Staffordshire University Woodlands Day Nursery & Forest School

Outdoor learning gives Woodlands much of its character. In June 2024, children practised climbing on purpose-built equipment, explored changes in ground level and used an outdoor corridor for stories and play. These were practical opportunities to build physical confidence, with staff helping children judge how to move safely.

Staffordshire University Woodlands Day Nursery & Forest School has 120 places in total for children aged 0 to 60 months, at Lordship Lane in Stoke-on-Trent. At its June 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good overall and found safeguarding effective, with children receiving effective support for special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The current emphasis is on attentive interaction. Woodlands calls this its being present approach: practitioners minimise paperwork and technology so they can observe children, listen and extend their play. Opening hours are 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for learning and care. At Woodlands, the nursery connects it with adults responding to children's interests and extending their play; in June 2024, children practised language through questions about their activities and independence through tidying and cleaning up spills. Its being present approach puts the emphasis on what children are doing and saying in the moment, giving families a clear sense of how practitioners intend to spend their time.

A small discovery became a language opportunity in June 2024: when fabric clung to children's clothing, staff introduced the idea of static. Questions about play helped extend vocabulary and understanding. This is a useful example of learning growing from something a child has noticed, with an adult supplying words and ideas to explore it further.

Independence also had practical expression that month. Children put resources away after play and dealt with spilled water themselves. Sharing was encouraged through reminders and adult examples, including among very young children. These ordinary tasks gave children opportunities to take responsibility and practise living alongside others.

Outdoor and Community Life

In June 2024, the outdoor environment combined climbing equipment with surfaces at different levels. Staff helped children use these challenges safely. For a family weighing the outdoor offer, the important detail is the opportunity to practise movement and judgement, supported by adults.

The outdoor corridor extended that experience into stories and other play. Children also explored sand and used tools to make marks. Indoors, the organisation of the space supported calm engagement with activities. Together, these observations show how different physical spaces contributed to the nursery day at that time.

Relationships and Communication

Responsive relationships are central to the nursery's stated approach. Practitioners aim to notice children's needs and interests while interacting with them, and ongoing staff development includes outdoor learning and sustainability workshops. Every practitioner receives training in paediatric first aid, safeguarding and food hygiene. These are concrete staff arrangements, with the dated safeguarding judgement kept separate from the nursery's intentions.

In June 2024, staff stayed nearby when young children were uncertain and offered comfort. Parent workshops helped families support learning at home. However, feedback was not collected consistently enough to guide further improvements in those relationships, making communication a useful topic for a visit.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At the June 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff worked with families and professionals to support children with SEND, adapted play to individual needs and acted while awaiting external advice; it also asked leaders to gather parent feedback more effectively. For families needing additional support, the practical substance is that staff were taking steps themselves while working with others.

In June 2024, leaders also maintained connections with other settings to help children manage their next stage of learning. That work concerned preparation for change and continuity of support.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is on Lordship Lane, off Leek Road, at the University of Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2TQ. It opens Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, with bank-holiday and Christmas closures. General enquiries can be made by phone or email, and families can use a place-request form.

For the period 1st August 2025 to 31st July 2026, the attendance menu comprised a full day from 8am to 6pm, a morning half day from 9am to 1pm and an afternoon half day from 1pm to 5pm, alongside hourly bookings. Full sessions took priority over hourly attendance. Those dated patterns show the different lengths of day the nursery offered during that period.

Additional closures can total up to five days for training or nursery outings, with at least two months' notice. The Christmas closure runs from 24th December to 1st January, alongside other university closure days. Families whose work or study continues through these periods need to account for them in their childcare plans.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded-hours-only attendance carries separate charges for meals and consumables, including snacks, craft materials and additional resources. In June 2024, funded early education was provided for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Funding options can be discussed with the nursery team.

Meals are included in privately paid sessions. Parents supply nappies; emergency nappies supplied by the nursery are charged separately, so keeping a supply with the nursery matters.

Absences, including holidays and sickness, remain payable in full. Late collection attracts an additional charge, and more than three late collections leads to withdrawal of the child's place. These terms make collection arrangements and backup plans worth considering alongside the usual working day.

For current prices, ask the nursery for a quotation.

• Parent feedback. The June 2024 improvement point concerned gathering families' views more effectively. During an appointment visit, ask how feedback now influences changes to care and communication.
• Attendance pattern. The full-day, morning and afternoon timetable above covered 1st August 2025 to 31st July 2026. Ask which of those patterns applies to your intended start date.
• Funded extras and nappies. Funded-hours-only attendance carries meal and consumables charges, while parents supply nappies and emergency replacements cost extra. Factor these arrangements into the household budget.
• Closures and collection. Christmas and university closures sit alongside possible training or outing days; repeated late collection can end a child's place. Families need collection cover and childcare arrangements that fit these terms.

Woodlands suits families who value attentive adult interaction and practical outdoor experiences. Its being present approach gives a clear account of how staff intend to support learning, while the June 2024 examples give substance to the outdoor offer, independence and language development.

The attendance menu for 2025–26 served families seeking full days as well as shorter morning or afternoon sessions. For those considering similar patterns, the decision rests on how the attendance timetable, closures and funded extras fit family life. The Good judgement provides a dated quality reference, balanced by a specific improvement point on parent feedback.