Nursery Advice
Claim Your Nursery

Balliol Day Nursery

Ofsted: Expected standard·
5.0(3 parent reviews) ·2a Rawlinson Road, Oxford, OX2 6UE · Oxfordshire
Number of places
17 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
Oxfordshire

About this day nursery

Balliol Day Nursery, established in 1994, is a childcare setting for children aged 0-4 years located in Oxford. Parents describe it as a "home from home" where children are warmly welcomed and confidently separate from their parents.

The nursery prioritises strong relationships between children, parents, and staff, allowing for individualised care and learning with regular, personalised updates. This collaborative partnership extends to highly supporting children with additional needs or barriers to their learning and wellbeing.

The nursery encourages children to be strong and independent, fostering confidence and inquisitiveness in their learning journeys. The curriculum, based on the EYFS framework, is ambitious and well-planned, utilising accurate assessments to monitor progress and involve parents in their child's development.

Staff have deep understanding of child development and engage children in a language-rich environment, including the recent introduction of Makaton to support communication skills. Outdoor learning is also a key component, with children exploring physical activities that build strength, balance, and coordination, alongside engaging in imaginative play like finding "magic water" and planting herbs, vegetables, and flowers.

Children with emerging needs are quickly recognised and supported through effective strategies, ensuring they thrive alongside their peers, with the nursery highly valuing parental views and aspirations in all decisions.

Our ethos

The nursery's ethos is rooted in fostering a love for discovery and growth, ensuring that every child receives personalised attention. It aims to be more than just a childcare provider, striving to be an integral part of each child's foundational learning journey within the Balliol College community.

What it's like

Children excitedly enter this nurturing nursery, described by parents as "home from home". They are warmly welcomed by dedicated staff and confidently separate from their parents. Secure relationships are forged between children, parents and staff from the beginning, enabling staff to individualise children's care and learning, supported by regular personalised updates. Staff and parents work together in partnership and children with additional needs or barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are highly supported. Children are encouraged to be strong and independent and are highly supported by staff to be confident and inquisitive learners.

Nurturing environmentStrong relationshipsIndividualised learningStrong and independent childrenAmbitious curriculumLanguage-rich environment

Pricing & funding

Fees are structured by age and attendance patterns, with separate rates for children under three and those aged three to five. The nursery offers full day, morning, and afternoon sessions on both a term-time and year-round basis.

Good to know

  • Fees apply to both term-time and year-round attendance.
  • Fees are effective from September 2023.

Key facts

Session types

Full day, Morning session, Afternoon session

Opening hours

Full time, full year

Age range

3 months to 5 years

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

1994

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Expected standard

Last inspected Jan 2026

Headline: Expected standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementStrong standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Balliol Day Nursery

Last inspected 8 January 2026

What it's like to attend

Children excitedly enter this nurturing nursery, described by parents as "home from home". They are warmly welcomed by dedicated staff and confidently separate from their parents. Secure relationships are forged between children, parents and staff from the beginning, enabling staff to individualise children's care and learning, supported by regular personalised updates. Staff and parents work together in partnership and children with additional needs or barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are highly supported. Children are encouraged to be strong and independent and are highly supported by staff to be confident and inquisitive learners.

Inspector highlights

  • Children consistently make secure progress and are well prepared for their next stage of development.
  • Staff build strong relationships with children and families and demonstrate clear and consistent routines.
  • Managers and staff know children exceptionally well and prioritise their inclusion in all aspects of the nursery.
  • Children are encouraged to be strong and independent and are highly supported by staff to be confident and inquisitive learners.

Areas to develop

  • 1Managers should continue to mentor practitioners, to extend teaching to respond to a child's emerging thinking.
  • 2Managers should continue professional development that is high quality and specific to the needs of practitioners.
Inspection #10128565 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children who need additional support are supported using strategies that enable them to develop successfully alongside their peers. Children, including those needing additional support, thrive from having successful key-person arrangements in place. Children with emerging needs are recognised quickly by staff who know them best and parental views and aspirations of children are highly valued and included in all decision making. Staff focus highly on children needing support with their well-being, and having the right strategies and reassurance consistently in place, which enables these children to become confident and settled. Staff and parents work together in partnership and children with additional needs or barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are highly supported.

Outdoor space

Outside, children find solutions in finding and sharing more 'magic water' when it runs out, showing positive attitudes not only in their learning but towards each other. Children happily explore physical experiences outside on balance bikes that build their strength, balance and coordination. Children are encouraged to do physical activities outside that support their wellbeing.

EAL / language support

The nursery has recently introduced Makaton to support all children in developing their communication and language skills, with both children and staff learning a 'sign of the week'. This engaging approach provides a positive learning experience and enables all children to make progress.

Parent Reviews of Balliol Day Nursery

5.0
(3)
Y M
9 months ago

This nursery was one of the highlights of living in Oxford. We have used many nurseries (with three children), and this has been BY FAR the best nursery. There are many experienced staff, who have worked there a long time (a sign of a good team). As it is a small nursery, it feels more like a family, where the children all know each other, and the older ones help the toddlers. There is generally a very calm atmosphere, even when kids are crying. The parents get to know each other well too! Thank you so much for looking after our youngest. He loved going there and we shall miss you all.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for Balliol Day Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: August 2011

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Requires improvement). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • March 2020Good
  • November 2015Outstanding
  • August 2011Outstanding

Frequently asked about Balliol Day Nursery

Nearby day nurseries in Oxford

Other Ofsted-registered day nurseries close to Balliol Day Nursery.

Are you the owner of this nursery? Claim this listing to manage photos, hours and contact details.

Claim listing

Share this nursery

Send to a partner, friend or family member.

This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more