Acorns Nursery at Wheatley Church of England Primary School

Tuesday music in the school music room and visits to Wellford Gardens care home give Acorns a day that reaches beyond its own play spaces. This is Wheatley Church of England Primary School’s nursery class, taking children from age 2 until they begin school. Most join at 3; places for 2-year-olds are limited.

Acorns combines its own indoor and outdoor areas with activities alongside the school’s early years children. That connection brings access to specialist music teaching and outdoor learning. At the inspection on 3 and 4 December 2024, Ofsted graded the school’s early years provision Good. That judgement covers early years within the school, rather than a separate nursery inspection.

Circle time gathers children on the carpet before they choose their play. Indoors, construction materials and puzzles sit alongside water, paint, playdough and sand. Books and the home corner add stories and pretend play. Children can choose between learning areas and explore outdoors, giving them opportunities to make decisions about how they spend their playtime.

Each session also includes a group activity guided by an adult, stories and outdoor play. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) combines learning and development with children’s health and safety: in parent terms, care and learning belong together. In December 2024, the early years curriculum had a clear structure, and children started exploring numbers and letters from the beginning of Nursery. Play remains part of that learning.

On Tuesdays, nursery children join Olive class for music, taught by the music teacher in the school music room. An outdoor learning session draws on another school specialist. Regular trips to Wellford Gardens care home have included bowling, painting and music with residents. These activities bring children into contact with people and places beyond their nursery room.

Settling begins with getting to know the children. In December 2024, staff helped children become familiar with routines promptly, and children adjusted quickly to early years. The session’s opening circle time provides a shared starting point before independent play. In the cloakroom, a peg for each child gives bags and coats their own place.

Snack comes from home, accompanied by water or milk. School dinners have been offered in Acorns since June 2025, with food brought over from the school kitchen. Meals carry a separate charge and need booking a week ahead, so lunch requires some advance planning.

For children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the school’s Inclusion Lead has time allocated each week to support families and children; appointments go through the office. A Senior Nursery Practitioner is also among the designated safeguarding leads, giving the nursery a role within the school’s safeguarding team.

Attending Acorns does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate application through Oxfordshire County Council’s primary admissions route at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/primaryadmissions. For September 2026 entry, the application deadline was 15 January 2026.

Regular activities with the school’s early years children, including Tuesday music with Olive class, provide familiarity with the wider school. Treat that everyday connection separately from the application process: participation in school life does not secure admission.

Morning sessions run from 8.50am to 11.50am, with a lunch extension finishing at 12.30pm. Afternoon sessions begin at 11.50am and finish at 3pm; the all-day option runs from 8.50am to 3pm. Acorns offers a minimum of 15 hours a week. These choices give families distinct morning, afternoon and all-day patterns.

Universal funding covers 15 hours from the term after a child turns 3, and Acorns accepts extended government funding of 30 hours. Funding for 2-year-olds depends on circumstances, with Oxfordshire County Council handling further information. Sessions and school meals have charges; contact the school for current charges.

To arrange a nursery visit and obtain an enrolment pack, contact the school office on 01865 872366. A visit provides a practical starting point for choosing Acorns.