We provide children with all year round care, in a safe, stimulating environment where they receive exceptional nurturing from a team of highly qualified, experienced staff.
Opening hours
We offer all-year round care over 50 weeks of the year (closed at Christmas).
Breakfast Club starts at 7.45am and Extended Day (afterschool care) ends at 6pm daily.
Attendance
We have very flexible attendance arrangements. Minimum attendance is two days per week – comprising full days or mornings, or a combination of both.
Meals and snacks
We offer a wide variety of healthy lunch options and morning and afternoon snacks. Lunch is prepared freshly on-site by our caterers Thomas Franks. We offer daily meat-free options. Pasta and baked potatoes are available every day. Allergies can be accommodated if notified in advance. A sample menu can be viewed below:
Monday
Main
Chilli con Carne
Veg option
Vegetarian Enchiladas
Sides
Guacamole, Tomato Salsa, Tortilla Chips, Braised Rice
Pudding
Rice Pudding/Chilli Chocolate Brownie/Pastel de Tres Leches (Three Milk Cake)
Available daily
Jacket Potatoes, Baked Beans, Pasta, Salad Bar, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Salad, Grapes
Tuesday
Main
Mixed Fish Pie topped with Puff Pastry
Veg option
Mushroom and Cheese Tart
Sides
Mash Potato,
Panache of Green Vegetables
Pudding
Waffle served with a Chocolate Orange Sauce/
Lemon Meringue Pie/Tropical Eton Mess
Available daily
Jacket Potatoes, Baked Beans, Pasta, Salad Bar, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Salad, Grapes
Wednesday
Main
Oven Baked Pesto Chicken
Veg option
Spinach and Watercress Risotto
Sides
Maple Glazed Vegetables, Garlic and Rosemary Gnocchi
Pudding
Mixed Berry & Apple Pie with Custard/Passion Fruit Cheesecake with Passion Fruit Coulis/Beetroot Brownie
Available daily
Jacket Potatoes, Baked Beans, Pasta, Salad Bar, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Salad, Grapes
Thursday
Main
Beef Bolognaise/Bacon Carbonara
Veg option
Pasta with creamy Vegetable & Cheese sauce
Sides
Penne Pasta, Broccoli, Roast Carrots and Beetroot, Courgettes
Pudding
Oaty Rhubarb Crumble with Custard/Jalousie with Chantilly Cream/Chocolate Pots topped with Cream & Chocolate
Available daily
Jacket Potatoes, Baked Beans, Pasta, Salad Bar, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Salad, Grapes
Friday
Main
Battered Haddock
Veg option
Baked Three Cheese Macaroni
Sides
Twice cooked Chips, Mushy Peas, Baked Beans, Curry Sauce
Pudding
Orange & White Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding/Vegan Apricot Upside-Down Cake/Raspberry Tart
Available daily
Jacket Potatoes, Baked Beans, Pasta, Salad Bar, Fresh Fruit, Fruit Salad, Grapes
2023-2024 Fees
The illustrations below include the pro-rated Government Early Years funding that St Joseph’s offers up until your child turns 5. We offer up to a maximum of 15 hours for full-time attendance. Funding is available for 38 weeks of the 50 week year. Some term-time trips and co-curricular activities are at an additional cost.
The minimum attendance at The Acorn Centre is two full days, comprising full days or half days or a combination of both.
Children are required to wear branded uniform at a cost of approximately £95.
We accept childcare employment vouchers, tax free childcare and the student childcare grant (for students in full-time education) towards payment of tuition fees, Extended Day and Holiday Club.
Fees and lunches are invoiced on a termly basis and can be paid over 10 monthly payments.
There is a fee discount of 15% for your third child at St Joseph’s College.
Request a full fee breakdown before your child starts from admissions@sjcr.org.uk
£60.10
A DAY
Year-round care
- 5 full days
- Breakfast Club
- Extended Day until 6pm
- Holiday Club 5 full days* (outside term-time)
- Hot lunch and snacks
50 weeks of the year
*early bird rate for full week
£15,023.75 per annum
£53.34
A DAY
Flexible days
- 3 full days
- Breakfast Club
- Extended Day until 6pm
- Holiday Club 3 full days* (outside term-time)
- Hot lunch and snacks
*standard rate as early bird only applies to full week
£8,000.65 per annum
£38.46
A DAY
Flexible Days
- 2 full days and
- 2 mornings
- Hot lunch and snacks
£5,769.61 per annum
Our Team
The Acorn Centre teacher, Mrs Gibson, is supported by Early Years Practitioners and apprentices.
Mrs Gibson - Pre-Reception Teacher
Teaching young children has always been a huge aspiration and passion of mine. I studied at the University of Greenwich in London, where I was awarded a BA Hons in Childhood Studies. This ignited my passion for wanting to teach young children specifically, and I then completed my PGCE at the University of Reading with an Early Years specialism. Until joining St Joseph’s in September 2023, I had taught in a state school in Reading, with most of my experience being in Nursery and Reception.
Miss Siddiqui and Mrs Moya
Miss Aust
Trips and co-curricular activities
The Acorn Centre children participate in a number of local trips and co-curricular activities during their year in Pre-Reception including: Beale Park, Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, University of Reading lake walk, Little Street Role Play, Farms2Ewe.
Extended Day (wraparound care before
and after school)
Children can arrive for supervised Breakfast Club from 7.45am for an additional cost of £2.30 per day. After school, we provide a variety of structured activities as well as free play from 3.20pm for an additional cost of £9.60 including tea per day (collection 5.15pm) or £14.30 (collection 6pm).
