Your questions answered

We care for children from 6 weeks up to 5 years old across our three rooms: Baby Room (6 weeks – 18 months), Toddler Room (18 months – 3 years), and Preschool (3 – 5 years). Each room has its own dedicated team and environment tailored to the age group.

Opening hours vary slightly by setting: Corby is open Monday to Friday, 7:00am – 6:00pm and Earl Shilton is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am – 5:30pm. Both settings open 51 weeks a year for all-year-round places, and are closed during the Christmas period (usually one week) and on Bank Holidays.

Tap the Availability Check button in the header to enquire about current spaces, or call us on 07787 22 8000. We strongly recommend booking a tour; it gives us a chance to show you around, understand your child's needs, and answer your questions in person.

Once you've visited and chosen your sessions, we'll send you registration paperwork to confirm your child's place. We'll then book your settling-in sessions and you'll be introduced to your child's Key Person before their official start date.

Yes. Both Handprints settings are registered with and inspected by Ofsted. Our Ofsted URN (Unique Reference Number) is 2878871 for Corby and 2528623 for Earl Shilton; you can look up either setting's latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.

Yes. We accept all government childcare funding schemes, including Universal 15 hours for all 3–4 year olds, 30 hours for eligible working families, 15 hours for eligible 2-year-olds, and 15 hours from 9 months for eligible working parents. We'll help you check eligibility at your tour. Visit childcarechoices.gov.uk for more.

Apply through the UK government's childcare portal at childcarechoices.gov.uk. Once approved, bring us your eligibility code and we'll set up the funding against your invoice. We've helped hundreds of families through this; just ask at your tour.

Yes. We accept all major childcare voucher schemes and Tax-Free Childcare (TFC). If you're on your employer's voucher scheme, give us the provider's details at sign-up and we'll take care of the rest.

We ask for 4 weeks' written notice for any changes to sessions or when leaving. That gives us time to adjust the rotas and reach the next family on our waiting list, so no place goes to waste.

Fees are payable whether your child attends or not; this covers our fixed staffing costs. Bank holidays and our Christmas closure week are not charged. Please do let us know if your child is unwell so we can plan for the day.

All meals are freshly prepared on site by our own professional chef. We serve breakfast, a hot lunch, and an afternoon snack every session. Menus rotate seasonally and are designed to be nutritious, balanced, and appealing to young children.

Everything we serve is planned in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) welfare requirements, the Food Safety Act 1990 and current Department for Education / NHS early-years nutrition guidance. In practical terms that means age-appropriate portions, no added salt for under-1s, added-sugar limits, allergens managed to Food Standards Agency rules (Natasha's Law), and a positive-eating approach that helps children learn to try new foods, recognise when they're full, and see mealtimes as a calm social moment rather than a chore. Our kitchen also carries a 5-star Food Hygiene Rating.

Absolutely. We cater for all allergies and dietary requirements; just let us know during the registration process and we'll make sure your child's needs are recorded and followed every single day. Our chef and team take allergies extremely seriously.

No; all food is included in the standard fee. You only need to bring weather-appropriate spare clothes. We supply everything else, including formula and puréed food for babies (please let us know in advance). Please note: if your child's place is fully funded through the government scheme, meals are charged separately, as funding does not cover consumables.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the statutory framework set by the UK government for all children from birth to 5 years in registered childcare settings. It sets the standards for learning, development, and welfare. At Handprints, the EYFS underpins everything we do; from the activities we plan to how your child's progress is tracked and shared with you.

Every child at Handprints is assigned a dedicated Key Person; a named member of staff who builds the deepest relationship with your child and your family. They observe your child's progress, plan next steps, communicate with you daily, and ensure your child always has a safe, familiar face to turn to. This is a requirement of the EYFS and central to how we work. Learn more about our Key Person system.

We use the Famly app to share observations, photos, and developmental updates with you in real time. Your child's Key Person completes regular progress checks and developmental summaries which are shared with you and, where relevant, with your child's school when the time comes.

Reggio Emilia is an early-years philosophy that began in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy after the Second World War, developed by educator Loris Malaguzzi and the families of the region. Its central idea is that children are capable, curious and full of potential from birth; they learn best when the adults around them treat them as active researchers rather than empty vessels to be filled.

In practice, Reggio-inspired settings put a huge amount of weight on the environment as the "third teacher": natural light, real materials (wood, glass, clay, metal, fabric), open-ended resources instead of plastic toys, and beautifully arranged spaces that invite investigation. Children lead their own learning through long, uninterrupted projects; staff document what children say, draw and build (through photos, notes and displays) and use that documentation to plan what comes next. It's about listening to the child rather than pushing a fixed curriculum onto them, which sits very naturally alongside the EYFS.

The Curiosity Approach is a modern British early-years approach founded by two nursery owners, Stephanie Bennett and Lyndsey Hellyn, that blends the strongest ideas from Reggio Emilia, Steiner, Montessori and Te Whāriki (New Zealand) into something practical for UK nurseries. It's a paid accreditation programme; not just an aesthetic; and settings that adopt it are audited against a defined set of principles.

In day-to-day terms it means: fewer plastic toys, more authentic and natural resources (real crockery, wooden utensils, loose parts, treasure baskets, mirrors, natural textures), calm neutral environments instead of over-stimulating primary colours, and adults who slow down and ask genuinely open questions rather than directing play. The intention is to build children's awe and wonder, independence, and respect for the world around them; skills that translate directly into confident learners at school and beyond. Both Reggio Emilia and The Curiosity Approach heavily influence the way rooms at Handprints are set up.

Every child is different. We offer up to two gentle settling-in sessions before your child's official start date, gradually increasing the time they spend with us. Your child's Key Person will guide you through the process at a pace that suits your family. Read more about our settling-in approach.

No. We've found children settle faster and more confidently when their Key Person takes over from the moment you hand over at the door; long goodbyes and parent-in-room sessions almost always make transitions harder, not easier. You'll get a photo update from your child's Key Person within 10–15 minutes of you leaving, and we'll always call you straight away if your child genuinely isn't settling.

This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. We have years of experience supporting children and families through this transition. We'll keep you updated throughout the day via the Famly app and will always call if we feel your child needs you. We never just leave a child to cry; we use child-led, attachment-based techniques to help them feel secure.