Julia Durbin Day Nursery (Oxford)

Our son attended nursery here from 1.5 yr-2.5yr and had a fantastic time. It is an excellent nursery, with well trained and engaged staff. The facilities are decent with lots of space in rooms, a variety of toys and activities. There is a decent outdoor space for the kids to play in as well. Our son loved the activities and meals on offer. There is an app they used for updates. It was genealogy updated in the afternoon with the meals they had. We would normally get a picture or video in the app a week with description of developmental milestones. A lovely event we attended was a summer fete where all parents and children of the nursery could socialise. They provided petting animals and a variety of games and food. Would recommend the nursery. Julia Durbin management were also kind enough to explain the funding process on the phone when we were setting up gov funding for the first time

Our 2-year-old son went to Julia Durbin Nursery and absolutely loved it. The staff were so caring and supportive, and we always felt he was in great hands. Sadly we have moved away and he will miss this nursery greatly!

We were really nervous when we moved our eldest daughter (aged 2 at the time) from her old nursery to Julia Durbin - any change at such a young age is a big change. Over the last 2+ years we've seen how caregivers across 3 different rooms have helped her to grow in confidence, she is so happy at JD - on days she is at home she often asks to go to nursery! The Pre-School team have also done a top job preparing her for Primary School. Our middle daughter has only ever been at JD and is super happy. She has developed friendships with peers and achieved many development milestones thanks to caregivers working with us. She and her caregivers have a playful and constructive relationship. The girls have developed so well at JD so we would just like to say a heartfelt thank you to you and your team - you do a great job! We are really pleased that our son will now have the opportunity to take the same journey as his sisters. Cannot recommend this nursery and its attentive team highly enough!

Both of our children have attended the nursery, and they've both thrived there! All the staff go the extra mile, build wonderful relationships with the children, and facilitate lovely friendship groups within the room. My daughter is currently in pre-school room and they've done a fantastic job in bringing her out of her shell. At collection, staff are always happy to tell us how she has got on and we love getting the photo updates. This is a fantastic nursery and it's clear the staff really care for all the children and put so much effort into creating fun activities and an enriching environment. When my daughter starts school we are all going to miss the nursery and the kind staff terribly, it has been a hugely positive part of our family.

I'm quite emotional writing this review! Both my children have attended Julia Durbin so the nursery have been part of my life for 7 years now. It is my son's last day tomorrow before he starts school in September and it feels like we will be leaving our family behind! The staff are phenomenal and have supported not just my children but myself and my husband too when my son was diagnosed as autistic. It was a staff member who identified his possible neurodiversity and helped us move forwards to getting the diagnosis the following year. The team went above and beyond to support my child's needs and make sure he had the provision in place he needed. I will always be eternally grateful for the start you gave him. I simply cannot praise the team highly enough and, if I can name names then the lady in pre-school is just incredible. Please don't hesitate to send your child to Julia Durbin - they will love your child like their own and hold your hand if you need it.

We cannot fault anything about this nursery - all the staff are incredible and the facilities provided the perfect environment for our daughter to develop and grow in. We are sad to be moving her on!

We have just left JD after five years: my eldest attended from 2 until he went to school, and my youngest was there from aged 1 until leaving for school last week. We've had a fantastic experience here all around. The two children are quite different, but each of them was brilliantly cared for by the staff, who always listened to what they needed, and provided appropriate activities to engage and challenge them. The admin team are also really great - streets ahead of another setting we previously attended - and in spite of the large size of the nursery, it really feels that all the staff know the children, and care about them. The preschool team in particular deserve a special mention: they are really excellent, and there are always so many exciting things going on, from concerts to trips to craft activities. We'll miss you all!

My daughter has been at the nursery since she was 2 and is now due to head to school in Sept. Julia Durbin has hands down been the best nursery we have attended over the years. My daughter is so happy to see the staff and her friends every morning. The staff challenge them with appropriate activities to improve their motor control and explore their interests. It will be so sad to say goodbye but I know the JD team have ensured my child is ready to transition to school. Thankyou JD!!

I feel very lucky to have this nursery in our locality

Julia Durbin is a great nursery- we've been really pleased with our experience. The manager is very helpful and supportive, and the team in Ladybirds room 2 are brilliant. They are very kind and caring and always give our little one the warmest welcome! Our little one has grown and developed so much since starting.

Wonderful care! My toddler was very well cared for and had a special bond with his contact person. The manager and her entire team were amazing in the Ladybirds room.

The team are warm, friendly, loving and thoughtful and always shared feedback with me of the day. It was such a comfort to leave my son with the team and he was very happy.

Julia Durbin has wonderful creative activities and areas for children to learn through play. The food is healthy and of great quality. But most important, the staff are fantastic and truly provide great loving care.

I highly recommend this nursery.

Our experience of the Julia Durbin Nursery has been fantastic and far exceeded our expectations of what nursery provisions can offer. The level of care and attention staff have given to my daughter has been amazing, taking each and every interaction to suit her individual development, getting to know her and providing daily feedback to us as parents, both through the online app as well as personal feedback at the end of each day. Julia Durbin isn't just nursery provision, it's a loving, caring and supportive environment for both parents and children. I can't thank our key worker enough for her dedication, and our daughter has thrived under her care, patience and guidance.

I was quite nervous about sending her to nursery at first, but seeing how happy she is there and how much she loves it has completely reassured me. Thank you so much to everyone at Julia Durbin for taking such wonderful care of my girl - we're so grateful

We are having a good experience so far. The staff is very friendly and approachable. When we go to work, we feel that our son is in good hands. He loves staying at the nursery with so many activities going on every day.

Our daughter absolutely loves her time at nursery and has thrived since joining the Bumblebees room. The staff are excellent - warm, professional, and dedicated to the children's wellbeing and development. Her key worker has been especially caring and attentive, and we've been really impressed with the thoughtful focus on learning through play.

There are a wide variety of fun and stimulating activities, both indoors and out. The outside space is fantastic - with a sandpit, play park area, large garden, and more - it's clear the children enjoy lots of fresh air and exploration.

The nursery hours are very convenient for working families, and the food is great too - varied, healthy, and prepared by a friendly chef team who are open to parent input. One small suggestion would be to add a bit more variety to the breakfast options.

Overall, we're very happy with the care and experience our daughter is receiving - a lovely, nurturing environment that she looks forward to every day.

We have had a great experience with Julia Durbin Day Nursery. My daughter always has a great time and has developed so much both emotionally and intellectually. She has made some lovely friends and is developing her social skills becoming a confident individual gaining her independence. The food offered is healthy and balanced which my daughter really enjoys and the outdoor space is lovely for outdoor play and exercise.

Our daughter joined Ladybirds 1 at Julia Durbin Nursery in October, and we couldn't be happier. From the start, the team welcomed her with such warmth, helping her settle gently and feel secure. Though she spoke very little before, she now says the name of every staff member and talks about them often at home. On weekends, she says their names as if she misses them and wants to go back - a true sign of the bonds she's built. We've seen a lot of progress in her language development, along with growing confidence, independence, and curiosity. The environment is calm, nurturing, and full of thoughtful, engaging activities. The regular updates keep us connected and show just how well the team knows and supports each child. We are so grateful to the wonderful Ladybirds 1 staff - your care, patience, and kindness are making a truly meaningful difference in our daughter's early years. Thank you for everything you do!

We really like this nursery and our son is very happy there.

I was really nervous when dropping off my child for the first settling in session. It has only been a couple of months, but already she reaches for her key person the moment we arrive at nursery in the morning. We really appreciate how caring the staff are, and how they are willing to communicate with us at pick-up and drop-offs. Importantly, we are also really impressed with the food. Everything is homemade, and they do not use sugar. Puddings are always fruit- and vegetable-based. Overall, we have been really impressed with the nursery!

Another thing worth praising are the meals. The meals are all made in house by a chef who takes a lot of care to make sure there is a variety of nutritious meals.