Rye St Antony School
Nursery in Headington Oxford

Learning through play in a natural environment in our Nursery in Headington, Oxford

A warm welcome to Rye Bear Nursery in Headington, Oxford. Set in 12 acres of woodlands and gardens, we offer the perfect environment for your child’s educational beginning – supportive and nurturing and encouraging curiosity and independence.

From fun in the mud kitchen at weekly Forest School and bug hunting in our outdoor learning area to reading together and playing Maths games, we offer a holistic approach to your child’s early years – a time of discovery and cognitive and physical development.

Children can join our term-time educational Pre-school the term of their 3rd birthday, and our rich curriculum covers the key areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage alongside regular Forest School, music sessions, and termly French workshops.

Our highly experienced staff encourage child-led activities, so our children can start to work out what they do and don’t like, with endless opportunities for learning through play in a calm, happy, and purposeful environment.

Children are free to create, discover, explore, be adventurous, and get messy. It’s all part of learning at this age. Our children enjoy the wealth of resources available both indoors and outside in our purpose-built outdoor play area with a brand new garden fitted in June 2020. The children are encouraged to play outside in all weather; we embrace snow, rain, wind, and sunshine here at Rye Pre-school.

Just as importantly, we know that as a busy parent you need a flexible and convenient wrap-around service, so early morning care starts at 7.30 am and after school care is until 6 pm.

Judged to be Excellent by ISI, our warm, welcoming, and nurturing Early Years environment offers the perfect start to your child’s educational life.

We welcome parent input, offering online learning journals so that we can work together to establish a joy for learning in your child that lasts a lifetime.

Come and experience for yourself what makes our Nursery different – we’d love to show you around.

“I cannot praise Rye Nursery highly enough; from its kind, caring, and energetic staff, to the beautiful 12 acre wooded surroundings. It is the perfect place for inquisitive minds.

The staff have created a warm and nurturing environment which helps the children feel safe and cared for. The classrooms are always full of fun activities, and the children are able to choose what they play with and when. This free-form play is interlaced with a very strong educational basis, and the teachers work hard to ensure that the children are well prepared for Reception. They are also provided with a lovely warm school lunch every day.

It is wonderful to see my son’s smiling face at the end of the day. He tells me about the worms he collected at Forest School, the jelly fish he made with his teachers, and the cake he baked with his friends. This is what childhood dreams are made of!”

Nursery Parent