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Nursery at Mile Oak Primary School
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Inspection data and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. Contact the nursery directly to confirm current arrangements. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Two-year-olds and four-year-olds share the nursery provision at Little Oaks, with attendance organised around full days, mornings or afternoons. This is Mile Oak Primary School’s own nursery in Portslade. Its maximum capacity is 40, but places offered in each session depend on the children attending and the adults supervising them. Two-year-old places normally number no more than 10 per session, with flexibility for individual needs.
The nursery sits in the Infant Building, with an outdoor area reached from its nursery exits. In March 2022, Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good. That is an early years judgement within the school inspection, rather than a separate nursery rating.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provides the curriculum framework. For parents, its prime areas mean attention to children’s talking and understanding, physical development, and learning to manage feelings and relationships. Adults combine planned learning with opportunities they help children explore.
Observation shapes support: nursery staff gather information about each child’s development and use it to plan what comes next. A key person provides continuity, while the wider team shares responsibility for children’s participation and independence.
Lunch occupies the hour from noon to 1pm. A morning-only booking ends before that lunch period; families can add it for a charge when space allows. This distinction matters when deciding whether a half-day session fits the family’s routine.
Settling is tailored to the child. The usual arrangement involves three-hour sessions across a week, with a familiar adult spending progressively less time alongside them. During the busiest intake months, new starters can also attend stay-and-play sessions. Families should allow time for this gradual start.
Each child has a key person, giving parents a practitioner who connects care, communication and learning. For children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), the nursery manager and SENDCo work with the team to plan and review support. All About Me documents and individual support plans may be used when helpful; early years specialists from Brighton and Hove Inclusion Support Service (BHISS) may contribute where appropriate.
Caterlink hot lunches can be ordered each day, or children can bring a cold packed lunch. Nuts, sweets and chocolate are excluded. Hot meals require sufficient credit in the family’s Parent Pay account, so meal arrangements need attention alongside session bookings.
Outdoor access. The nursery exits have two steps leading outside, according to the March 2026 accessibility plan. Families whose child needs step-free access should discuss arrangements before starting.
Attending Little Oaks does not guarantee a Reception place at Mile Oak, and nursery attendance gives no admission priority. Brighton and Hove City Council allocates school places separately; families must make a fresh Reception application through the council’s normal process.
For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 11:59pm on 15 January 2026. That cycle is past. Families preparing for a later start should follow the council’s timetable for their child’s entry year.
Transition support is a separate matter from admission. The nursery’s SEND arrangements include planning for Reception and additional preparation where a child needs it. Starting-Reception events give children and families opportunities to meet staff and visit the classroom; a SENDCo meeting can be requested where helpful.
Little Oaks operates during term time, opening from 8am to 4pm. Funded sessions run between 9am and 3pm. Families can choose five full days, five mornings or five afternoons. Two other patterns divide the week: Monday and Tuesday plus Wednesday morning, or Wednesday afternoon plus Thursday and Friday.
Funded places for two-, three- and four-year-olds depend on eligibility and space. Universal funding for eligible-age three- and four-year-olds covers up to 15 hours weekly over 38 weeks; eligible working families can access up to 30. The nursery calendar includes three non-funded days, normally at term starts. Additional hours and hot lunches carry separate charges; contact the school for current charges.
Extra sessions can be booked a week ahead, including one-off bookings, subject to space. Children with school siblings can start at 8:50am; others enter at 9am unless booked for the paid early hour. Visits are by appointment. For enquiries or registration, email office@mileoak.brighton-hove.sch.uk or call 01273 077114. The registration form asks for at least two emergency or collection contacts and a collection password.
Children can start after their second birthday. The nursery caters for two-, three- and four-year-olds.
Yes. The weekday morning pattern runs from 9am to noon, and the afternoon pattern from noon to 3pm. Full-day and split-week patterns are also offered.
The usual start involves three-hour sessions over a week, with a familiar adult gradually reducing their time in the nursery. Arrangements are adapted to individual children.
No. Nursery attendance is not taken into account for school allocation and does not guarantee a place. A separate application to Brighton and Hove City Council is required.
Daily hot meals are available from Caterlink, or children can bring a cold packed lunch. The nursery excludes nuts, chocolate and sweets. Morning-only sessions do not include lunch unless extended, subject to availability and a charge.
