The Bix Montessori School
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Henley on Thames for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 16:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in September 2025. Open since 2011, with 18 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
RG9 6BSWhat 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, 10 September 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Each child, parent and carer are individually warmly welcomed on arrival at this calm and nurturing nursery. Managers encourage an ethos that is flexible and allows families to take time to settle their child each morning. For example, encouraging parents to read a favourite book or to spend time completing an activity with their child. Children settle happily, showing high-levels of independence as they are consistently encouraged by staff to choose, use and tidy away activities. Staff support children to regulate their behaviour and understand their emotions well. They are sensitive to children's non-verbal cues. Staff encourage children to name and describe their emotions when they notice children are showing they are upset or suggest sensory ideas that support children to refocus attention. This approach is extremely successful in supporting children to participate and overcome any reluctance as they gain confidence.
Each child's key person prioritises building a stable and caring relationship with each child. Settling-in processes ensure time is taken to carefully understand each child, including what their likes and dislikes are. Staff develop a collaborative approach with each family, which ensures each child feels secure, happy and eager to learn. Children flourish within this safe environment, they are given time to explore the well-organised learning environment. This enables children to lead their own learning, carefully guided by staff. Children develop excellent communication skills as they hear new words and phrases constantly. Staff explore the meaning of new words with children in the context of high-quality story times and experiences.
The curriculum places communication and language at the heart of activities, as staff carefully select books that children are interested in sharing and are closely matched to children's current interests.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the coaching and mentoring of less experienced staff to further embed the nursery's policies to ensure consistency in routines and interactions n leaders and managers to continue to implement and embed the nursery vision they have created and ensure all staff, parents and children are central and fully understanding of it.
- 10 September 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 23 January 2020Outstanding
- 28 September 2015Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Bix Montessori School
- 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.