter adapted very quickly and the care and attention which is shown to her is magnificent. All the staff are very welcoming and friendly, always with a smile on their face and happy to see you. More importantly, they love seeing the kids. They build strong rapport with the children. Know what they like and dislike. I'm extremely be happy and confident, leaving my daughter in the capable care of the staff at children first.It is hard to put into words how much the staff really care about everyone. The biggest compliment and better than any review than can be written is seeing the smile on your child's face when you drop them off for another day at nursery.

Furthermore, the staff are committed to developing developing your child and getting the best out of them. Thank you all so much :)

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Meet the Team (1)

Katie McNamara
Katie McNamaraJob Title:Nursery ManagerJoined: 2010
Hello, I’m Katie Macnamara, Nursery Manager at Children 1st @ Chesterfield Royal Hospital. I have worked in childcare for 9 and half years and completed level 3 in Child Care And Education at Chesterfield College in 2009.
I then worked in my first nursery to gain experience and joined Children 1st @ Chesterfield Royal Hospital in June 2010 as a Qualified Nursery Nurse working in the toddler room. After 9 months I started to work with children aged 3 and above to support with the transition to school. I moved back into the toddler room in 2012 to help support younger children.
In October 2013 I was promoted to Senior Nursery Nurse of the toddler room where I gained experience in leading a room. I built up good relationships with the staff team as well as parents and children. I also supported new staff with their induction period.

In September 2014 I became the Deputy Manager. I now support the manager with her duties, I also support with new parents and children during their settling in period ensuring they feel welcome and valued and help them to settle into a new routine. I am enjoying my new role and learning new things about the job, working with Children 1st and what the company stands for.

Frequently Asked Questions about Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

What is the Age Range of Children that Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School accepts?

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School Open?

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School have capacity for?

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School has capacity for a total of 73 Children.

How far is Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School to the centre of Chesterfield?

1.2 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School has an Enhanced Service -more info.