Bubbles Pre-School
Outstanding★ 5.0 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Bicester for children from birth to 5, open 08:30 to 15:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in July 2024. Open since 1993, with 32 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Oxfordshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Oxfordshire 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
OX26 3UUWhat 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.
Ofsted inspector, 19 July 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
In this highly inclusive environment, children are provided with exceptional care and education. Every child is valued and recognised. The manager and staff dedicate themselves to understanding the needs of each individual child. They plan, review, and assess children's progress effectively to provide challenge and have high expectation for what they believe all children can achieve.
The manager and staff work together to create a curriculum that is flawlessly sequenced and focused. The emphasis is placed on meaningful interactions between staff and children to enhance children's communication and language skills as well as their personal, social, and emotional development.
The children show great joy and excitement as staff welcome them with warm smiles and conversation about their plans for the day. Children settle quickly into their chosen activities. Staff are highly skilful in engaging and including children in planning activities. They talk with children about their interests and likes and bring together a range of challenging and interesting activities that children are excited to participate in. Children express their ideas and suggestions for activities and share how they can build on their ideas. Children build high levels of self confidence in developing their own ideas and leading their own play.
- 19 July 2024Outstanding
- 18 October 2018Outstanding
- 5 June 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bubbles Pre-School
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- 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
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? 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.