5-Star Reviewed by Local Families★★★★★

Warm, play-led childcare. One family of nurseries.

Handprints Nurseries is a family of Ofsted-registered day nurseries in the East Midlands, all rooted in child-led learning and run by the same warm team. Two locations; Earl Shilton and Corby; caring for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years.

5-Star Food Hygiene Full CCTV Coverage Fresh Meals Daily Qualified & Trained Staff Live Famly App Updates Safeguarding First
Children enjoying activities at Handprints Nurseries
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5.0 ★
Read Our Reviews
Rated Good
Ofsted Inspection
6 wks – 5 yrs
Ages We Welcome
7am – 6pm
Open Mon – Fri

Inside our Nurseries

Our rooms, a typical day, and a glimpse into our space, all in one place.

DBS-Checked Team
Weekly Forest School
5-Star Food Hygiene
Famly App Daily Updates
DBS-Checked Staff
Our Nurseries

Warm, play-led childcare. One family of care.

A group of Ofsted-registered nurseries across the East Midlands, all rooted in hands-on, child-led learning and run with the same warm, family-feel team. Pick the one closer to home.

Parent Reviews

Reviews from Handprints Families

Real reviews from parents at our Earl Shilton setting.

★★★★★

"My little girl loves her time at Handprints. The staff are fab and there is always a big variety of things out each day. We've been with Handprints since just before Christmas 2018 and we couldn't be happier."

Jennifer Forshaw
Parent · Google Review
★★★★★

"My son started at Handprints when he was just over a year old. The team have been wonderful from day one, his key person knows him inside out and updates us throughout the day on the Famly app. He runs in every morning, which says it all really."

Sarah Mitchell
Parent · Day Nurseries
★★★★★

"We've been so impressed with how much our daughter has come on since starting at Handprints. There's always something different each day, messy play, baking, outside time, and she comes home full of stories. The staff genuinely seem to love what they do."

Daniel Reeves
Parent · Day Nurseries
Government Funded Childcare

Making Quality Childcare More Affordable

We're registered for all government childcare funding schemes. Many families are surprised by how little they end up paying, ask us at your tour and we'll help you check eligibility and apply.

Check Your Eligibility
9m+
9 to 23 months
Working families30 hours
2
years
Working families30 hours
On qualifying benefits15 hours
3 & 4
years
Working families30 hours
Every family15 hours

Check for Availability

Funded hours can cover a large part of your week. Check whether we have a place in your child's age group.

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Why Handprints

More Than Childcare
A Second Home

They Actually Care

Staff who treat every child like their own, warm, responsive, and genuinely invested in each little one's wellbeing and development.

Fully DBS Checked

Every team member is rigorously vetted with ongoing safeguarding training. Your child's safety is our absolute priority.

Forest School

Regular outdoor learning in nature builds resilience, confidence and a deep connection to the world around them.

Famly App Updates

Real-time photos and daily reports to your phone. You'll never miss a milestone, even on the days you can't be there.

Key Person System

Every child has a dedicated key worker who knows them deeply and keeps parents fully informed throughout their journey with us.

Fresh Meals Daily

Breakfast, hot lunch and afternoon snack, all freshly prepared on site every day. 5-star Food Hygiene rated, with allergies and dietary needs catered for.

Common Questions

Everything You Need to Know

Can't find your answer here? Just give us a call or drop us a message, we're always happy to chat.

Yes; all of our nurseries are Ofsted-registered. Both settings are inspected regularly and our most recent inspection reports are linked from the Ofsted Report page.

We welcome children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Whether you have a tiny baby, a curious toddler or a preschooler getting ready for school, we have a room and a dedicated team ready for them.

All of our nurseries are open Monday to Friday, year-round. Each setting has its own opening times, which you can find on the individual nursery page. All nurseries are closed on bank holidays.

Before your child starts, we offer a settling-in session so they can meet their key worker and get comfortable in their new environment. The session is shorter than a normal day, and parents can either wait downstairs or leave and come back. Most children settle really quickly, they soon discover there are other children to play with and they receive focused one-to-one care from their key worker. In most cases, just one settling session is all it takes!

Yes, we provide fresh meals made on site every day. Breakfast, a hot lunch and afternoon snacks are all prepared in our kitchen using fresh ingredients. We cater for dietary requirements and allergies, just let us know at your tour.

We use the Famly app to share photos, messages and updates throughout the day. You'll receive real-time updates straight to your phone, so you'll never miss a milestone, even on the days you can't be there.

This is completely normal, and nothing to worry about. Your child's key worker, someone they'll build a real, trusting relationship with, will be there to comfort and settle them. We will always keep you updated, and if your child remains unsettled we will contact you straight away. In our experience, children settle much faster than parents expect!

Absolutely. Every member of our team is fully DBS checked, reference checked and recruited under our Safer Recruitment Policy, which is based on government direction. Safeguarding your child is our absolute priority, it's built into everything we do.

Your child's safety is at the heart of everything we do. Our nursery has a secure digital entry system, only authorised adults can enter the building. We have full CCTV coverage across all indoor areas and throughout our outdoor spaces, operating at all times. Our robust Safeguarding Policy is regularly reviewed in line with government guidance, and every member of staff undertakes ongoing safeguarding training and testing, not just once, but continuously throughout their time with us. You can have complete peace of mind that your child is in a safe, secure and carefully monitored environment every single day.

You can check your eligibility and apply at beststartinlife.gov.uk. We're registered for all government funding schemes, including the universal 15 hours, 30 hours for working families, and funding for eligible 2-year-olds. We're happy to walk you through it at your tour.

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