Hobby Horse Children's Centre
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Banbury for children from birth to 8+, open 8am to 6pm. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2021. Open since 1992, with 62 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
OX16 9PAWhat 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, 11 November 2021 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children show that they thoroughly enjoy going to nursery. They thrive in the positive, happy and homely atmosphere, created by the attentive staff. Children show great delight when they see familiar staff. Children greet these staff members with smiles, hugs and cuddles. Children are excited to celebrate staff's birthdays.
Children proudly present cards that they have made, and sing 'Happy birthday'
enthusiastically. This all contributes to children feeling very safe, secure and welcome.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support staff to make the best use of opportunities to encourage children to share their thoughts and ideas, to extend further children's thinking skills n incorporate teaching about the safe use of technology into the curriculum in an age-appropriate way.
- 11 November 2021Good
- 29 November 2016Good
- 11 October 2013Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Hobby Horse Children's Centre
- 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.