Osmaston Day Nursery

Outdoor play starts with the building itself at Osmaston Day Nursery: every room opens freely onto a large outdoor area. Its purpose-built home within a Family Hub Children's Centre gives the nursery a clear community setting, while practical support for families extends beyond the child's nursery day.

At its 13 February 2026 inspection, Ofsted awarded Strong standard in achievement, behaviour and routines, welfare and wellbeing, curriculum and teaching, inclusion, and leadership and governance, and judged safeguarding standards met. These are separate area judgements rather than an overall grade. The detail behind them matters: language development, growing independence and support tailored to individual children run through the nursery's day.

Children are accepted from 3 to 59 months. Morning, afternoon, full-day and School Day sessions give families several attendance patterns, rather than a single length of nursery day.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning and development: children learn through play, with activities shaped around their interests and the skills they are developing. Alongside that shared framework, the group's approach includes a key person tracking development and agreeing learning goals with parents.

In February 2026, familiar books connected learning between rooms, with activities revisiting earlier experiences and extending what children could do. This gave stories a purpose beyond a single reading session. Teaching also placed considerable emphasis on conversation, singing and imaginative play, so language practice happened during enjoyable activities rather than only in an adult-led discussion.

The examples were concrete. Babies experimented with chalk marks, while toddlers poured and scooped sand; pretend ice creams became opportunities to count and compare amounts. Older children adopted medical and hairdressing roles, using conversation to sustain their games. These experiences brought movement, early mathematics and language into ordinary play.

Independence developed through small, useful tasks. In February 2026, children chose their activities, older children served themselves snacks, and getting coats on became something they could manage for themselves. Staff also explained handwashing while helping babies. That links preparation for future learning with everyday self-care, rather than reducing it to formal tasks.

Outdoor and Community Life

Free-flow outdoor access from every room makes the outdoor area part of the nursery's layout, rather than a separate destination reached from just one room. For children who enjoy movement, that is a useful physical feature: indoor and outdoor play have a direct connection.

In February 2026, outdoor activities continued across different weather conditions. Bikes, balancing beams and climbing equipment supported physical practice, while babies climbed crates and toddlers tackled steps leading to a slide. The equipment offered different challenges as children developed, with opportunities to practise balance, coordination and managing physical risks.

Community support also has a named recognition: the group's Nursery World Award 2024 for Community Support. More practically, in February 2026 families received help accessing food banks and information about oral health. Those examples explain what support beyond childcare could mean for a household.

Relationships and Communication

In February 2026, settling sessions were adapted to both the child and their family. Babies sought comfort from their key persons, and staff responded with physical reassurance and calm conversation. Sleep followed individual routines and signs of tiredness, giving care a rhythm based on the child rather than a single timetable for everyone.

Books also helped children explore feelings. In February 2026, staff used stories and conversations to help children identify emotions, while shared games gave them practice in agreeing rules and cooperating. Building a brick tower together, including agreeing when another child could knock it down, made negotiation part of play.

The group's communication arrangements include a secure online platform for photographs, meals and activities, alongside parent meetings and development reports. That gives families both a picture of the day and opportunities for a longer conversation about learning.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that children progressed well, that teaching and individual plans supported children with SEND and other barriers to learning, and that leaders should continue developing the impact of their work on disadvantaged children and children with SEND. The next step is about sustaining and extending that impact, and remains a useful point for families discussing their child's needs.

In February 2026, support included visual prompts, signs and words from children's home languages, with colleagues sharing their language knowledge. Individual targets were developed with parents and reviewed, routines could be adjusted, and one-to-one help was used where needed. Staff also demonstrated ways to encourage conversation during play at home, including activities with dough. These are specific mechanisms for connecting support across nursery and family life.

Nursery chefs cook fresh meals on site each day. The group's dietary policy accommodates allergies and cultural or religious requirements, making the practical discussion about an individual child's food needs important.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Sure Start Children's Centre, 60 Cockayne Street North, Allenton, Derby, DE24 8XB. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Morning Session runs from 8am to 1pm, Afternoon Session from 1pm to 6pm, and Full Day from 8am to 6pm. School Day runs from 9am to 3pm. The last option gives families a shorter daytime pattern, while the morning and afternoon choices allow attendance concentrated into one part of the day.

Enquiries can be made through the Osmaston enquiry form or by telephone on 01332 345 383. Nursery tours can also be booked.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is accepted, including 15 hours a week for eligible working parents with children aged 9 months and older, funding for eligible two-year-olds, and the universal and extended entitlements for three- and four-year-olds. The latter entitlements are expressed over 38 weeks, with the extended entitlement bringing eligible children's total to 30 hours a week.

Private session fees include their specified meals and snacks, and consumables. Morning sessions include breakfast and lunch as well as a snack; afternoon sessions include tea and a snack, while full days include breakfast, lunch, tea and snacks.

Travel Light is the group's package supplying formula milk, suncream, cream, wipes and nappies. Funded bookings treat meals and consumables as separate charges, with an opt-out process for those services and for additional private hours; funded-only sessions are also offered. This distinction matters when comparing a private booking with one using funded hours.

A non-refundable registration charge applies where additional services are purchased. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the fees and funding page explains the charge structure.

• Support matched to your child. Individual targets, language support and adjusted routines featured in February 2026. During a visit, discuss how those arrangements would work for your child and how progress would be shared with you.
• Funded hours and extras. Meals, consumables and additional private hours sit separately from funded childcare, with an opt-out process. Compare the written quotation with the attendance pattern and services you intend to use.
• Food requirements. Meals are cooked on site and the group's policy accommodates dietary requirements. Families managing an allergy should confirm current preparation and serving arrangements before joining.

Osmaston suits families choosing morning or afternoon sessions as well as those needing full-day or School Day attendance. Direct outdoor access and meals prepared on site give it practical substance; the February 2026 findings add a detailed account of language learning, independence and individual support.

The strongest reason to consider it is the connection between children's learning and family support. Home-language strategies, parent involvement in targets and help beyond childcare made that connection tangible in February 2026. Families using funding should weigh the attendance pattern and separate services together when considering the overall arrangement.