The Oxford Nursery Summertown
Good★ 4.9 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Oxford for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2022. Open since 2003, with 76 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
OX2 7EEWhat 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 January 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are safe and happy. They are greeted on their arrival to nursery by kind and enthused staff. Children smile and laugh a lot as they play and learn. They show a positive attitude to learning and look forward to favourite activities. Babies are content and enjoy interactions with staff. They curiously explore a range of media and materials available to them. Toddlers learn to study their reflections in a range of mirrors. They learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others effectively. Pre-school children show excitement about exploring the outdoor garden, as they learn to balance on stilts and use age-appropriate racquets competently.
Children behave well. They have good manners and learn how to cooperate with each other, share and take turns. Children are confident and self-assured. They greet visitors with curiosity and talk with enthusiasm about their experiences at nursery and at home. Children are taught to express and manage their feelings.
Staff recognise that some children have needed more support with their emotional well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, they hold skilful conversations during circle and story times. Children understand when their friends are sad and know what to do to make them happy.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- enhance opportunities for children to maintain their concentration and exploration during the times when staff leave activities to carry out routine tasks n reflect on how children and key persons can spend more time together to build further on children's attachments and feelings of belonging and security.
- 10 January 2022Good
- 2 December 2016Good
- 8 December 2015Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Oxford Nursery Summertown
- 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.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.