Oak and Wren Day Nursery

Outdoor learning and practical wellbeing give Oak and Wren Day Nursery its clearest character: preschool children explored forest school, while health routines extended from brushing teeth to resources families could use at home. These are useful details for parents who want care to connect with everyday family life.

At its February 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged children's welfare and wellbeing to be Strong standard, the other five assessed areas to be Expected standard, and safeguarding standards to be met. That gives families a differentiated picture: wellbeing was the strongest assessed area, while teaching, behaviour and staff development remained priorities for further work.

The nursery welcomes children from birth to five at 155 Baring Road, London, SE12 0LA. Its current offer includes child-led play, a Story Nook and outdoor play space. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm on weekdays.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage is the framework for children's learning, development and care. In everyday terms, it connects play with learning to communicate, explore, move and become more independent. Here, the February 2026 examples make that connection tangible rather than leaving parents with a curriculum label.

Toddlers pressed juice from citrus fruit while adults introduced words for what they were doing. Babies encountered counting through water play with ducks, followed by songs. These activities linked language and early mathematics to objects children could handle, giving abstract ideas a practical starting point.

In February 2026, older children assembled dinosaurs using screws and screwdrivers, exchanging components and ideas as they worked. Other children discussed their dough creations and counted the shapes they wanted to add. Learning involved both concentration and conversation: children had something to solve and something to talk about.

Independence was visible in small, useful tasks that month. Toddlers cleared up after eating and used open cups; older children managed shoes and coats before outdoor play. Babies chose resources for themselves and experimented with filling and emptying a cup. These are everyday opportunities to practise doing things rather than waiting for an adult to take over.

Outdoor and Community Life

In February 2026, preschool children took part in weekly forest school activities, learning outdoors and practising how to assess risks. This gave outdoor learning a recurring place in their week, with independence and personal safety woven into the experience.

Outdoor access also formed part of the daily routine that month. A slope gave older children somewhere to practise controlling scooters, while the mud kitchen supported digging and vegetable play. Babies explored tunnels and tried to catch bubbles. The physical detail matters: outdoor time included opportunities for different ages to move in different ways.

Environmental responsibility appeared in manageable actions. In February 2026, children reused rainwater, switched lights off and sorted recycling. These habits brought care for the environment into ordinary routines, making it something children could practise themselves.

Relationships and Communication

In February 2026, settling arrangements were adapted to individual children rather than treated as a single routine for everyone. Familiar key people responded to babies through gestures, facial expressions and eye contact, and adjusted routines when children needed sleep or reassurance. For a parent choosing baby care, that responsiveness is more informative than a broad promise of warmth.

Communication extended beyond daily play. That month, staff exchanged detailed information with families about changing needs and circumstances, and parents received updates on children's development. Wellbeing bags connected nursery routines with home through resources about food, toilet training and dental care. They offered families practical material to use between nursery days.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the February 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that teaching was adapted to children's additional needs through individual support, visual prompts and work with parents and local authority advisers, but identified uneven teaching expertise, inconsistent responses to behaviour and a need to strengthen staff interactions and continuing development. Both sides matter when weighing the provision: there were concrete support mechanisms, alongside clear work for leaders and staff to do.

In February 2026, now-and-next boards helped children understand sequences, while emotion pictures offered ways to express feelings. Staff reviewed support strategies together and adapted daily routines. These mechanisms give parents specific topics to discuss when considering how their own child's needs would be understood.

Health habits were practised during the day that month. Children brushed their teeth after lunch and learnt handwashing and how to cover a cough with an elbow. The emphasis was on actions children could repeat, linking care with growing independence.

Oak and Wren Day Nursery's address is 155 Baring Road, London, SE12 0LA, in Lee, Lewisham. It accepts children aged zero to five and opens Monday to Friday, from 8am until 6pm. It operates throughout the year.

Telephone enquiries can be made on 020 3700 3962. Showarounds can also be booked, giving families a direct opportunity to explore the setting before making their decision.

• Behaviour guidance. In February 2026, some children received inconsistent responses to behaviour, leaving expectations unclear. Ask how staff now agree and apply the same approach across the day.
• Teaching consistency. February 2026 priorities included stronger interactions with children and better continuing staff development. A showaround is an opportunity to discuss how leaders review everyday teaching and translate training into practice.
• The family timetable and costs. The weekday opening window runs from 8am to 6pm, and showarounds can be booked. Which attendance patterns, funded arrangements and meal or consumable charges would apply to your child's proposed routine?

Oak and Wren suits families seeking child-led play and outdoor space within a weekday opening window, with care that includes babies through to preschool age. Its February 2026 examples of forest school, practical independence and resources shared with home give the setting a recognisable character.

The strongest assessment was for welfare and wellbeing. The decision also needs to account for the identified inconsistencies in teaching and behaviour support: understanding how those priorities have been addressed should be central to a family's visit.