Little Pippins Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Didcot for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2025. Open since 1993, with 30 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
Early Education funding for 2, 3 and 4 year olds provides up to 15 hours free per week – currently 5 morning or afternoon sessions.
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
OX11 0HPWhat 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, 21 March 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are friendly, confident and settled at this inclusive and nurturing preschool. Their emotional well-being is given a high priority by leaders and staff. This helps children to form close bonds and feel safe and secure. When children start, staff make home visits to meet them and their families. The detailed information they gather, is effectively used to plan activities around children's interests, needs and abilities. For example, children show a true fascination for creatures they find, especially snails. They get excited when staff suggest going on a bug hunt in the garden. Staff skilfully talk about a snail's characteristics, such as the purpose of the spiral shell. Children show their inquisitive natures and ask meaningful questions to learn more. They become competent learners, supported by knowledgeable staff.
An atmosphere of mutual respect is created by leaders, staff and children. Staff are good role models and work together to share clear and consistent expectations for children's behaviour. They are quick to help rectify any minor disputes, such as when related to sharing. Staff sensitively explain the process of treating everyone fairly and suggest ways to do this. They actively support children to develop important skills, such as taking care of their personal needs, in preparation for their eventual move to school. All children, including those with special educational needs and/disabilities (SEND), respond well as they independently take sips of water throughout the day and wash their hands thoroughly before mealtimes.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support all staff to further develop their teaching skills to consistently take individual children's learning to the next level n target support more effectively for quieter, less confident children, to help increase their confidence and engagement, particularly at routine group activities.
- 21 March 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 11 July 2019Outstanding
- 12 December 2014Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Little Pippins Pre-School
- What it costs
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
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.
- What does it cost, all in? 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.
- 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.