Northwood Day Nursery

A single-level building, a garden with tarmac and astro turf, and a base at Northwood Headquarters give Northwood Day Nursery a recognisable setting. Practical care sits alongside social learning: children have a key person, settling sessions can be adjusted to their needs, and PALS uses small-group activities to develop social skills for children aged three to six.

At its 6 April 2023 inspection, Ofsted rated the nursery Outstanding and found exceptional communication skills, close relationships between children and staff, and excellent progress. That is a strong dated judgement, with concrete examples behind it rather than a grade alone.

Northwood has capacity for 45 children aged three months to five years. Full-time attendance, school-day places, mornings and afternoons provide different ways to use the nursery; the minimum booking commitment depends on the child's age.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the framework for children's learning and development, with play, communication and experiences planned around their individual stage. A key person observes each child and uses their interests and progress to plan what comes next. This gives parents a useful connection between the activities children enjoy and the developmental steps staff are supporting.

PALS, expanded as Play and Learning to Socialise, adds small-group work on social skills for children aged three to six. Sign a Long is used alongside spoken language to support communication. Older children also have French and Computer classes, offered as complimentary additions. These are different kinds of enrichment: social interaction, support for expressing ideas, and instructor-led classes.

In April 2023, toddlers explored shape vocabulary while making play-dough eggs, and younger children named fruit and counted during shopping-basket play. Older children practised recognising their feelings and explaining how they could settle themselves when excited. The examples connect language and mathematics with things children can handle, discuss and act out.

Outdoor and Community Life

The outdoor play space includes both tarmac and astro turf on a level garden. Beyond it, children can take part in activities around the headquarters site, including its nature area; the nursery's contract also allows occasional walks inside the base perimeter. That extends the setting for exploration beyond the nursery garden, without implying a fixed outing timetable.

In April 2023, babies and toddlers used a low stage outdoors for climbing and jumping, while older children explored taking materials apart with tools, pipes and connectors. Those experiences gave different ages opportunities to practise larger movements and finer hand control. The physical challenge was matched to the activity rather than reduced to sitting and listening.

Relationships and Communication

Settling starts with a familiarisation visit, during which the key person learns about the child's interests, routines and needs. Short settling sessions follow before the agreed start, with their number adjusted for the individual child. This makes settling a process that can respond to the child, rather than a single appointment.

Parents receive spoken feedback each day, while the youngest children have daily diaries. A first report meeting takes place within the first 12 weeks, followed by quarterly developmental updates and two-year checks. Informal conversations and more structured reviews serve different purposes: the first handles the day's details; the second gives time to consider development with the key person and manager.

In April 2023, babies' sleep and waking activities were separated through a dedicated sleep room, so children still awake could continue exploring. Babies ate freshly cooked meals together, and staff followed individual routines. Bedding is provided and washed at the nursery; complimentary nappies and wipes also reduce what families need to pack.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

SEND support has a defined structure. The key person can create an Individual Education Plan, agree targets with parents and review them with the SENCO. Early Support Developmental Journals help staff adapt planning, while consent is sought before external agencies become involved. These mechanisms give families specific points at which to contribute, rather than leaving support as a general promise.

Photographs, symbols and interactive timetables help explain what happens next. Health services can contribute to individual care plans, and staff training can be arranged for a child's medical needs. The building has no stairs, its entrance accommodates wheelchair access, and accessible toilets are provided for both children and adults. Families considering physical access therefore have concrete features to assess against their own needs.

At the April 2023 inspection, Ofsted judged safeguarding effective, with staff understanding how to recognise possible harm and report concerns. In April 2023, staff also used visual cues and words from children's home languages to support communication. The latter is a practical example of making daily interaction more understandable.

Moving to school involves transition files made with children, countdown calendars, and learning information shared with parents for the next setting. Staff seek contact with receiving schools and arrange visits where possible. These arrangements help children understand the change and help the next adults learn about them.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is in the Joint Support Unit at Northwood Headquarters, Sandy Lane, Northwood, HA6 3HP. Opening hours are 7.45am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. It operates throughout the year, with bank-holiday closures and five working days off across Christmas and New Year; the contract also includes an annual training-day closure.

Attendance choices include full-time places, school-day attendance, morning sessions and afternoon sessions. The contract requires at least four sessions each week for babies up to 15 months, and three for children aged 16 months to five years. That is a meaningful commitment for families considering a small amount of weekly care.

The enrolment form lets families select Northwood and request their preferred days and sessions, but requests are not guaranteed. Registration processing requires a non-refundable registration charge. Once a start date is agreed, a deposit is payable and is returned on departure provided all fees have been paid.

Funding and Paid Extras

In April 2023, funded early education was offered for three- and four-year-olds. Current childcare prices belong in the nursery's written quotation. Nappies and wipes are complimentary, while French and Computer classes for older children are also complimentary extras.

The contract requires four weeks' written notice to leave or reduce sessions, with a month's fees payable instead of departure notice. Fees remain payable during a child's absence. Families need to account for these terms when deciding whether their intended pattern will remain manageable through holidays or changes at work.

• Minimum attendance. Babies up to 15 months require four weekly sessions; children aged 16 months to five years require three. At a visit, discuss how the intended days would fit the child's settling plan.
• Headquarters location. Care takes place within Northwood Headquarters. Ask how access to the base works for everyone who will collect the child, including occasional carers.
• Funding and the total bill. Funded provision for three- and four-year-olds was recorded in April 2023, and nappies and wipes are complimentary. Request a written quotation covering the current funded arrangement, meal charges and any other consumables before committing.
• Contract commitment. The registration charge is non-refundable, the deposit refund depends on fees being paid, and reducing sessions requires four weeks' written notice. Read these together when planning a start date or a later change in care.

Northwood suits families seeking full-time attendance or a shorter school-day, morning or afternoon pattern, provided the age-based minimum sessions fit their week. Its practical strengths are clear: adaptable settling, regular developmental discussions, a defined SEND planning process and a single-level environment.

The Outstanding judgement from April 2023 adds substantial weight, especially its findings on communication and relationships. For a parent weighing care here, the most useful combination is the everyday key-person contact and the structured opportunities to discuss progress. The headquarters location and contract commitments deserve equal attention in the decision.