Ovingham & District Under 5s

Two enclosed outdoor spaces, access to school playing fields and views towards the River Tyne give Ovingham & District Under 5s a clear outdoor character. Its premises sit within the grounds of Ovingham First School, bringing nursery life close to a school setting while keeping the childcare provision separate. There is capacity for 18 children in total.

Ofsted rated the nursery Good at its December 2023 inspection. Children attending then were aged two to four, and their experiences included woodland play, nature walks and outings beyond the nursery. The strongest thread is practical learning: exploring outdoors, trying things independently and getting involved in everyday tasks.

Full-day sessions run from 08:30 to 16:30, with funded hours usable within that day. Attendance generally follows school terms, making the calendar an important part of the choice for working families.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning and care: children develop through play, conversation, creative work and everyday experiences. Planned activities build on children's interests and strengths, alongside time for imaginative play and making artwork to take home. This gives the day both adult-planned direction and room for children to follow their own ideas.

In December 2023, children explored water using natural objects and utensils, experimented with dough, and made marks using crayons, chalk and stamps. These were hands-on opportunities to practise controlling movements and handling materials. Making envelopes for Christmas cards also gave children a purposeful creative task, rather than an isolated exercise.

Stories, songs and conversations accompanied play during that December 2023 visit. Music and movement gave children opportunities to try different movements, while outdoor activities included balancing, climbing and throwing. The account was less convincing about whole-group listening: group sessions needed restructuring, and children were sometimes distracted during stories. Those concerns matter alongside the more successful individual activities.

Outdoor and Community Life

The main nursery building is complemented by two enclosed outdoor areas and access to the school's playing fields. Views towards the River Tyne and the railway add another point of interest for children. Outdoor space here extends beyond a single play area, giving families a concrete reason to consider it if time outside matters to them.

In December 2023, children used the garden and woodland daily. Their outings included nature walks, a church visit involving a teddy bear trail, and a train journey to a post office. They also sang at a care home and met older people. These experiences introduced different places and people through activities children could take part in themselves; they were not simply classroom conversations about the wider world.

Relationships and Communication

Tapestry is the nursery's digital learning journal, bringing photographs, video and diary entries together so parents can follow their child's activities and development. Families can contribute comments and their own media, making communication a two-way exchange. Email newsletters provide another channel for nursery news.

In December 2023, staff kept parents regularly informed about how their children were developing. Children also took part in routines themselves: marking their attendance, managing coats and boots, washing hands and pouring drinks. Helping at mealtimes gave independence a practical place in the day. Mindfulness activities and breathing exercises offered ways to practise calming down.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the December 2023 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective, identified assessment systems that helped staff recognise additional support needs, and found that SEND training had benefited staff practice. That is a dated assessment of how support worked, rather than a guarantee about an individual child's experience.

Five childcare staff were employed in December 2023. The manager observed practice and used feedback, meetings and appraisals to support staff development. Staff also worked with teachers at the neighbouring school to maintain continuity as children moved to their next stage of learning.

Fresh dinners are cooked at the nursery, with children able to help prepare ingredients, and the menu rotates over three weeks. Families can instead send a healthy packed lunch, so lunch can fit either nursery catering or a family's own arrangements.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Portakabin, Ovingham First School, Ovingham, NE42 6DE. Full-day sessions last eight hours, from 08:30 until 16:30, and funded hours can be used within this window. The nursery generally follows school terms; its day is arranged with the school day in mind for families managing siblings at both settings.

Enquiries can be made through the contact form, by email or by telephone during opening hours. The deputy manager handles enrolment, giving joining arrangements a defined staff responsibility.

Being on the school grounds does not guarantee a Reception place. The nursery's transition work supports preparation and continuity rather than determining admission.

Getting There

Parking options are kerbside outside the First School or in the Middle School car park, which has dedicated pedestrian walkways. Families must not use the First School car park.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered for eligible two-year-olds for up to 15 hours, alongside 15-hour and eligible 30-hour entitlement for three- and four-year-olds. Delivery follows the nursery's generally term-time calendar, and private hours are charged for children without funding or for additional attendance beyond funded hours.

A daily snack carries a separate charge, while milk is free until a child's fifth birthday; parents may provide a packed lunch. Parents are also asked to purchase a starter kit containing a learning-journal file, bags and drink containers, payable in the first term, so these items are charged separately rather than included in childcare.

Tax-Free Childcare and several Childcare Voucher schemes are accepted. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation, and the fees page explains the funding and charge structure.

• Group listening. December 2023 improvement points concerned the organisation of group activities and helping children settle for stories. On a visit, ask how those parts of the day now work.
• School-term attendance. The nursery generally follows school terms, despite offering an eight-hour day. Families needing childcare during school holidays should weigh that calendar against their working arrangements.
• Lunch and starter-kit costs. Snacks and the first-term kit are charged separately, while lunch can come from home or the nursery. Request a written quotation covering your intended funded and private hours, nursery dinners and the kit.

Outdoor space, practical activities and communication through Tapestry give this small setting a recognisable character. It suits families seeking a term-time full day, including those using funded hours within that day, and parents who value access to school playing fields. The December 2023 Good judgement provides a positive inspection position, balanced by specific work needed on group listening and story-time readiness.