The Nursery of Narnia

A Mongolian Yurt, a garden for growing food and a room equipped with bubble tubes give The Nursery of Narnia a character that extends well beyond its name. Outdoor exploration and sensory experiences sit alongside practical support for families, including a resource-sharing scheme for clothes and toys. This Swindon setting has plenty for children to investigate, with different spaces for energetic play and quieter activity.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Good and judged safeguarding effective. The practical observations behind that judgement matter: children experimented with materials, developed independence and received encouragement when their first attempts did not work. Two improvement priorities also deserve attention: explaining how healthy choices affect the body and helping parents extend learning at home.

The nursery accepts children from three months to five years. It opens throughout the year, with a Christmas closure and bank holidays off, making the annual routine an important part of the decision for working families.

Learning and Activities

EYFS provides the framework for learning, development and care: children build communication, movement and social skills through play, alongside early reading, number work and creative activity. Here, structured activities sit alongside opportunities for children to choose and investigate. Blocks, sensory materials and everyday objects give them ways to test ideas rather than simply follow instructions.

Bee-Bots with learning mats, an interactive smartboard and remote-control toys offer ways to explore control, movement and cause and effect. Cameras and construction materials add further tools for investigation.

In September 2025, children searched for dinosaurs hidden in rice and sand. Scooping and threading developed hand control for early writing. Staff varied their voices and demonstrated tasks to hold attention, while encouraging children to rebuild fallen towers helped them practise persistence.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School adds practical exploration of the natural world, with a trained leader and activities including making shelters, printing with leaves and weaving twigs. The outdoor classroom is a Mongolian Yurt. Sandalwood Court NHS has made neighbouring grassland and woodland available for the nursery's use, giving this outdoor offer a substantial physical setting.

Wheeled toys use a hard play space, with a softer surface for other equipment. Babies have their own garden space for crawling and watching older children. Daily outdoor play is the aim except in extreme weather, supported by wet-weather clothing.

The taste garden brings growing and eating together. Children help raise fruit and vegetables, then pick and cook them for snacks or lunch where possible. The sensory garden adds plants to touch and smell. These experiences give children something tangible to investigate, from how a plant feels to how food changes as it grows.

Explorers Club arranges family trips during the year at reduced cost or free of charge. These trips give families shared experiences beyond the nursery day.

Relationships and Communication

At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that the key-person arrangements supported children's security and individual learning, and that staff handled personal care sensitively. Babies received reassurance during nappy changes and gentle help to settle to sleep. For parents choosing care for a young baby, these observations are more useful than a general promise of kindness.

In September 2025, staff followed home routines and shared learning through daily conversations and an online platform, although suggestions for home activities were inconsistent.

During that visit, stories and calm responses helped children understand feelings and boundaries. Babies practised using spoons; older children tackled coats and boots with adult encouragement. Independence grew through everyday tasks.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

The Sensory Room offers bubble tubes, padded mirrors, illuminated shapes and sound and light equipment for sensory exploration. Familiar television content is also used according to individual needs.

Family support extends beyond childcare. The Wardrobe of Narnia lets parents exchange outgrown toys and clothing, and families can also help themselves to gathered food and other resources. Regular parenting meetings or classes provide another point of contact. Respite Relief Sessions allow families or groups supporting children with disabilities to use the space, with staff support where needed.

Food has an educational role through the interactive kitchen and dining space, where children can help make simple things to eat. In September 2025, children brought their meals from home and had fruit, milk or water at snack time; the improvement priority was to explain more consistently why varied food and healthy habits matter to their bodies.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is Rowan House, Winton Road, Swindon, SN3 4WF. Opening hours are 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, and the nursery operates for 51 weeks each year. Bank holidays and a week at Christmas are closures to build into a family's childcare plan.

Individual needs can be discussed for shift-working families, and corporate clients can customise childcare packages around workforce schedules. For enquiries, call 01793 293 812 or use the online enquiry form.

Funding and Paid Extras

In September 2025, the nursery provided government-funded childcare and received additional funding for disadvantaged children. Funded and fee-paying children share a first-come-first-served approach, without separate lists. Consumables carry no extra charge, and there are no additional fees.

Getting There

Access is from the A419, and the setting is on routes serving Swindon's larger industrial areas. Trees, gardens and a nearby play park form part of its surroundings.

• Your youngest child's day. Babies have a garden space of their own, and the Sensory Room offers several kinds of stimulation. At a visit, how would the daily group size, settling arrangements and use of these spaces work for your child?
• Healthy habits. September 2025 brought an improvement priority around helping children understand the effects of food and lifestyle on their bodies. The kitchen and taste garden provide practical starting points; look for explanations alongside the activities.
• Learning at home. Daily communication and online updates were established in September 2025, but ideas for extending learning at home were inconsistent. Families wanting activities to continue between nursery days should weigh that distinction.
• The annual routine. The 51-week calendar includes bank holidays and a Christmas break. Families working shifts should allow for these closures as well as the normal opening window.

The Nursery of Narnia suits families who value outdoor investigation, sensory resources and community support. The Mongolian Yurt, taste garden and Wardrobe of Narnia give that offer substance; shift-work discussions may also matter to working parents.

The September 2025 Good judgement sits alongside improvement priorities on healthy lifestyles and learning at home. Families should weigh these against the practical appeal of its spaces and support.