Oak Trees and Acorns Childcare
Welcome to Oak Trees and Acorns Childcare
We are a small, friendly, home-based setting situated on the eastern side of Ivybridge,
providing an enriching environment for babies and young children to school age and beyond.
Oak Trees and Acorns is registered to offer the Early Years Entitlement funding for babies in the term after they become 9 months old, 2-, 3-, and 4-year-olds and will be offering the new 30-hours funding entitlement for babies of 9 months plus from September 2025.
If you have any questions or would like to say hello, please don't hesitate to contact us, and we will get back in touch as soon as possible.
Oak Trees and Acorns
childcare
Oak Trees and Acorns Childminding is a small, friendly home-based setting on the eastern side of Ivybridge.
It has gained an outstanding reputation based on its family atmosphere, enjoyable activities and happy children. It has been graded as an Ofsted 'Outstanding', home-based setting in every area three times since April 2003.
Our setting offers a welcoming, homely, reassuring, stimulating, and fun environment.
For many babies and children, attending registered childcare can be their first experience of being away from their families.
We provide high-quality, loving care and support to children in a safe, calm, and nurturing environment where children can develop a curiosity for the world and their knowledge and skills at their own pace, making it the perfect stepping stone between home and school.
I understand that finding the right childcare can be a very emotional decision, quite probably one of the most challenging decisions a parent needs to make. I hope that I can make this process a little easier.
Your Child's Day
I believe that children have a fundamental right to play, explore, and experience the wonders of the world they are growing up in and that early years provision should be broad-based.
The children have a free choice of exciting child-initiated or adult-led individual or group-based activities throughout the day, with an emphasises on natural activities and time spent outdoors.
There is an innate relationship between humans, the outdoors, and the natural world.
The Statutory Framework supports a curriculum that utilises opportunities for trips to and walks in the natural spaces found in our surrounding countryside, beaches, moors and woodlands, which deliver a wealth of learning experiences and can play an increasingly vital role in delivering our early years curriculum.
What is a Registered
Childminder?
Registered childminders are self-employed childcare professionals. We work in our own homes, caring for other people's children.
Childminders in England must be registered with Ofsted. This registration process ensures we are suitable to care for children in our homes and provide a safe and stimulating environment in which children can thrive.
Ofsted believes a dedicated childminder plays an invaluable part in giving children and families access to high-quality early education and childcare, providing a strong foundation and setting children up for the best start in life.
Ratios are always excellent, frequently 1:3 or better, and existing evidence is clear that the quality of early years provision matters and can positively impact children’s outcomes. All childminders must hold a valid paediatric first-aid certificate, regularly undertake child protection/safeguarding and food hygiene training, and have a level 3 qualification in early years childcare and education.
A home away from home for all children
set in a peaceful cul-de-sac on the eastern side of Ivybridge.
Opening Hours, Term Dates and Fees
Oak Trees and Acorns offers term-time childcare and early years education from babyhood to the start of nursery or pre-school. We do not provide all-year-round childcare or wrap-around care for older children before or after nursery, pre-school or primary school.
Early Learning
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards for children's learning, development and care from birth to 5 years old. All Ofsted-registered early years providers must follow the EYFS, including childminders, preschools, nurseries and school reception classes.
Parents and / or Carers and Partnership
Making the decision to leave your child in the care of someone new is never easy, and finding suitable childcare is still the biggest barrier to mothers returning to work. Child psychologist Jennie Lindon says parents often experience mixed emotions, from excitement at returning to work to worries about how their child will fare without them; they may also feel a bit guilty.
Inevitably, it is difficult to ‘let go’ of your child and to entrust them to other adults, no matter how trustworthy they are. If you are new to using child care, it has moved on a lot since you left your own child care setting as a small child. Understandably, this means that many parents feel unsure about what actually goes on in the modern childminder’s home. This uncertainty is often exacerbated by media reports about the very worst provision for the early years.
Changes are, by their very nature, potentially stressful, and while it is impossible to remove all the stress from the transition involved with starting childcare, there are a few factors that can reduce it.
Please follow the link below to find out more.
