Our Nursery
Oak cottage Nursery in Woodingdean caters for up to 55 children per session between the ages of 9 months to five-years-old.
Each area of Oak Cottage is specifically designed for it's age group. Whatever the age of your child you can be sure that we encourage children's curiosity and support them in becoming capable, confident learners.
The Acorn Room – 9 months to 2 years (adult to child ratio 1:3)
A room designed specifically for the little ones where your child will have the opportunity to interact with the world around them, explore, discover and try out new things. Sensory, exploratory and active play allows them to develop a positive sense of their own identity. Routines are structured but flexible and take into account children's natural rhythms and routines. There is a designated sleeping area with cots where children can sleep with individual bedding .
The Oak Room – 2 to 3 years (adult to child ratio 1:5)
The Oak Room provides children from 2 to 3 years with the opportunity to extend their emerging knowledge, skills, and attitudes to learning through open-ended, imaginative and creative experiences. In the Oak Room children are encouraged to be independent communicators and begin to learn about their feelings. Children are able to independently access our sensory room and ball pit.
The latest Ofsted report said of our teaching.
'Highly effective, stimulating and exciting teaching is evident throughout the setting, meaning that children are motivated and active learners'
Treetops – 3 to 5 years (adult to child ratio 1:8)
Our older children can enjoy a learning space upstairs where they have the opportunity to develop their reading, writing, listening and social skills. The free flow environment allows children to explore open-ended resources which can be moved and combined in a variety of ways , stimulating and extending their curiosity and creativity in their own space and time.
Our aim is for every child to flourish and to prepare each of them for the move happily on to primary school
Our Garden
All children have access to our beautiful, secure garden that has been carefully planned to provide a safe play area that includes a soil pit, sandpit, water play area and role play house where children can embrace challenges, take appropriate risk and learn by trial and error. The children develop new skills such as balance and co-ordination as well as exploring the natural world.
The garden has a high anti climb fence and backs onto a private road leading to Downsview School and Deanwood Care Home.
Children of all ages attending Oak Cottage will require:
- Nappies and wipes (if needed)
- A change of clothes
- Packed lunch (if needed)
- Wellies/wet weather gear
Opening hours
The nursery is open from 8.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday for 50 weeks a year as well as during all Brighton and Hove school term dates. For details contact the office on 01273 680451
For detailed information about Oak Cottage Nursery including fees, policies and procedures please download our prospectus.
Find out more about our Daily routines
Local Links
At Oak Cottage we have close links with local primary schools including
- Woodingdean Primary School (Woodingdean)
- Rudyard Kipling Primary (Woodingdean)
- Downsview School (Woodingdean)
- Our lady of Lourdes (Rottingdean)
- St Margaret's Primary (Rottingdean)
We also have a facebook page where we put up details of fundraising events, useful links and unexpected closure due to bad weather
Oak Cottage Policies are downloadable on our Policies page
'I would not sent my daughter anywhere else - the staff are amazing'
