Welcome to Oakwood Nursery

Welcome to Oakwood Nursery

At Oakwood Nursery, we provide a nurturing and inspiring environment where every child is valued, supported, and encouraged to achieve their personal best.
Our play-based approach to learning promotes curiosity, creativity, and confidence — allowing children to explore, imagine, and thrive.
We work in close partnership with families to ensure every child has the very best start to their learning journey.

Oakwood offers a true home-from-home experience — calm, welcoming, and filled with warmth. Each space is designed to help children feel safe and comfortable, featuring soft natural tones, cosy corners, and plenty of opportunities for play and discovery. From the very first day, children and families become part of our Oakwood community.

We are proud to offer three beautifully calming, themed rooms, each thoughtfully created to support children as they grow.
Tiddlers provides a gentle, nurturing space for our youngest children.
Superworm offers a warm, engaging environment where little learners develop confidence and independence.
Gruffalos is a rich, inspiring space for our older children as they prepare for their next steps.
Together, these themed rooms create one connected, caring Oakwood family.

Our Ethos and Values

At Oakwood, our ethos is built on four core values:
Knowledge – Equality – Determination – Achievement.

These values guide everything we do — ensuring that every child, family, and member of staff feels supported, respected, and part of our Oakwood family.
Together, we create a warm, inclusive environment where children feel safe, loved, and ready to shine.

Age Range & Admissions

Oakwood Nursery welcomes children aged 2 to 4 years.

We offer:
• Funded 2-year-old places (where eligible)
• 15 and 30 funded hours for 3–4-year-olds
• Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions

Our nursery team can support families with funding, availability and session options to make joining our nursery clear and simple.

What Makes Oakwood Nursery Unique

The Outdoors
Our nursery garden is at the heart of daily life. Children enjoy exploring, planting, and caring for the fruit and vegetables we grow together — including tomatoes, cucumbers, and runner beans. These hands-on experiences develop independence, patience, and pride while helping children understand nature, healthy eating, and where food comes from.

Sensory Rooms
We are proud of our purpose-built sensory spaces, thoughtfully designed to meet individual needs.
Our Sensory Circuit Room offers gentle movement and climbing opportunities to develop coordination and balance, while the Quiet Sensory Room provides a peaceful retreat with calming lights, textures, and sounds for relaxation and emotional regulation.
These environments support the well-being of every child and reflect our commitment to inclusion and care.

“Little Town” Role-Play Area
Our themed Little Town area brings imagination to life through real-world play.
From the doctors and café to the construction site, children develop communication, problem-solving, and social skills in meaningful, creative ways. This playful setting encourages collaboration, confidence, and rich language development.

Community Connections
We are extremely proud of our partnership with Eastbourne Gardens Residential Home.
Our three-year-olds regularly visit to take part in shared activities such as storytelling, singing, planting, and crafts. These intergenerational experiences bring joy to both residents and children, nurturing empathy, understanding, and community spirit.

A Head Start for School
We work closely with Oakwood’s Reception classes, following a “stage not age” approach that supports each child’s individual development.
Children who are ready for additional challenges can take part in shared learning opportunities with older peers, helping them build confidence and readiness for school. They also access school facilities, including the gym and library, and enjoy whole-school events such as Sports Day and the Early Years Nativity.

Outdoor Learning
Outdoor play is central to our curriculum. Our large, well-equipped garden promotes active learning, exploration, and connection with nature.
Early Literacy
We introduce phonics through the Read Write Inc. programme, supporting children to develop strong early communication, language, and reading skills.
Mathematics
Our early maths approach is inspired by the Mastering Number programme used in Reception, helping children build a strong number sense and confidence.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Well-being sits at the heart of everything we do. We help children build self-esteem, resilience, and positive relationships through gentle guidance and nurturing support.

A Day at Oakwood Nursery

Each day at Oakwood has a calm, predictable rhythm that helps children feel settled, confident and excited for learning.
Our routines are designed to be gentle, fun and full of meaningful experiences.

Here’s what a typical day looks like:

• Daily run or movement time to wake up bodies and minds
• Morning meeting in small groups – a friendly time to talk, share news and take part in simple group activities
• Free-flow indoor and outdoor play, allowing children to explore naturally and follow their interests
• Visits to our sensory rooms, offering calm exploration and magical moments of discovery
• Little Town role-play, where imaginations come to life in our cosy mini village
• Rolling healthy snack, supporting independence and encouraging children to make their own choices
• Creative and hands-on activities such as painting, building, small-world play and nature exploration
• Playful early maths, using counting games, shapes, patterns and number activities woven throughout the day
• Story time and singing, helping build language, confidence and a love of books
• Lunch, followed by outdoor play for full-day children
• Afternoon indoor and outdoor play, with more time in the garden, sensory rooms or Little Town

Our days are warm, joyful and thoughtfully planned — giving children freedom to explore, comfort in routine and plenty of opportunities to play, learn and grow.

Parent Testimonials

At Oakwood Nursery, we are proud to build strong, trusting relationships with our families.
Here’s what our parents say:

“My middle daughter and now my youngest attend Oakwood, and honestly I cannot fault them at all! All the staff are so attentive to each child’s individual abilities and needs in such a kind and supportive way. It has been incredible seeing my children come on in leaps and bounds since attending.”

“This nursery has been absolutely brilliant. They are caring, understanding, and incredibly supportive of my child’s needs. Communication is always clear, invoices are always on time and correct, and the nursery is warm and welcoming. There are so many activities and resources that follow the children’s interests and help them learn and grow. An excellent nursery — we would choose them every time.”

“I love the nursery. My little one has developed so amazingly over the time he has been here. I’ll be so sad when he starts school! Thank you to the ladies who have taken such good care of him and made his time there so special.”

“We adore this nursery. Every member of staff has been amazing for my two children who attend. Extremely helpful, supportive, and understanding. We couldn’t ask for more.”

“My child has come on so much since joining Oakwood. The staff truly care, and the environment is warm, safe, and happy. I’m grateful every day for the love and support they give.”

Contact & Enquiries

Families are warmly invited to arrange a visit and experience Oakwood Nursery in person.
For questions, admissions support or to request a place, please contact the school office or complete our online enquiry form.

Celebrating Progress

Every child’s progress is carefully observed and celebrated.
Through regular communication with parents — both in person and via Tapestry — we share achievements and milestones, ensuring families remain actively involved in their child’s development.
Together, we celebrate the small steps and big moments that make each child’s journey at Oakwood Nursery so special.

Ofsted

We are proud to be rated Good by Ofsted for our Early Years provision.
You can view our full report here: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/138391