Polstead Preschool
GoodTakes funded hours★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Oxford for from 2 years up to 5 year olds, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. £35.70 a day, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in March 2023. Open since 1992, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Full day | Session | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ages | £35.70 | £17.85Morning or Afternoon, 3 hrs |
Funded hours
Fully-funded spaces for 2-year-olds if eligible; Most families qualify for government funding.
Worth knowing. The rates shown above are for standard, non-funded hours.
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
OX2 6TNWhat 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, 3 March 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children and parents are welcomed warmly by staff, as parents drop their children off for the day. Staff take time to talk to parents individually and ensure a positive two-way flow of information, so that they can fully support children's well-being during the session. As a result, children feel safe and secure, and settle quickly into their play. Children show that they are keen to learn, as they engage in a range of interesting adult-led activities. For example, they are eager to get involved as they learn the concepts of weight and measurement. Children estimate which trucks are longer and heavier out of a set. They busily test their theories out using tape measures and weighing scales in order to make comparisons.
Children follow instruction well as staff gently remind them to use their listening ears during group activities. Their thoughts and opinions are thoroughly valued by staff. Staff embrace the cultural diversity within the setting. They plan activities to help children learn about different cultures and how people live in other countries.
This helps all children to feel included and gain a sense of belonging, as well as learn about the world around them. There are ample opportunities for children to be physically active. They strengthen their leg and arm muscles as they climb apparatus. Children relish time set aside to practise riding bicycles and are becoming competent and confident at cycling.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should: - review the organisation of the environment and activities to ensure that children are consistently engaged in rich learning opportunities during child-led play n enhance staff practice to ensure that all children experience high-quality interactions in order to extend their learning and help them to fully benefit from the intended learning.
- 3 March 2023Good
- 16 November 2018Good
- 12 March 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Polstead Preschool
- 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
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 £35.70 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.