Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School

Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Dryhurst House, Calow, Chesterfield S44 5BL
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Top 20 award
10 160 Reviews
  • 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 area, which offers the children a chance to explore their surroundings.

Highly trained and experienced staff undertake exciting forestry school activities, musical funky feet sessions and baby ballet. The children also have access to the local swimming pool and are offered classes by qualified instructors.

A healthy menu is created and prepared by a dedicated chef who develops nutritionally balanced meals and caters for any specific dietary requirements.
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Funding & Fees

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

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

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

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

  • 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

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School Reviews (160)

10

Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School has a Review Score of 10 (10.000) out of 10, based on 28 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School has 160 reviews.

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Date Published
  • 160
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Total of 160, showing 121-140
Review from Laura S (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Breedon House is a lovely nursery, the quality of care is excellent, the staff are always willing to help and a lot of time and effort is put into making memories for the children. The nursery is well managed and it makes going to work much easier with the reassurance that the care of your child is
their first priority.
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Review from Tania S (Mother of Child) published on 18 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery with great facilities and outdoor space. The staff are wonderful too. My 1.5 year old loves it and all the staff make her feel welcome and safe. I never worry about her.
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Review from Aleksandra O (Mother of Child) published on 18 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son has a speech delay and recently started speaking. We speak our native language at home and now we are amazed how many words he knows in English. We know that all of it he learnt at the nursery so we are really impressed and pleased how staff been working with him.
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Review from Sarah C (Mother of Child) published on 18 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
What a fantastic nursery, my little one loves going to nursery, she loves seeing her friends and the staff and most of all playing, colouring, painting, building. The staff within the nursery are so welcoming, kind and will do anything for your little one (you know they are in safe hands) the overall
nursery is bright, clean and run to a high standard. The outdoor space is amazing, my little one loves the garden room, mud kitchen, climbing equipment. I can not fault the nursery, my little one has come on leaps n bounds since starting. What a wonderful place for my little one to grow up in. Your all doing a fantastic job.
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Review from Rachel F (Mother of Child) published on 17 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am very happy with the service provided currently. I feel that I can trust the staff and that there are a variety of activities to keep my little one happy, occupied and to aid learning.
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Review from Louise M (Mother of Child) published on 17 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My 9-month-old daughter started the nursery last month and has settled really well. This was my main worry as she used to cry when I left her with others. The staff have been fantastic at all levels and each and every one of the staff are friendly, welcoming and most of all understanding. My daughter
has a named worker who she has formed a good bond with and this helps me to feel reassured when I'm at work. Before my daughter started, a plan of care was agreed where I explained my daughters normal routine, what helps her settle etc.
Each day I have a written and verbal handover of everything my daughter has eaten, drank, the wet and dirty nappies she has had and what she has been doing on that day. There is also an app which is updated so I can see pictures of my daughter playing.
As a nurse, health visitor and most importantly a mum, I would highly recommend this nursery to anyone and it is a feeling of relief that my daughter is in caring hands whilst there. Thank you to all staff.
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Review from K G (Mother of Child) published on 17 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Children 1st @ Chesterfield Royal Hospital is a fantastic nursery. The facilities are amazing, especially the outdoor space which allows lots of room for energetic toddlers to run around, explore and get plenty of fresh air. All the staff are lovely; really friendly and approachable and most importantly,
brilliant with the children! I work full time most of the year and my two boys are both at the nursery 5 days a week. They settled in really quickly and love going to nursery.
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Review from S C (Mother of Child) published on 5 December 2017 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter absolutely loves it! She is always happy and knows the staff. Happy to go to them. Highly recommended.
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Review from Amanda R (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Having moved to the area in May, I spent a lot of time looking for the right nursery for my 2-year-old. (Who loved his previous nursery) from the moment we walked in he loved it and just wanted to play with everything. He especially enjoys the outside space which is great for exploring and learning.


Despite being a little unsettled to start with all of the staff were so patient and kind that he settled in really quickly. He is progressing really well through the great leading techniques they have.


Also, the meals are great and he is eating all sorts of new foods.

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Review from Danny (Father of Child) published on 13 June 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child started in April 2017 and has settled really well, the staff have brought the best out of him. They keep detailed records of his progression which they feed back to us on a regular basis and since starting at the nursery he has become more sociable and has developed numerous key skills. The
only slight criticism I have is that the meal selection has become less "healthy" than when we first went in and checked the menu. That said the staff have been great and have assisted my wife with carrying out our child following her back surgery. Overall we are extremely happy with the nursery and its staff.
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Review from Jodie R (Mother of Child) published on 12 April 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Extremely happy with my child's care at nursery. He learns so much and enjoys the activities he undertakes. Once the upstairs refurbishment is complete, the nursery will be modern and up to date. They have excellent outside facilities and my little one spends a great deal of time outside, weather permitting,
which he loves.
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Review from Ian L (Father of Child) published on 23 March 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff are great and build a good rapport with the children. Management generally resolves issues quickly and respond to comments in a timely manner. We selected this nursery as a family member recommended it and the OFSTED rating but the outside space was the deciding factor. All facilities either
have or are being refurbished to a good standard including outdoor facilities; clearly demonstrating the business is investing in the nurseries future for the benefit of all stakeholders. The eyLog system was a great addition to enable parents to follow their child's progress online. The only comment I would make is I'd like to see more videos or images reflecting the observations. Lastly, I have found the accounts team very helpful when determining account balances and fees due which we made all the more complicated by overpaying through two separate childcare voucher schemes.
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Review from Lauren S (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I would highly recommend Children 1st Nursery @ The Chesterfield Royal Hospital. Both my children have attended the nursery and have really enjoyed their time at Nursery. The nursery itself is lovely and has a lovely welcoming feeling as soon as you enter. All the staff are excellent, loving, supportive
& make all the children feel happy and at ease. I visited many nurseries in Chesterfield and confirm this nursery was my favourite by far. The "outstanding" ofsted report also gives you the piece of mind you need when making a difficult decision of returning to work and leaving your babies.
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Review from Sunita K (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am extremely happy with the development of my daughter. She is a confident, happy and independent child who thoroughly enjoys attending nursery. Nursery staff have a brilliant relationship with her and I am always comfortable leaving her.
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Review from Nazma S (Mother of Child) published on 28 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have previously used Children 1st at Chesterfield Royal Hospital for my son many years ago and was so impressed with both their facilities and staff, that when I fell pregnant with my daughter, there really was no question as to which nursery she would be attending when I returned to work from maternity
leave. It's really good to see that the standards are still high as they were back in 2008. I would just like to add that all the staff are very welcoming and very very approachable. Keep up the good work ladies!!
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Review from Josie (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The staff are very friendly and I am confident my daughter is well looked after and happy at this Nursery. The staff have been very supportive during potty training and helping my child progress by providing a great learning environment. The only negative is that we have to pay for bank holidays even
though the Nursery is closed, although I appreciate the staff still have to be paid.
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Review from Philippa F (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Really friendly staff who seem to care about our daughter and make her days at nursery fun and stimulating for her. The food always looks to be good quality. Management and staff in the baby room with our daughter are always happy and smiling when I pick her up.
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Review from Sam (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Good friendly staff who seem to know children and parents well, seem to be good meals and nursery is clean,
I was told when looking around in October that upstairs was waiting to be refurbished this is now happening end of Feb so good and fast with promises they make
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Review from Dawn A (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have two children with a 10 year age gap and both of them have been to this nursery. It is fantastic. I have recommended it several times and at least 2 of the current children have come via a recommendation from me.
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Review from Jeannette R (Mother of Child) published on 27 February 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is amazing - both facilities and staff could not be better. I know that my daughter is safe, well looked after, stimulated and taught whilst there. I would (and do) recommend it to friends and colleagues.
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Current Review Score: 10.0 (10.000)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 10 (10.000) out of 10 for Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 28 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 28 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 5.000 for Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School is calculated as follows: ( (335 Excellents x 5) ) ÷ 335 Ratings = 5
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Children 1st Chesterfield Nursery School is based on 28 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 73 number of registered child places is 14.6, which has been reached with 28 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (10)

Meet the Team (1)

Katie

Katie McNamara

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 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.

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