Little Acorns Pre-School Kingsmere
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A pre-school in Bicester for children from birth to 5, open sessions in term time, often mornings. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2022. Open since 2019, with 24 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 1EGWhat 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, 8 February 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and settled at the pre-school. They confidently leave their parents at the main door, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children are warmly welcomed into the pre-school by the staff, who know them well. Children enjoy a good range of toys and resources. They show pleasure and excitement in the activities planned by staff. For example, they enjoy exploring in the local woodlands and hunting for sticks. Children have fun investigating with ice, where they work together to free hidden toy animals. Staff have high expectations for children's development and their teaching supports children's learning and progress securely.
All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, have their personal needs met by the caring and nurturing staff. Children are kind and friendly towards each other and develop lovely friendships. Children enjoy exploring with a wide variety of sensory activities. They have fun investigating with different materials, such as crafts, water, and sand. Children's physical development is well supported as they enjoy climbing, hopping, and riding bicycles outside. Inside, they enjoy singing to action songs and dancing to music. Staff use additional funding effectively to enhance children's learning experiences and development.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- extend ways to help children understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle n strengthen staff practice to consistently give children the time they need to put their thoughts into words when responding to questions.
- 8 February 2022Good
- 22 September 2021Inadequate
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Acorns Pre-School Kingsmere
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.