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The Nursery in Oxford

Ofsted: Outstanding
(Jun 2024)
·
5.0(2 parent reviews) ·17 Lathbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7AT · Oxfordshire
Number of places
24 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jun 2024
Local authority
Oxfordshire

About this day nursery

The Oxford Nursery is a family-operated childcare facility dedicated to fostering a supportive and enriching atmosphere for children. With two locations in Summertown and Eynsham, the nursery focuses on child-led play and learning, both indoors and outdoors.

They believe in gentle guidance from adults to encourage exploration and development, turning every activity, from fine motor skill practice to cloud identification, into an educational and enjoyable experience. The nursery distinguishes its age groups as "Freshers" (0-2 years), "Sophomores" (2-3 years), and "Scholars" (3-5 years), promoting social interaction and friendship among children and staff.

The Oxford Nursery champions imaginative and messy play, evident in their daily activity posts on Facebook, and offers a robust career path for their dedicated childcare team, with opportunities for professional growth from apprentices to nursery managers.

Our ethos

The Oxford Nursery champions a child-led play and learning approach, both indoors and outdoors, with gentle guidance from adults to encourage exploration and development. They prioritise imaginative and messy play, viewing every activity as an educational and enjoyable experience.

What it's like

Children arrive at this inspirational nursery highly motivated and with a positive attitude to their learning. Children and their families build strong and meaningful bonds with the nursery staff. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children's communication and language development. Children clearly demonstrate that they feel very happy and safe in the wonderful environment that has been created by the dedicated staff team.

Family-runChild-led playMessy play encouragedTwo locations (Summertown and Eynsham)

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)
Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

Key facts

Opening hours

weekdays from 8.15am until 5.00pm

Term time / All Year

All Year

Established

2016

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for The Nursery

Last inspected 27 June 2024 · Amanda Perkin

Safeguarding effective
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
Quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding

What it's like to attend

Children arrive at this inspirational nursery highly motivated and with a positive attitude to their learning. Children and their families build strong and meaningful bonds with the nursery staff. Staff are highly skilled in supporting children's communication and language development. Children clearly demonstrate that they feel very happy and safe in the wonderful environment that has been created by the dedicated staff team.

Inspector highlights

  • Children arrive highly motivated and with a positive attitude to their learning.
  • Staff have high expectations for what children can achieve and engage them through thoughtful questioning.
  • The inspirational manager has a clear vision for the nursery's broad and highly ambitious curriculum, faultlessly communicated to staff.
  • The dedicated manager is committed to developing an outstanding staff team and strongly encourages training and personal development.
  • Innovative staff engage children in meaningful tasks to teach them about global factors and make a difference.
Inspection #10347085 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

parents comment how staff are invested in each individual child to reach their full potential.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) works extremely closely with outside professionals to ensure that personalised intervention is delivered consistently across the setting. This supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Parent Reviews of The Nursery

5.0
(2)
Rebecca Jenkins
8 months ago

Simply one of the best pre school settings in Oxford. It was recommended to us by Summer Fields. Louise and her team are incredible with the children, there seems to be zero staff turnover. It is set in a little family scale house but it extends generously out the back where they do everything including yoga, wet play, mud kitchen, play-ball to graduation ceremonies. The children put on wonderful art shows from the front and enjoy quirky visitors like scottish highland dancers and the fire brigade. The older ones regularly visit a nearby care home to sing and read books with the elderly residents. I love that they make their own bread and introduce mackerel as a snack. The Nursery has such a warmth which I think radiates from general manager Julie as she passionately greets each child individually at the front door to soften the handover. Four years on, my second is just starting. This is a fantastic nursery with a huge heart where no two days are the same.

Read on Google
Edward Watkinson-Deane
3 months ago

I don’t send my children there, but explored this place when we were looking to move to Oxford and they were very efficient and helpful putting us in the waiting list and very understanding when we had to change our plans.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for The Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Most recent inspection

27 June 2024

Outstanding

Only one graded inspection on record — a trend chart will appear here once a second graded report is published.

View full Ofsted report

Frequently asked about The Nursery

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more