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Nursery at Oxclose Nursery 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 If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
Making playdough from picture instructions and washing up after pouring a drink: independence takes practical form at Oxclose Nursery School. This local authority nursery school on Brancepeth Road in Washington caters for children aged two to four during term time. Early education is the school's main purpose, with provision for two-year-olds alongside the main nursery.
Ofsted's June 2026 inspection graded curriculum and teaching at Expected standard and confirmed that safeguarding standards were met. The everyday emphasis is on communication, growing independence and preparation for primary school, with adults adjusting activities to children's development.
A session combines activities guided by adults with play children choose themselves, indoors and outdoors. Key worker groups include adult-led teaching, which late children can miss. Children also have opportunities to choose their own play within the planned curriculum.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) brings together learning to communicate, move and manage feelings with early reading, maths, creativity and understanding the world. Here, adults demonstrate, children learn from one another, and play gives them opportunities to explore ideas. Conversation has a clear purpose: staff allow time for children to answer, helping them practise expressing themselves rather than rushing their responses.
Practical tasks turn those aims into something tangible. Children follow pictures to make playdough, choose a story through voting, and use sand and water for pretend cooking together. These activities exercise sequencing, decision-making and cooperation. Books and familiar songs also give children repeated opportunities to join in.
Outdoor learning extends beyond the nursery grounds through Forest School outings and seasonal walks, supporting confidence, awareness of risk and road safety. The nursery allotment supplied another learning setting in spring 2024, when children weeded and planted potatoes, tomatoes and broad beans. In summer 2025, Tiny Tweeties brought music and dance sessions, while recycled boats were sailed in the canals. These are concrete examples of learning through movement, materials and experimentation.
Settling can be adapted to an individual child. Induction arrangements are adjusted where needed, and the meadow room offers a quieter space for children who benefit from less bustle. Communication aids and shorter spoken instructions help children with additional needs participate in activities. Support is discussed with parents, with external agencies involved when appropriate.
Daily care also builds self-help skills. Children practise pouring water and cleaning their cup; baking and fruit chopping connect healthy eating with practical independence. Families receive guidance and attend sessions about toilet training, sleep habits and moving away from dummies. In June 2026, communication with families was timely, and parents felt comfortable approaching staff.
Development priorities. Support for children learning English as an additional language was still being developed in June 2026. Leaders also needed to make teaching quality more consistent and extend opportunities for children facing the greatest barriers. Families should weigh those priorities alongside the individual adjustments already in use.
Attending nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the applicable deadline. Preparation for the next stage and entitlement to a place are separate matters.
The practical preparation centres on independence, friendships and communication. Children approaching primary school develop purposeful drawing, early sound blending and mathematical vocabulary, giving them skills to take into their next setting.
Morning sessions run from 8:45am to 11:45am, and afternoon sessions from 12:30pm to 3:30pm. Both are labelled as 15-hour patterns for two-year-olds and the main nursery. The main nursery also has a 30-hour full-day pattern, from 8:45am to 2:45pm.
Breakfast and after-school clubs extend the term-time opening window to 7:30am–5pm. For nursery enquiries, telephone 0191 416 6767. Outdoor exploration takes place in most weather, so suitable waterproof clothing and footwear matter for participation.
Children aged two to four, during school term time.
Morning sessions are 8:45am–11:45am; afternoons are 12:30pm–3:30pm. The main nursery's full-day session is 8:45am–2:45pm.
Yes. Breakfast and after-school clubs extend the opening window to 7:30am–5pm during term time.
Support includes adapted induction, communication aids, shorter instructions and access to the quieter meadow room, with parents involved in discussions.
No. Families need a separate Reception application through the normal admissions process, by the applicable deadline.
