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Nursery at Oakwood 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
A garden of its own, woodland to explore and swimming each week give Little Oaks a distinctly active nursery day. Oakwood School’s pre-school combines Nursery for children aged two to three with Kindergarten in the academic year they turn four. The Nursery occupies a separate building near Pre-Prep; Kindergarten uses converted stables around a courtyard, with access to the Brewhouse discovery garden.
Children have their own early-years base while sharing facilities with the larger school. That brings the gymnasium, library and swimming pool into their experience, alongside contact with older pupils and specialist teachers.
Learning is practical. Within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), activities develop conversation, movement and understanding of the world through things children can touch, try and discuss. In May 2024, ISI found that early-years activities supported these skills: examples included making marks in sand, social conversation around a tea table and working out how to build a model castle’s drawbridge. These are useful illustrations of learning through play, rather than a timetable of formal subjects.
Outdoor space is a substantial part of the offer. A secure garden and sheltered play space give children places to play close to their rooms. Further afield, Little Oaks uses the Woodland Walk, storytelling circle, outdoor classroom and woodland treehouse. Exploration can therefore extend beyond the nursery garden into the wider grounds.
Specialist teaching adds another dimension. Nursery children have weekly music lessons, and Chichester Swim School teaches swimming every week throughout the year. The heated indoor pool measures 15m. In May 2024, nursery children made rapid gains in handling bikes and climbing apparatus, giving a concrete example of their developing physical confidence.
Every child has a key person, giving families a regular relationship around their child’s interests and needs. Qualified early-years staff work at ratios of 1:5 in Nursery and 1:8 in Kindergarten. Staff welcome ongoing conversations with parents. Before entry, an age-appropriate stay-and-play or taster day helps children become familiar with the setting and lets families consider whether it suits them.
Lunch is a shared care routine. The catering team cooks a hot meal with two courses, and Nursery and Kindergarten eat in their classrooms with an adult at the table. Vegetarian and vegan options are accommodated, alongside dietary needs and allergies; Oakwood excludes nuts. Morning-break drinks and snacks are provided, and families are asked to leave additional snacks at home because of allergies.
For children with SEND, support follows an Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle, with individual Pupil Profiles shared among teaching staff. Entry depends on the school being able to meet a child’s needs through reasonable adjustments, so requirements should be discussed before a taster visit. Specialist support can attract additional charges. In May 2024, restrictions on phones and similar devices in the early-years setting were applied rigorously.
Nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place. Treat Reception admission as a separate decision and discuss the application directly with Oakwood’s Admissions Manager before making plans for continued schooling.
The educational progression is more immediate: children move from Nursery into Kindergarten in the academic year they turn four. Kindergarten remains within Pre-Prep, giving children another familiar school base before the next stage. This progression should be kept separate from any assumption about admission rights.
Families can combine sessions rather than attend five days each week. Options include five mornings, mornings with lunch and five full days; the Admissions Manager discusses other combinations. A minimum attendance requirement applies to Nursery and Kindergarten.
Funded entitlement covers up to 15 hours weekly for up to 38 weeks annually, beginning the term after a child turns three and continuing until the term of their fifth birthday. Additional services carry charges, including access to wider school facilities and specialist teaching. Ask Oakwood for current charges.
Wraparound care runs from 7.45am to 6pm. Breakfast Club and after-school care extend the day, with sandwiches and fruit for afternoon tea. Camp Little Oaks provides holiday care with familiar Oakwood staff and flexible weekly bookings. Provision covers 50 weeks, excluding the final August week and the week between Christmas and New Year. Enquiries go through the Little Oaks contact form; visits can also be booked through the Admissions Manager.
Nursery welcomes children aged two to three. They move into Kindergarten in the academic year they turn four.
Yes. Children have weekly swimming lessons throughout the year, taught by Chichester Swim School.
A hot two-course lunch is cooked by the school’s catering team. Nursery and Kindergarten eat in their classrooms with staff, and dietary requirements and allergies are accommodated.
Oakwood accepts up to 15 funded hours per week for up to 38 weeks a year, from the term after a child’s third birthday until the term of their fifth birthday. Additional services are charged separately.
No. Discuss Reception admission directly with Oakwood’s Admissions Manager and keep the application decision separate from your child’s nursery arrangements.
