Barn Owl Day Nursery
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Reading for babies from 9 months up to school age, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. £88.00 a day for toddlers 2-3 years, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2024. Open since 2009, with 60 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Full day | Session | Weekly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babies 0-2 yearsbirth to 2y | £88.00 | £48.00Afternoon £52.00Morning | £385.00Full Time (Mon – Fri) | |
| Toddlers 2-3 years2y to 3y | £88.00 | £48.00Afternoon £52.00Morning | £385.00Full Time (Mon – Fri) | |
| Pre-School 3-5 years3y to 5y | £88.00 | £48.00Afternoon £52.00Morning | £385.00Full Time (Mon – Fri) |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £2.50 a session Food per afternoon sessionAll children requiring food
- £5.00 a session Food per morning sessionAll children requiring food
- £5.50 7.30am startper morning
- £8.25 a day Food per full dayAll children requiring food
- £15.00 per 15 minutes Late collectionevery 15 minutes or part of
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
15/30 hour funding for all children aged 9 months and over.
Worth knowing. Funding hours can be used between 08.00 – 18.00 for either a morning, afternoon or a full day. We do offer term-time only and if you would like a 7.30am start this is charged at £5.50 per morning.
What childcare usually costs in West Berkshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in West Berkshire from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
RG31 6UTWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 10 April 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 25 January 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive and settle quickly. The levels of support that staff provide for children enable them to make good progress in their development. They eagerly explore the activities available, and staff deploy themselves effectively. For example, children go on a bug hunt in the garden and use binoculars to help look for the insects. Staff encourage children to share and take turns with their friends, such as through the games they play.
Children have developed positive relationships with staff and show that they feel safe and secure. This helps them to settle into their new environment. Staff support toddlers in their transition when they move from the baby room, and children in the pre-school room are successfully prepared for their move to school.
They put their coat on to go out and play and line up to come back into their classroom. Staff help children to learn about a healthy lifestyle. They learn how to brush their teeth and to have good oral health through the games they play.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance the support provided to staff to identify opportunities that arise to promote children's literacy skills during activities.
- 25 January 2024Good
- 1 March 2023Needs improvement
- 30 April 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Barn Owl Day Nursery
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- Is £88.00 a day still the rate? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.