My childminding service is available Mondays to Thursdays from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Fridays from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and children are welcome to attend full-time or part-time. However, if you require extended hours, starting earlier or finishing later, please contact me as I may be able to help you.

School-aged children can be dropped at my home from 8:00 am, enabling parents to leave their children knowing that they will be safe and happy and taken in good time to the classroom door for the start of the school day. I also provide after-school care, collecting children from nursery and primary school, where we will safely escort the children back to my home. Once back at Oak Trees and Acorns the children may have a drink and snack if desired, relax and enjoy a range of games and puzzles, or participate in a craft activity.

My home-based setting is closed at weekends, some school holidays and all public bank holidays.

Term Dates for the Academic Year 2024 - 2025

The Autumn Term commences on Monday, 2nd September and ends on Friday 20th December 2024 (The last day of the school term).

• Half Term is from Monday 28th October until Friday 1st November 2024 inclusive. The setting will be closed during this half-term week.

• Christmas Holiday: The setting will be closed from Monday, 23rd December 2024, until Monday, 6th  January 2025 (both dates inclusive) for the Christmas break.

The Spring Term commences on Tuesday, 7th January 2025 (the first day of the new term) and ends on Friday, 4th April 2025.

• Half Term commences on Monday, 17th February until Friday, 21st February 2025 inclusive. The setting will be closed during this half-term week.

• Easter Holidays: The setting will be closed from Monday, 7th April until Monday, 21st April 2025, both dates inclusive, for the Easter holidays.

The Summer Term commences on Tuesday, 22nd April and ends on Friday, 18th  July 2025

• The May Bank Holiday is Monday, 5th May 2025, and the setting will remain closed on this date.

• Half-Term commences Monday, 26th May until Friday, 30th May 2025 inclusive. The setting will be closed during this half-term week.

The setting will be closed from Friday, 18th July 2025 (the last day of term) until the start of the Autumn term 2025. 

Devon County Council’s proposed date for the start of the Autumn Term is Monday 1st September 2025. However, I will confirm the return date for Oak Trees and Acorns in September 2025 once DCC have confirmed the term dates for the academic year 2025 to 2026.

My fees are highly competitive and set to reflect the quality of provision offered and consider local market trends. They are frequently more affordable and flexible than nursery settings and are available on application.

I like to work closely with families to provide a warm, friendly experience. One of the ways I do this is by offering sessional childcare on a term-time only basis (so no pesky retaining fees during the extended holidays to find,) which is particularly popular with parents who work in local schools and educational establishments.

I am registered to accept early years funding for babies from the term after they become nine months old, 2, 3 and 4-year-olds.

I am registered to accept Tax-Free Childcare.

What do my fees cover?
Your child's fees cover many costs, some more obvious than others. Here is a list of just a few.

• The personal care and supervision of your child (most important!)
  
• The daily planning of activities and preparation of resources, etc., needed for each day, and assessments of the children’s stages of development, which are made regularly, all of which are done when the children are not present.
• Toys, educational and craft materials.
  
• Pushchairs, cosy toes, car seats, children’s furniture, cots, Grow-bags etc.
  
• Activities in the home environment and beyond the garden gate. (They do not include your child's pre-school fees or any after school activities.) 
• Childcare and safety equipment including, first aid supplies
• Significantly increased premiums due to the nature of running a childminding business (public liability insurance, buildings and home contents insurance, car insurance, etc.)
  
• Heating and lighting, a second mobile phone solely used for the business (safeguarding and data protection).
• My OFSTED registration fee
  
• My Data Protection Fee
  
• Training and ongoing professional development costs such as regular entirely face-to-face based 12-hour Paediatric First Aid training, Child Protection and Safeguarding training, and ongoing curriculum training so our educational programme always remains carefully planned, purposeful, well-sequenced and age-appropriate.