Julia Durbin Day Nursery (Oxford)

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.

I had two children attend Julia Durbin between 2015 and 2019, and I cannot fault the nursery on a thing. It is a very big nursery, which might not make it ideal for every child, but the resources are remarkable and the staff make it feel much smaller and cosier than its size suggests. The space (especially outdoors) and activities are fantastic, and both children learned an enormous amount during their time there. They would come home able to do things that I'd had no idea they were capable of. Most importantly, the staff are wonderfully caring. One of my children was very timid and fearful about being dropped off in the morning, and she was given so much attention and kindness from everyone - not just her key workers, but even the management team who spread unfailing warmth and cheer from the reception area. It always amazed me how absolutely everyone seemed to know both my children's names, even if they had no regular contact with them. I am so grateful to them all for their care.

As our child leaves Julia Durbin after 4 years there, I cannot praise each and every staff member there. In each room, the staff were loving, enthusiastic, motivated and interested in getting to know my child. I think that the manager does an outstanding job and feel that the secret of Julia Durbin’s success is in no part related to her management style.

Overall, my son has been very happy and thank you to the Manager and all staff for all your hard work and devotion.

We have always found Julia Durbin Nursery to be a welcoming and happy place. Both of our children settled in here quickly and always enjoy going to nursery. The staff are very engaged and dearly enjoy their work. The outdoor areas especially are excellent. There also seems to be a strong emphasis on quality nourishing food.

Great nursery, they are always looking for ways to make it better. The key workers really are. The garden is amazing.

I have two children attending Julia Durbin. They have enjoyed their time there especially the fabulous large garden play area. The staff are cheerful, caring and kind. I have always been delighted to see all the things the children have learnt with their help, potty training, using cutlery, lovely songs and good manners. The nursery also does a lot of extra activities such as fetes and tea parties so Julia Durbin has felt like a big part of our family life. Preparation for transition to school is excellent.

I would like to thank all the staff who took the children from my son’s room to Blenheim on Thursday last week. It isn't my son’s normal day at nursery but he was invited along and met the children there as my parents were able to take him. He had a lovely day with his friends and his keyworker and my parents remarked at how included they were made to feel. My son continues to love his days at Julia Durbin.

My daughter attended Julia Durbin for 10 months after I returned to work and I could not be happier with the care she received during that time. She adored attending each day and came on leaps and bounds in her development. The staff are fantastic - very nurturing towards the children and always happy to help with any queries you may have. I highly recommend this nursery.

A very successful 4 1/2 years from nursery to preschool. With a dedicated team whose unfailing courtesy, professionalism and care for the children has been a pleasure to see.

My son has attended Julia Durbin Day Nursery for 3 years. He started in Bumblebees and have progressed to Pre-school. He has developed really well, learnt a lot and made great friends in a lovely, friendly and safe environment. He has also enjoyed his time at Julia Durbin and I am very impressed with their nurturing, caring and professional approach to childcare. It’s not easy leaving your child to go to work but Julia Durbin Nursery has made this process less worrisome, stress-free and with great ease to balancing work life and parenthood. All the events that they have organised have been fantastic and fun for the kids. On days where there were heavy snowfalls, Julia Durbin kept the Nursery open for parents like myself working, to attend work. With that, they provide coffee mornings for parents to grab tea/ coffee and a pastry to take to work which was much needed in those cold, snowy winter mornings. I am very pleased I chose this Nursery as my childcare provider.

There is lots of parental involvement, also with a weekly email. If ever we need to speak to a member of staff they are more than happy to listen and help us with anything we need. All members of staff across the nursery know my children by name and myself now also. During such special primary year's, I couldn't have asked for a better, more nurturing childcare setting.

My son attended Julia Durban nursery (the Ladybirds room) and we were delighted with how quickly he settled in. The nursery facilities are fantastic, in particular, the variety of activities in the room, and the outdoor play area is incredible - the best I have seen by a very long way. The activities each day are varied, promote learning and are fun, and the nursery is great at celebrating seasonal events like valentine’s day, mother's day, mental health awareness week etc. Most impressive however are the nursery staff. My son had a key worker and a secondary key worker that were both fantastic, we really couldn't have asked for more - they really invested in him and his development and they built a fantastic relationship with him that made him feel safe, cared for and confident. All the other staff in Ladybirds were also fantastic. The whole experience with Julia Durban and in particular the Ladybirds room has been second to none and I cannot recommend this nursery more highly.

Our daughter joined Julia Durbin Nursery when she was 18 months and settled in very quickly first into Ladybirds and then into Butterflies. My husband and I were really impressed by the outdoor area when we first visited the nursery and still believe it is what our child enjoyed the most. She also loved the range of activities the staff organised on a daily basis and all the nutritious meals the chef prepared for the children who moved from Ladybirds to Butterflies. Thank you for all you've done for her!

My daughter had the best experience at Caterpillars. All staff responsible for this room were extremely helpful and very kind with her. I would definitely recommend Julia Durbin as a nursery for parents who are nervous to leave their baby/child as I felt like I could trust everyone and my daughter was in really good hands.

We’ve been using Julia Durbin since May 2015 and highly recommend this nursery. There are many things that make it a great nursery but, for me, it’s the staff that make it such a great place. Each child who has attended/attending, has not just enjoyed going (barely stopping to say goodbye at drop-off!) but has come to love the people who have not just looked after them but really cared for them. The garden is a huge plus, being a deciding factor for us, and we love receiving updates/photos via the online app. Any issues I have raised with staff have been resolved swiftly and professionally. While slightly more expensive than some nurseries in the area, this is definitely outweighed by the many positives. When my eldest son’s school was closed due to snow recently, the nursery was open; just one example of their exemplary professionalism and the effort they put into making this a great nursery. When we want our twins to start nursery later this year, I already know where they’ll be going...!

Such a fabulous, caring team looking after my child. We're so fortunate to have found this nursery and Ladybirds room in particular. Tasty food too.

My son has responded so well to nursery. He loves the activities and has bonded really well with his key person. He is now in his second room and has settled in really well.

Fantastic nursery who care about each individual child. My 9month old has excelled. Every day each child gets a detailed report to take home, which I can only say is a true reflection of my little boy.

Thank you all at the caterpillar class!!

My son joined the nursery when he was one and a half and settled in really well as the staff were incredibly nurturing and fun. He is now thriving in Butterflies where he has made friends and enjoys the challenges and activities that are thoughtfully designed to encourage their development. He loves his key worker and talking about all the fun activities he does at nursery. I would definitely recommend it to my friends and family a fabulous nursery.