Day Care
Chester-le-Street CE Day Care
In October 2025, we expanded our two-year-old provision to take children from 9 months old and launched Chester-le-Street CE Day Care. We call this our Doves room. Our Doves Room is based in our lower school building with a specialist team of Early Years staff supporting our youngest children in their learning and development.
Our approach is rooted in the belief that every child is unique, capable, and full of potential. In Doves, our children will thrive in a safe and inspiring setting, supported by caring staff, a rich curriculum of play and learning, and the benefit of our beautiful outdoor spaces.
Here at Doves, we believe that play is the foundation of learning, curiosity is the spark, and relationships are the heart of everything we do. We look forward to being part of your child’s journey – and yours.
The UK Government has replaced the old Childcare Choices website with their new Hub, Best Start in Life.
Here you can find lots of useful information and advice from pregnancy, to birth and beyond:
Our Doves Room Offer
We are pleased to offer up to 30 hours of funded childcare for eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to 2 years, in line with the government’s expanded entitlement.
Our core funded sessions run from 8:45am to 3:15pm, Monday to Friday, during term time.
We also provide wraparound care from 8:00am to 8:45am and from 3:15pm to 5:00pm for families who require extended hours. This is charged as follows:
- Breakfast Club (8:00-8:45am): £8
- After School Club 1 (3:15-4:00pm): £8
- After School Club 2 (4:00-5:00pm): £8
All places are subject to availability, and funding can be taken as part of a full-time or part-time place, with additional hours available for purchase.
See below for the cost of each session:
- Full day – £70 (8:45am-3.15pm)
- Half day – £35 (8.45-11.45am or 12.15-3.15pm)
Additional sessions are bookable in weekly blocks of 15 hours. Session changes are on a termly basis.
Chargeable Extras
There is no charge for consumables; parents and carers must provide their own nappies, wipes, formula etc.
We may ask for a voluntary contribution for trips or experiences, the cost of which will vary depending on the activity, but as a primary school we subsidise trips to keep the costs low for families.
Doves Room
For our youngest children, 9 months to 2 years, meals and snacks will be provided by parents/carers. This ensures appropriate texture and supports allergy management during ongoing food introduction. Guidance is provided on appropriate food content, in line with our Healthy Schools status.
The Great Outdoors
It is important that your child has the opportunity to explore outdoors whatever the weather and that includes even our youngest babies, from 9 months old. We learn best from real experiences, seeing how the weather changes throughout the year, what impact this has on the environment and how we adapt for the weather, and absolutely want your child to know this too. On colder days, the time we spend outside may be shorter to compensate for this, but whatever the weather, there is fun to be had! We are lucky to have expansive outdoor grounds, including our own Forest school area.
FIND OUT MORE...
Thank you for taking the time to consider CLS Day Care for your child. Your choice is one that must be right to you, ensuring the best for your child. We would welcome the opportunity to show you around and answer any questions you may have. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
Telephone: 0191 388 2328
Email: office@clsdurham.co.uk
To apply to our Chester-le-Street CE Day Care, complete the application form by clicking on the following link:
