Everything you need to know

Little Loves Luxury Day Care is a high-quality, Ofsted-registered group childminding setting. We're often mistaken for a nursery, and admittedly we do present ourselves as a "mini nursery".

Our lead childminder is Krystal, a retired criminal and regulatory barrister. She set up Little Loves after she couldn't find childcare that met her high standards following the birth of her second child in 2019.

The setting is split between Krystal's two homes within Ingress Park: 1 Prioress Crescent and 12 College Place.

All of our other childminders and childminding assistants work at the settings but do not live at either address. Every member of staff is rigorously checked, and we put great emphasis on our team being passionate about working in the early years sector.

We have a very low staff turnover and most of the team have been with us since we opened, so you'll see the same faces every day. It's one of the loveliest things about our setting.

Our settings are remarkably clean and well stocked with educational resources. As an added bonus, we have CCTV cameras inside and out, soundproof walls and underfloor heating.

• 9 months to around 2 years: our baby setting at 12 College Place, for a maximum of 6 children per day.
• Around 2 to 5 years: 1 Prioress Crescent, for a maximum of 12 children per day.

We care for up to 18 children per day across our two settings, and we work to ratios of no more than 4 children to 1 adult.

We're planning a new Little Loves Luxury Day Care Preschool for 3–4 year olds at Brewery House, St Mary's Road, Stone. Proposed September 2027 opening, subject to planning, Ofsted registration and other necessary approvals.

You can register your interest using the Book a Viewing form, and we'll be in touch when viewings can be arranged.

We're open 7:30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays and 2nd January each year. We close early, at 1pm, on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve when they fall on a normal working day. Fees are calculated pro rata.

You're welcome to drop off and collect your child at any point during the day. We don't allow children to leave and return on the same day, as it disrupts the setting.

We encourage all children to arrive by 9:30am so they can make the most of the session's free play. Tea time is at 4:30pm, so we ask that pick-ups are either before or after the children sit down to eat, not mid-meal.

Our sessions are divided into free play, structured play, meals, nap times, nappy changing and toileting, and a daily walk. This structure helps the children's behaviour be as wonderful as possible, which we take great pride in.

All food and drinks (water or milk) are provided.

Breakfast

7:30–8:30am

Snack

10–10:30am

Lunch

12–12:30pm

Snack

2:30–3pm

Tea

4:25–5pm

Milk feeds at our baby setting will differ.

Children nap once at 1 Prioress Crescent (between 12:30pm and 2:30pm) and twice at 12 College Place (9:30am and 2pm). We don't cap naps, but we're happy to support you with bedtime routines at home.

We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum very closely. Our weekly structured activities are based on each child's stage of development and targeted to their individual next steps.

We monitor your child's development regularly, at least every 12 weeks as required. When your child joins, we'll ask you to complete a Starting Points document so we can build on what they already know and can do.

• A daily record book
• WhatsApp messages, including regular photos and videos
• Parents' evenings
• A phone call home from your child's key person each quarter

We also keep a photo journey book of your child, together with their artwork, which we hand to you in a file when their time with us comes to an end. Special pieces, such as birthday cards and seasonal crafts, are sent home on the day.

We work in partnership with parents on behaviour. Our routine, clear boundaries and lots of encouragement help children feel settled and confident, and we take real pride in how wonderfully the children behave.

When a child is finding things tricky, we'll talk with you early, share what's working at Little Loves and agree a consistent approach between home and setting. We ask families to work with us on this, including coming in to talk things through when needed, because children do best when everyone is on the same page.

• To keep at the setting: nappy cream, teething gel (if your child is teething) and paracetamol. Your child can't attend a session if they've had paracetamol that day.
• Indoor shoes: a new pair, ideally with Velcro straps, which they change into when they arrive.
• Each session: a bag with 1–2 sets of spare clothes and their Little Loves Daily Journal, which we provide.

Our daily fee is all-inclusive. We provide nappies, wipes, moisturiser, nail clippers, combs and brushes, and all food and drinks.

For children on our full-day, all-year-round package, we ask that you don't bring food, toys, nappies, wipes or water bottles from home. We've tried being flexible in the past, but it isn't practical in a busy setting, so this applies to everyone on that package.

Families who access funded hours only (term-time only, where availability allows) are entitled to provide their own consumables during their funded sessions. Our preference is still for every family to use the consumables we provide.

Our fees are £102.80 per session.

We offer full-day, all-year-round childcare (7:30am–6pm, 52 weeks a year) on an all-inclusive basis. The daily fee covers all consumables, including meals, snacks, nappies, wipes, activities and additional experiences.

Fee structure & funding (April 2027): monthly fees by number of days per week

Monthly fees shown exclude the discount available through a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Government-funded hours are applied as a deduction from your total annual fees, calculated using the current Kent County Council provider funding rate in force at the time of claim. Funding applies term-time only and is spread across the year so your monthly payments stay consistent.

For families who attend 52 weeks a year on full days, private fees apply to the non-funded hours. These appear on invoices as parent contributions.

Where availability allows, families may choose to access funded hours only (term-time only), providing their own consumables during funded sessions.

Yes. To keep our standards high, protect our daily routine and cover our costs, which go beyond the government funding rates, we openly prioritise families who attend 52 weeks of the year and take up full-day spaces.

All fees are due in advance. For example, April's fees are due by 31st March.

Our main intake is generally each August and September, as our oldest children graduate and head off on their school adventure. Spaces sometimes open up during the year, so we keep a small "flexi" waiting list.

We strongly advise registering for the upcoming guaranteed intake, then simply letting us know if you'd like a space earlier, so we know who to prioritise during the year.

To register, you'll need to read our policies, sign and return our contract, and pay the registration invoice. The invoice is made up of an £85 registration fee and a deposit. Depending on your child's start date, it may also include the first month of fees.

We don't allow footwear indoors, so please wear socks. You're very welcome to bring your child or children with you.

Give us a follow on Instagram at @little_loves_luxury_day_care. We look forward to meeting you!