Woodlands Day Care Nursery

A worm protected by a tyre, books shared in a pretend library and individually tailored learning packs: Woodlands Day Care Nursery has a recognisable emphasis on curiosity, language and learning that continues at home. Its garden provided a memorable example in April 2024, when children studied a worm with magnifying glasses, compared it with a picture and worked together to protect it. Small discoveries became opportunities to investigate and cooperate.

At its 17 April 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and judged safeguarding effective. Woodlands has capacity for 36 children at Bridge Road West, Stevenage, SG1 2NU; children attending in April 2024 were aged two to four.

Term-time attendance can be arranged around morning, afternoon or all-day sessions. That gives families a choice between shorter periods of nursery learning and a day spanning both sessions.

Rooms and Ages

The Butterfly room includes work on recognising and writing names: some children trace their letters, while older children write their own name. This connects early mark-making with something children can use themselves, rather than treating writing as an isolated exercise.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for children's learning and development, with play and everyday activities giving opportunities to practise communication, movement, early reading and number skills. Woodlands links nursery activities with practical ideas families can use at home.

Number Hunt is a holiday activity that encourages children to spot numbers around the house or while out walking, with adults supplying number names when help is needed. Finger gym involves activities such as playdough and threading pasta onto straws to exercise the hands. Both make learning tangible: children can notice a number or manipulate a material rather than simply listen to instructions.

In April 2024, children practised recognising letters and connecting them with sounds. A pretend library gave older children opportunities to choose books and retell stories to one another. Discussion accompanied the resources, making books something to talk about and share.

There was also a clear teaching limitation in April 2024. Staff sometimes missed opportunities to take children's ideas further, including developing their reasoning. Extending learning more consistently was the improvement priority. Families should weigh that alongside the examples of engaged play, rather than assuming every activity received the same depth of adult support.

Outdoor and Community Life

Outdoor play is part of the nursery day, with clothing expectations adjusted for the weather. Waterproof coats and wellington boots support play in rain; hats, gloves and suitable footwear prepare children for colder conditions. Families need to equip children for outdoor activity, not just the indoor session.

In April 2024, outdoor equipment also gave children opportunities to consider how high they felt comfortable climbing. Children shared photographs, songs and traditional clothing associated with their home cultures, bringing their own family experiences into nursery activities.

Relationships and Communication

The application process gathers information about children's health, dietary requirements, additional needs and other professionals involved with the family. A home-language sheet invites useful words and pronunciation guidance. These are practical ways for families to explain a child's needs before attendance begins.

Tapestry, the online learning journal, is also a channel for parent feedback, alongside email. Parents are expected to read its blogs for notices about changes to the nursery's terms. Communication therefore includes both children's experiences and the practical arrangements families need to follow.

In April 2024, staff supplied individual resource packs with instructions for activities at home. The useful detail was the tailoring: families received materials connected to their own child's learning, rather than only general suggestions.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the April 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that progress monitoring and targeted small-group work supported good progress, including for children with SEND and those learning English as an additional language, and identified language development as a strength. Staff assessed speech and introduced extra support early, while conversations gave children opportunities to practise taking turns and expressing ideas.

For children attending both sessions, families supply a cold packed lunch and must follow the nursery's packed-lunch guidance. Sun cream must be applied at home before attendance, and the application arrangements require consent for prescribed medication and nappy cream.

Sessions and Attendance

Woodlands operates Monday to Friday in term time. Morning sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am, afternoons from 12.15pm to 3.15pm, and the all-day option from 8.45am to 3.15pm. Children may attend the morning and afternoon consecutively; parents provide a cold packed lunch.

Applications must be fully completed. A child is added to the waiting list only after the nursery receives a completed form, so submitting the paperwork is a substantive step in joining. The application also includes a pre-start visit arrangement.

Term-time absences remain chargeable. If a child leaves during a term in exceptional circumstances, four weeks' written notice is required and outstanding payments must be settled. These terms matter when planning attendance around family holidays or a change of childcare.

Getting There

The address is Bridge Road West, Stevenage, SG1 2NU, but families use the nursery's separate entrance from Gunnels Wood Road. Access through Woolenwick School grounds is prohibited, as is bringing vehicles onto Woolenwick Junior School premises.

Funding and Paid Extras

Woodlands offers term-time funded early education, including two-year-old funding and 15-hour and 30-hour entitlements, subject to the relevant eligibility conditions. The 15-hour entitlement runs for 38 weeks, starting in the term after the child's third birthday, and parents using the 30-hour entitlement must reconfirm eligibility every three months.

Additional private sessions are charged separately, and current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. Parents provide a cold packed lunch for the paid all-day arrangement. A non-refundable registration charge applies on receipt of an application, except for children receiving government funding; for charge-paying applications, that charge must be paid before a place can be secured.

• Depth of teaching. In April 2024, opportunities to develop children's reasoning were sometimes missed. During a visit, ask how staff now extend a child's activity beyond its starting point.
• Term-time planning. Morning, afternoon and all-day options operate during term time, and term-time absences remain chargeable. This arrangement suits families whose childcare plans follow the nursery calendar.
• Joining and preparation. A completed application is required before a child joins the waiting list, and the form includes a pre-start visit. Use that visit to discuss how the nursery will support your child's first sessions, drawing on the health, language and additional-needs information supplied.

Woodlands suits families seeking morning or afternoon nursery sessions, as well as those wanting an all-day term-time arrangement. Practical home-learning ideas, the Butterfly room's name-writing activities and parent communication through Tapestry give families concrete ways to participate. The April 2024 examples show purposeful play and responsive support, balanced by a clear need for more consistent extension of children's thinking.