Field House Day Nursery Stoke

Private decking for babies and a purpose-built Courtyard Room give Field House Day Nursery Stoke a character that goes beyond its older building. Outdoor play is woven into the day, with children able to choose it and use it across the seasons. This is a nursery where the youngest children's outdoor space deserves as much attention as the preschool provision.

At its August 2022 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found that children made exceptional progress, with strong adult relationships and carefully planned learning. That judgement is dated, but its detailed examples give parents useful substance behind the grade.

At 2 Munro Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 5HA, the nursery has 70 places in total and accepts children aged 0 to 60 months. Morning and afternoon sessions provide alternatives to an all-day attendance pattern.

Rooms and Ages

Babies Room serves children from birth until they walk confidently, combining sensory activities with its own private decking for outdoor play. That separate outdoor space gives babies somewhere designed for their stage, rather than simply describing outdoor provision for the nursery as a whole.

Tots Room takes confident walkers through to around 24 months and emphasises exploring their surroundings through play. Beans welcomes children from around 24 months, building independence, communication and curiosity on the experiences of the younger room.

Giants is the preschool room, with an emphasis on preparing children for school through imagination, resources and support from peers and families. Courtyard Room occupies a purpose-built extension in the rear courtyard and has its own bathroom facilities, giving the older provision a different physical setting from the original building.

These are developmental steps as well as room names. In the younger rooms, confident walking helps define the transition; later, the emphasis shifts towards expressing ideas and doing more independently. Parents can therefore consider the room that matches their child's development, rather than looking only at an age label.

Learning and Activities

The EYFS provides the framework for learning and care: here, children's interests shape play, exploration and developing everyday skills. Outdoor experiences form part of that learning, rather than sitting apart from it.

In August 2022, stories connected language with hands-on investigation. The Very Hungry Caterpillar became a starting point for watching butterflies develop, caring for them and eventually releasing them into the garden. Children had something real to observe alongside the story. Books were a route into understanding the world as well as enjoying language.

During the same period, adults used questions and allowed children thinking time before expecting an answer. That detail matters: conversation involved children working through an idea, rather than simply supplying a quick response. Everyday independence was also practised, with younger children learning to wash their hands and feed themselves, and older children serving food and helping clear up.

Outdoor and Community Life

Children can choose outdoor play, including in different weather conditions throughout the year. This makes access to outside space part of the normal nursery day and gives families a practical reason to think about clothing for changing weather.

In August 2022, outdoor experiences included climbing, digging for small creatures and tending fruit and vegetables. Children also helped care for Matilda, the nursery's African land snail, by washing her, providing food and handling her carefully. Children gathered produce for the nursery cook to prepare, linking growing with eating. Recipes were shared with families too, extending an activity beyond the garden and into home life.

The strongest thread is participation. Exploring soil, caring for living things and collecting food gave children jobs to do, rather than making outdoor learning something they merely watched.

A key person coordinates each child's experiences and learning, with care shaped around individual needs. Dietary and medical requirements form part of that relationship, alongside information sharing with families. For parents, the value is continuity: the same system connects day-to-day care with what staff know about the child.

At the August 2022 inspection, Ofsted found safeguarding effective and exceptional progress among children with SEND, supported by individual education plans and coordination between the SENCO, families, the local authority and external professionals. These are findings about practice at that date, rather than a general promise about support.

In August 2022, babies had a calm space with opportunities to choose their play and adults supporting close relationships. Support for families also reached beyond children's activities: food-bank provision, clothing and other resources helped households experiencing difficulties. Information shared with parents covered learning, menus and healthy living.

Meals at that time were prepared by the nursery cook, including produce children had grown and gathered. Food therefore connected practical care with learning about ingredients and healthy eating.

Transition work has a current place in the preschool offer. The nursery describes working with surrounding primary schools to help children prepare for their next stage, while the Giants room emphasises independence, imagination and participation with others. This is preparation for change, rather than a reason to assume an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

The morning session runs from 7.30am to 12.30pm; the afternoon session runs from 12.45pm to 5.45pm. The nursery opens on weekdays and operates across the year, closing for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Families considering regular attendance should account for that Christmas closure when arranging care.

Opening begins at 7.30am. The two session windows are separate booking patterns, with different start and finish times, rather than interchangeable halves of an opening day.

Getting There

The address is 2 Munro Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 5HA, in the West End area of Stoke, just off London Road. Enquiries can be made by telephone on 01782 844863 or by email to enquiries@fieldhousenursery.co.uk.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded places are offered across the age groups, and the nursery works with the local authority on funding. Private fees also apply, with a sibling discount; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The 2026 Information Pack contains fee-structure details and information about applying for funding through the local authority.

• Closing arrangements. The afternoon session finishes at 5.45pm, while contact hours extend to 6pm. Confirm which finish time applies to the attendance pattern you want before organising collection.
• Funding and the complete bill. Funded places and private fees sit alongside one another. Ask for a written breakdown covering the entitlement, its attendance pattern, meals, non-food consumables and any additional hours for your child.
• Room transitions and school preparation. Walking confidence helps define the younger room stages, while Giants emphasises preparation for school. During a visit, discuss how room moves are decided and what school preparation looks like for your child.
• Identification for a visit. Every person wishing to look around must present photographic identification to gain access. Include everyone attending when arranging your visit and bring the required identification.

Field House suits families who value developmental room stages, outdoor access and practical independence, with morning or afternoon sessions as alternatives to an all-day pattern. Babies' private decking and the Courtyard Room give that offer tangible detail. The August 2022 Outstanding judgement adds substantial evidence of quality at that time, especially through the examples of language, hands-on learning and individual support.

The decision is about fit as well as the grade: the appropriate room stage, the session finish time and the complete funding arrangement deserve careful attention. For families who want children to learn by taking part, the combination of exploration and everyday responsibility is the clearest reason to consider it.