We are open all year round, for 51 weeks of the year, only closing for bank holidays and between Christmas and New Year. We will also have two inset days whereby staff will undertake important training; dates will be advised in advance.

Our opening hours are 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday.

In our Acorns room to ensure minimal disruptions to children’s routines we offer all day sessions 8am - 6pm.

In Saplings and Pre School, we offer either all day sessions 8am – 6pm; morning sessions 8am - 1pm or afternoon sessions 1pm - 6pm.

Oakley Nursery Curriculum Statement:

Core Principles:

• Play is central: learning through exploration, creativity and discovery.  
• Child-led with adult guidance: Adult interactions are vital to help scaffold learning based on next steps from observations and the children’s interests.  
• Holistic Development: supporting emotional, social, cognitive and physical growth. 
• Inclusivity and individual needs: Culturally responsive and adaptable for all children.  
• We prioritise a carefully planned, language-rich curriculum, committed to fostering strong communication skills in children.

We follow the Development Matters  curriculum which follows the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.  

• After the first six weeks of your child joining us, we will conduct a baseline assessment using Development Matters to establish a starting point and will be used as a progress measure.
• There will be weekly snapshots of your child on the Famly app, which will give a weekly, short update on where they are in their journey. 
• You will also receive monthly observations, which will include a more detailed look at the areas of development.
• There will be on going information shared regarding your child’s next steps and what we are working on with them and how you can support this development at home. 
• For children in the Saplings room, you will receive a two-year check before their 3^rd birthday.
• There will be termly parents' evenings, dates to be confirmed, prior to which you will receive an assessment which will cover the key areas of development in greater detail. 

• 1 January
• 1 April
• 1 September

• You (and your partner, if applicable) are working or about to start work
• You each earn at least the minimum income threshold set by the government
• You live in England
• Your child is aged 9 months to 4 years

• Up to 30 funded hours per week during term time*
• Funding covers childcare only — additional charges apply for meals, consumables, and extra activities

At Oakley Nursery we are open Monday to Friday and provide all year-round care for children aged 6 months to starting school. We offer full day or half-day sessions. We are closed for the Christmas break (open Christmas Eve morning session), bank holidays, and training days. Details of closures will be advised to parents in advance and will be on our website.

Our full day sessions are from 8:00-18:00; morning sessions are 8:00-13:00 and afternoon sessions are 13:00-18:00.

We offer government-funded spaces. As we are open all year round, the funding is stretched over 51 weeks which, depending on your entitlement, equates to either 11 or 22 hours per week fully funded. Funding can be accessed over the duration of a session: either 5 hours for a morning or afternoon session, or 10 hours for a full day session. Depending on your entitlement, a fully funded place would be for 10 or up to 20 hours, and this can be used for either full or half day sessions.

*we do not offer care by the hour

• All children are valued equally i.e. children of all abilities and disabilities, from all cultures, races and gender identity.
• All children have an entitlement to the full curriculum and, whenever possible, are integrated into mainstream classes.
• All Early Years Practitioners are committed to ensuring that the individual needs of children are met by adapting aspects of the curriculum and employing developmental strategies to ensure all pupils achieve their full potential.
• All Early Years Practitioners accept and understand their responsibility within the overall school policy for meeting Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

With 30 years of teaching experience across Early Years Foundation Stage and primary education, I bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and dedication to the interim role as Head of Nursery. My extensive career has included senior leadership positions playing a key role in shaping high-quality teaching and learning, supporting staff development, and driving positive outcomes for children.

Passionate about early childhood education, I believe that the foundation for lifelong learning is built through curiosity, creativity, and strong, nurturing relationships. I am deeply committed to fostering the core values of resilience, confidence, and kindness in every child, ensuring that each child develops the emotional strength to persevere, the self-belief to embrace new challenges, and the compassion to build positive relationships with others.

I am dedicated to creating a warm, inclusive, and stimulating nursery environment where every child feels safe, valued, and inspired to explore. My approach combines a play-based curriculum with a clear focus on children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development, encouraging independence, celebrating achievement, and supporting children to learn from every experience.

I believe in working collaboratively with staff, parents, and the wider school community to maintain the highest standards of care and education. I believe in building a culture where resilience is nurtured, confidence is developed, and kindness is embedded in daily interactions.

Outside of the nursery, I enjoy reading, keeping fit and love to play the piano,  reflecting my belief in the importance of wellbeing, balance, and a lifelong love of learning.

Oakley Nursery Newsletter May 2026

“I am writing to share some feedback regarding Ella, who has been Elsie’s key worker during her time in the Baby Room.

As Elsie prepares to move up to the Toddler Room, we wanted to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for everything Ella has done. She has been an absolutely amazing key worker, providing a level of care and warmth that made leaving Elsie each morning so much easier.

We are particularly grateful for how Ella has managed Elsie’s transition. She ensured the move was smooth and handled with such care, which has given us a lot of confidence during this big step.

While we are very excited to see Elsie progress and take on new challenges in the Toddler Room, we are genuinely sad to be moving on from Ella’s care. She is a credit to your team, and we will miss her presence daily!

Well done Ella and thank you!”

“We love the nursery and feel our child has come on so much since starting! It is lovely to see her confidence and development grow. All the staff are lovely and so caring.”

“The staff are really friendly, approachable and really listen to any comments we make.”

“Staff and setting have been great.”

“Nursery is excellent.”

“Very informative … They love attending nursery.”

Nursery Safeguarding Information

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