The Oak Tree Nursery & Pre School

Dinosaur dentistry and growing fruit and vegetables gave learning a practical edge at The Oak Tree Nursery & Pre School in September 2023. Children explored healthy eating through pretend play and cultivated produce in an on-site allotment. These were hands-on ways to connect conversation, play and everyday health.

At its September 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good, judged safeguarding effective and found that SEND provision identified individual needs and planned support. The setting has capacity for 123 children aged 3 to 60 months in Whitchurch.

The early years foundation stage brings together children's learning, development and care, so play and daily routines both have an educational purpose.

In September 2023, storytelling involved predicting what might happen next and interpreting characters' emotions through pictures. Rhymes and new words extended the conversation; younger children heard simple language repeated. This gave different ages different ways into communication.

Pretend dental care involved flossing dinosaur teeth, discussing food and preparing an imaginary dinner. The allotment offered another concrete connection between food and learning, while outdoor exploration included supervised opportunities to take risks. These examples show the substance behind the inspection-era account of play.

In September 2023, older children used a sand timer to share a popular toy. Babies and toddlers received physical comfort and encouragement while learning simple expectations about sharing. Managing feelings was part of ordinary play.

Information from parents helped children settle, and families received progress updates and newsletters. An experienced SENCo coordinated individual planning and developing links with outside agencies.

Home-cooked food accommodated dietary needs and weaning stages. Children practised using cutlery and pouring drinks, making mealtimes opportunities to build independence.

The September 2023 inspection also identified uneven teaching interactions and asked for stronger monitoring of staff practice, more targeted support and clearer understanding of what activities should teach. For parents, consistency across ages matters as much as a successful individual activity.

Bere Hill, Whitchurch, RG28 7EB is the nursery's address. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, with closures for bank holidays and Christmas. That opening window gives families a useful starting point for considering how care fits around work.

In September 2023, the nursery received early education funding for children aged two, three and four. This is a dated participation fact, rather than a promise of a funded place today.

• Teaching consistency. September 2023 improvement priorities concerned staff support and the purpose of activities. Ask how coaching now helps practitioners deliver learning consistently across age groups.
• Attendance arrangements. The weekday opening window runs from 8am to 6pm. Which booking patterns and funded-hours arrangements would fit your family's week?
• Settling and communication. In September 2023, parents' knowledge informed settling and families received updates. A visit is a useful opportunity to discuss how those arrangements would work for your child.

The Oak Tree suits families seeking year-round weekday childcare who value practical play, language-rich activities and opportunities to build independence. Its September 2023 account gives tangible examples, from dinosaur dental care to the allotment. The balance is teaching consistency: the same account identified a need for clearer learning intentions and better support for staff.