Julia Durbin Day Nursery (Oxford)

Julia Durbin Day Nursery is a wonderful nursery, I can highly recommend it. Our son has thoroughly enjoyed his time at the nursery and made some really good friends. Every day they have different fun activities for the children to get involved with and there is plenty of outdoor space for the children to play in. The team were wonderful when it came to settling him into the nursery when he first started age 2 in Butterflies room. They also helped enormously with the potty training in Pre-School. Our son’s social skills developed really well during his time at Julia Durbin’s Nursery. He bonded well with his key workers and he really enjoyed going to the nursery. Julia Durbin is a very professional nursery and I can highly recommend it.

I was recommended the Julia Durbin by a number of friends and colleagues when deciding on a nursery for our son and I'm really glad we followed their advice. Having been there for nearly a year now he is so happy going off in the mornings and seems to enjoy his nursery days more and more every week. He has clearly formed strong relationships with the staff members (who all know him by name) and the range of activities on offer both inside and out is tremendous. This is particularly impressive given how challenging the last couple of months have been, for both parents and staff, but despite this, the nursery has continued to excel in both their communication and high standards of care. I would thoroughly recommend Julia Durbin Day Nursery to any other family looking for a stimulating and supportive environment to send their children.

I have never found anything about the nursery disappointing, the staff are amazing and appear so hard working and caring. My daughter has bonded with many of the staff over the 1.5 years she has been there, and I always feel happy leaving her there. There seem to be a great variety of activities and meals, and she does lots of messy play which she wouldn't get to do at home. They maximise outdoor time in the excellent garden which is important to us. I'm really grateful for all the work they do, it cannot be an easy job.

Julia Durbin was recommended by several friends last year when we were looking to move our 3-year-old from another setting before her 1-year-old sister started nursery as we weren’t very happy at the previous place. I am so happy we took their advice, the staff are super friendly and helpful, and both kids settled really quickly. We were reassured about them going back to nursery after lockdown by all the thought, hard work and preparation staff had clearly put in, and both have settled back in brilliantly this first week back. The menu is healthy and clearly tasty as mine frequently have seconds and thirds! Rooms and outdoor spaces are really well-equipped and great at stimulating their imagination and learning. I couldn’t rate them more highly, I feel completely happy with the care my kids get at Julia Durbin!

I cannot recommend Julia Durbin highly enough. My eldest attended for three years and there was nowhere else I would have considered to send my youngest. The staff are wonderful and the children have had hugely positive experiences, learning so much and making great friends. Sending them to Julia Durbin has provided such peace of mind, knowing how well looked after the children are with wonderful facilities, caring staff, varied food choices and an incredible outside space. The nursery feels at times like an extended family. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

My son went to Julia Durbin so knowing the staff and the environment we had no hesitation in sending our daughter. We have been consistently impressed by all of the staff. The last few months have been no different. Despite everything that is going on, communication has been excellent, the staff have all seemed so positive and it has been a huge weight off to see that my daughter has clearly had a great day whenever we collect her. Thank you to all the staff and we would highly recommend this nursery.

My son has been attending Ladybirds at Julia Durbin since July 2019 and he absolutely loves it. He was only one when he first started so was understandably anxious and scared as he’d been with me totally the whole previous year. The staff were amazing, in particular his key workers and the room leader who settled him in and he soon felt completely relaxed. He loves going to nursery and runs into the room in the morning. I feel totally at ease throughout the day and know I can call to check on him as much as I need. His confidence and learning has also come on so much especially when interacting with other children. All staff have been outstanding during the last few difficult weeks, thank you all!

Our daughter has been attending the nursery since October 2019, and she absolutely loves it. I would recommend it to any parent. The management team are fantastic - organised, good at communicating, and they have clear policies and processes in place i.e. for children with allergies. Our daughter is in Bumblebees room - the staff are all so caring, friendly, and get to know the children really well. There is a good balance of play (indoor and out in the amazing garden) and learning, with each child's individual goals tailored to their interests and strengths. There are always so many great activities set up for the children to do each day. My daughter's key worker is particularly brilliant and we have enjoyed seeing our daughter blossom over the last six months.

I cannot recommend the Julia Durbin Day Nursery more highly. My 18-month-old has been going for the last 3 months and has really blossomed. The staff are attentive and engaging. The facilities are excellent with a lovely big garden and lots of stimulating books and toys inside. They put on lots of exciting activities to keep the children entertained - to name a few "science experiments, gruffalo hunts, cooking and yoga sessions." I love that they promote healthy eating and being environmentally friendly. During the lockdown period, they have communicated excellently about the changes at nursery as well as sending out newsletters with food/play ideas. They have also been amazingly flexible with booking in extra days during this difficult period - which as a key worker has been invaluable. Most importantly I can go to work in the knowledge that my daughter is happy and safe whilst also learning and developing!

I have nothing but praise for the nursery management who always ensure we are fully informed and the staff for their care and attention.

Very friendly, thoughtful staff. My son is very happy to go to nursery every day, and the lay schedule is well designed.

Thanks!

The Valentines Disco. Both my children and I thoroughly enjoyed the Valentines Disco and were so pleased to be invited. As always the staff organised a fantastic event with so many activities that appealed to all. They clearly ensured that all the children (and grown-ups) were involved and enjoyed themselves. My 4-year-old son has just said that it was "fun" it was good I got something from pass-the-parcel! He also liked dancing. This event is really representative of how thoughtful the innovative staff are at engaging with the children in pre-school. Thanks.

Valentines Disco. We came in especially for the Disco and had a great time! The staff pit in so much effort to make it special with lots of activities. The resources were amazing, lighting, face painting etc that usually parents would expect to pay for. Were so lucky Julia Durbin go the extra mile.

Very happy with the care and professionalism of all staff in the nursery. Both our children attend and love coming.

Amazing staff, my son is so cared for and happy. He has just moved into his third room and is settling really well. The nursery has a really caring and family feel which is unusual for a large nursery.

I have used the Julia Durbin nursery for ten years now and I think it is a fantastic nursery. All three of my children have been very happy there and have learned amazing social skills which has helped them as they started school. The staff are very caring and have always listened and dealt with any concerns I have had. I would highly recommend this nursery.

Our son started at Julia Durbin Day Nursery six months ago and has settled in very well. The staff are exceptional - caring, enthusiastic and build a great bond with the children. Communication is excellent and we have often commented on how well the staff know our son and his likes and dislikes. The food at the nurser is varied, fresh and healthy. The menu has been designed with great care. The activities staff organise are educational and stimulating. We would highly recommend this nursery.

We moved our son from another nursery and there was a marked improvement in the quality of the facilities, staff and level of care at the Julia Durbin nursery. The development of our son has been hugely influenced by the fantastic staff at Julia Durbin, helping him to gain confidence and also begin to learn some of the key skills that are required for school and beyond. We would recommend this nursery to friends and family without any hesitation.

I wouldn't hesitate to use this nursery again, other nurseries just aren't as good. It may be expensive, but it's worth the cost for the hours, the "extras" and the brilliant, well-qualified staff.