Steeple Aston Pre-School
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Long established
A day nursery in Bicester for babies from 3 months up to school age, open 08:30 to 15:00, 5 days a week. £25.00 a session for 2 year olds, and they take the funded hours. Rated Good by Ofsted in November 2022. Open since 2018, with 25 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
| Age | Session | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 year olds2y to 3y | £25.002 year olds | |
| 3 & 4 year olds3y to 4y | £19.503 & 4 year olds |
Extras
Charged on top of the session rate.
- £5.00 a session Early birds sessions
Where this came from
The outlined line is the one the price was taken from.
Funded hours
Nursery Education Funding for all eligible children (ages 2, 3 and 4).
Worth knowing. Funding only commences the term after they turn 2 or 3.
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
OX25 4SFWhat 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, 9 November 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children develop warm, caring and nurturing relationships with staff, who promptly recognise when extra support is required. For example, staff adapt the environment and activities available on arrival to ease children's transition into preschool. They consider how individual children will need support from them to get the most enjoyment out of the activities on offer. Younger children thoroughly enjoy water play and concentrate for long periods of time in relation to their age.
They use equipment, such as cups and pipettes, which they use to squeeze and pour water from container to container, once shown how to use them by staff.
Children respond to staff's high expectations for their behaviour. For example, they stop and listen promptly at routine times, for example when the tambourine is used to indicate the need to tidy up. Children are receptive to gentle support and explanation to help them learn the importance of sharing toys and equipment with others.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- deploy staff more effectively during outdoor play and share best practice to help ensure all children benefit from high-quality interactions and levels of challenge during this time.
- 9 November 2022Good
- 22 November 2021Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 2 graded inspections.
Still missing for Steeple Aston Pre-School
- 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.
- Is £25.00 a session 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.