Oak Tree Nursery School Stanah

Weekly Forest School sessions give Oak Tree Nursery School Stanah a clear outdoor thread, while its base at Stanah Primary School makes preparation for school a practical part of nursery life. The age range is two to five. For parents weighing outdoor activity alongside support for individual needs, both deserve attention.

At the January 2026 inspection, Ofsted judged inclusion to be Strong standard, the other assessed areas to be Expected standard, and safeguarding standards to be met. This is a report card with separate judgements, rather than an overall nursery grade.

Attendance is term-time only, with morning, afternoon and longer-day options. That gives families several ways to organise a nursery week, but the school-holiday closure is an important part of the choice.

Learning and Activities

The early years foundation stage provides the framework for children's learning, development and care: the day brings together communication, physical skills, relationships and learning through play. Forest School adds a weekly outdoor session, led by a qualified Forest School Leader. In January 2026, these sessions involved practical and physical challenges with staff support, giving children opportunities to learn skills beyond their indoor activities.

Stories and songs were part of the January 2026 day, alongside games and activities that exercised children's physical skills. Children practised making choices and doing things independently. Emotional learning also had a concrete place: children discussed feelings and considered how their actions affected friends. These are useful everyday preparations for sharing resources, joining group activities and managing frustration.

The same January 2026 account identified two teaching priorities. Staff needed further support to make curriculum delivery consistent, and language and mathematics needed more deliberate teaching, especially for younger children. Parents should weigh the outdoor offer alongside those priorities. Activity alone is not the whole educational picture.

Outdoor and Community Life

Forest School sits alongside separately charged extras including Fleetwood Town sessions, yoga, library outings and care-home visits. Fleetwood Town is an extra session rather than part of the basic attendance charge. Families can therefore consider the activity offer and its cost together, rather than assuming that every experience comes within their chosen hours.

In January 2026, the room layout for younger children had recently changed, and staff were adapting curriculum delivery to that environment. This matters most when choosing provision for a younger child: the organisation of their day, the activities within it and the teaching that accompanies them deserve as much attention as the wider programme.

Relationships and Communication

Getting to know a child began with information from home in January 2026. Staff gathered details about routines, preferences and previous experiences, giving them practical starting points for settling and daily care. Parents received updates about their child's day and learning, and home activities supported continuity between nursery and family life.

Children also used photographs from home to talk about their families and activities. That is a concrete connection between the two parts of their day: familiar experiences become something to share with friends. Staff helped children understand rules, look after resources and work through disagreements, rather than leaving routines to be learnt by trial and error.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

At its January 2026 inspection, Ofsted found that staff recognised emerging needs promptly, worked with other professionals and reviewed targeted support as children's needs changed, with basic signing among the ways they helped children communicate. A nursery SENCO role is also part of the staff structure, giving families a specific point of contact for discussing additional needs.

In January 2026, some children received extra help at mealtimes so they could take part alongside their friends. Sleep and eating routines were organised around individual needs, and children learnt about hydration and healthy food. The practical emphasis was participation: support was brought into ordinary parts of the nursery day.

School preparation included familiarising children with school routines in January 2026. Staff maintained links with schools and helped children understand what would happen next. This is preparation for a change of setting, rather than an admissions advantage.

Sessions and Attendance

The nursery is at Stanah Primary School, Lambs Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, FY5 5JR. It opens for 38 weeks, following the primary school's term-time calendar. Opening hours are 8am to 5.15pm on Monday to Wednesday and 8am to 4pm on Thursday and Friday.

Morning options run from 8am to 1pm or 8.30am to 11.30am; afternoon options are noon to 3pm or 1pm to 4pm. Longer bookings include 9am to 3pm, 8am to 4pm and 8am to 5.15pm, with the latest finish offered Monday to Wednesday. A funded delivery option also runs from 8.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday.

The contact form allows families to select Stanah and submit a registration enquiry or question. A child's key worker is also the contact for discussing resources when parents choose to opt out of chargeable extras.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes up to 30 hours a week for eligible three- and four-year-olds and 15 hours for eligible two-year-olds. Funding is delivered during term time. Additional hours beyond a family's daily funded entitlement are charged separately and depend on availability; current prices come in the nursery's written quotation.

Meals, breakfast and snacks carry separate charges, including during funded attendance; lunch can be bought from the school kitchen or supplied as a healthy packed lunch that follows the nursery's healthy-eating policy. Non-food consumables and activity resources are also charged separately, including nappies, wipes, craft materials and resources for sensory play and baking.

Parents can opt out of extra activities and non-food consumables by writing to the nursery and discussing the week's required resources with their child's key worker. At least one week's notice is needed so staff can prepare a resource list. Tax-Free Childcare is accepted.

Sharing a site with Stanah Primary School does not guarantee a Reception place. Families still apply through the local authority admissions process.

• Term-time fit. The nursery follows Stanah Primary School's calendar for 38 weeks. Families needing childcare through school holidays should account for those closures when comparing attendance options.
• Younger children's teaching. January 2026 priorities included more purposeful language and mathematics teaching and greater consistency across the curriculum. On a visit, ask how these priorities now shape the younger children's activities.
• The cost beyond funded hours. Food, consumables and extra activities have separate charges, with an opt-out process requiring at least one week's notice. Compare a written quotation for your chosen pattern, including the extras you intend to use.

Oak Tree Nursery School Stanah suits families seeking term-time morning or afternoon sessions as well as longer nursery days. Weekly Forest School provides a clear outdoor element, and the January 2026 inclusion judgement gives parents considering additional support a substantial reason to look closely.

The balance is straightforward: a varied attendance model and an established school connection, alongside specific teaching priorities for younger children. Families comfortable with term-time closures and the separate charge structure have a useful combination to consider.