Marazion Oasis Childcare Centre

Timmy, the nursery’s puppet, gives children a starting point for talking about feelings. That small, practical detail captures the emphasis at Marazion Oasis Childcare Centre: helping children express themselves, understand other people and take an active part in their learning.

At its April 2022 inspection, Ofsted judged the nursery Outstanding overall, finding exceptionally strong learning, confident children and close relationships with staff. That judgement belongs to a dated visit, but its examples are useful: children worked with real tools, drew building plans and explored numbers through pretend shopping.

The centre has capacity for 37 children and occupies grounds at Marazion School, on School Lane. In April 2022, children attending ranged from 0 to 11 years old. The whole-setting capacity should not be read as the size of an individual group.

Learning and Activities

EYFS provides the framework for learning and care, bringing together children’s communication, physical development, relationships and learning through everyday play. Marazion’s approach places children’s interests within that framework, rather than treating play and learning as separate parts of the day.

In April 2022, practical activities gave children something substantial to work out. Hammering nails into wood required them to coordinate their movements and keep trying. Building plans brought drawing into construction play, while pretend shopping gave numbers a purpose beyond reciting a sequence. These examples help parents picture the learning: children were making, discussing and testing ideas.

Language ran through those experiences. During April 2022, adults expanded children’s vocabulary through conversations, and preschool children discussed the people who write and illustrate books. Younger children joined action rhymes. The emphasis was on using language with someone, with stories and play supplying reasons to speak and listen.

Timmy supports daily discussions about behaviour and emotions. Children consider how actions affect themselves and others, giving the puppet a clear role in the day rather than making it simply another toy.

Outdoor and Community Life

In April 2022, preschool children took part in forest school activities alongside children from the school’s Reception class. These were outdoor experiences involving new physical challenges and opportunities to get to know older children. The shared activity offered a practical bridge towards school life.

Animal care also featured during that visit: children handled the nursery’s rabbit gently. This brought responsibility into an ordinary nursery experience, with children needing to consider the animal’s needs as well as their own enthusiasm.

Each autumn, the group-wide One World Week explores different cultures. Opportunities to try foods and dress in clothes from other cultures give children concrete starting points for discussion, and parents can participate in these celebrations.

At the April 2022 inspection, Ofsted found effective safeguarding, strong support for children with SEND and very substantial progress, supported by close observation, individual next steps and work with outside agencies. Those findings describe practice at that visit, rather than guaranteeing an individual child’s experience today.

In April 2022, children had secure relationships with their key people and followed routines that took account of individual needs. For parents, the useful detail is the connection between relationships and daily organisation: familiar adults and predictable routines helped children settle into activities.

Assessment was woven into play during that period. Staff watched what children could do, identified an appropriate next challenge and reviewed development with managers. Additional help could therefore begin from a specific difficulty or learning need, rather than a broad label.

Family communication was another substantial part of the April 2022 picture. Parents understood their children’s development and next steps, could raise concerns with staff and were invited to share learning. The manager also worked with the local health visitor when families needed support. There were eight staff at the time of that visit; that is a historical staffing count, not a statement about current deployment.

The address is Marazion School, School Lane, Marazion, TR17 0DG. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01736 711125, by email to marazionadmin@oasischildcare.org.uk or through the centre’s enquiry form.

In April 2022, the nursery received early years funding for children aged two, three and four. Current prices come in the nursery’s written quotation.

Sharing school grounds does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still need to use the local authority admissions process; the nursery’s school setting and the shared activities described above should be considered separately from an admissions decision.

• Operating calendar. Marazion is described both as operating during term time for 38 weeks and as open all year round. Confirm which calendar applies before planning childcare through the school holidays.
• Your child’s daily arrangements. The April 2022 visit included babies, preschool children and older children. On a visit, ask how your child’s age group is organised now, including its usual group size, rest arrangements and attendance options.
• Written cost breakdown. The nursery received early years funding in April 2022. Request a current quotation covering funded hours, any additional paid care, food and consumables so that the whole arrangement can be assessed together.
• School transition. Preschool children shared outdoor activities with Reception children in April 2022. That familiarity can be useful, but attendance does not secure a school place: a separate application remains necessary.

Marazion Oasis suits families who value communication and practical learning in their childcare. Timmy’s daily role in discussing feelings gives the current offer a recognisable character; the April 2022 examples add a detailed picture of children learning through tools, stories, imaginative play and outdoor experiences.

The school grounds are a meaningful part of that picture. They offer context for transition activities, while leaving the Reception admissions decision separate. The arrangements for each child matter alongside those shared experiences.