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Child First Banbury Nursery

Ofsted: Expected standard·
4.6(20 parent reviews) ·8 Horse Fair, BANBURY, OX16 0AA · Oxfordshire
Number of places
120 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2026
Local authority
Oxfordshire

About this day nursery

Child First Banbury Nursery, established in 2020, provides childcare for children aged 0-4 years. Located in Banbury, Oxfordshire, the nursery operates Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 18:00, offering year-round care.

The nursery has an 'Expected Standard' rating from its latest Ofsted inspection on January 7, 2026. The dedicated staff, led by an experienced team, have recently worked hard to enhance the quality of provision and staff practice, leading to positive outcomes for children, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The nursery embraces the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum, ensuring a sequenced approach where staff understand how activities support children's learning and identify any emerging gaps. They provide consistent support and plan well for children with additional needs, helping them gain skills for future learning and school readiness.

Children are happy and secure, benefiting from a key-person approach that aids their settlement and addresses individual needs. The nursery actively supports children who speak English as an additional language, valuing home languages and using various resources to develop English proficiency.

While outdoor play is encouraged for toddlers who can choose between indoor and outdoor activities, the report noted that staff working with babies do not always consider how outdoor play is organised, with older babies sometimes sliding off wet stepping stones. Leaders ensure staff receive regular training and work closely with parents and outside agencies to meet and support the needs of children and their families, with parents speaking positively about their experiences, particularly concerning support for children with additional needs.

Our ethos

Our philosophy is that every child we care for deserves a calm, caring, safe and stimulating environment in which to learn and blossom as they grow. Our high-quality service ensures children develop socially, intellectually, culturally, physically and emotionally in a homely, caring and secure environment.

What it's like

Children feel happy and secure at nursery, benefiting from a key-person approach that aids their settlement and addresses individual needs. They build positive relationships, learn kindness, and develop independence while making good progress in their learning, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Welcoming environmentSequenced curriculumStrong parent partnershipsIndividualised supportGood progress

Pricing & funding

Fees are structured around full and half-day sessions, with rates varying across three age brackets from nine months up to five years. For government-funded hours, specific sessions run twice daily over 51 weeks of the year, with a voluntary per-session charge to cover meals, snacks, nappies, and extra activities.

Funding accepted

30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)15 hours — universal (3–4 yrs)15 hours — eligible 2-year-olds15 hours — working parents (9 months–2 yrs)

Good to know

  • A registration fee of £75.00 and a deposit of £150.00 are required.
  • Standard fees include all meals, snacks, nappies, wipes, protective creams, and extracurricular activities.
  • Funded hours are delivered in specific sessions running 10.33am-2.16pm and 2.16pm-6.00pm.
  • Funding is stretched over 51 weeks of the year.
  • A voluntary per-session fee applies to funded hours to cover meals, consumables, and additional EYFS activities.

Key facts

Food

Hot meals provided, prepared on-site by a nursery cook using locally sourced ingredients. Menus rotate every 3 weeks and are seasonal, accommodating dietary and cultural requirements.

Opening hours

Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

Term time / All Year

All_year

Established

2020

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

AchievementExpected standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesExpected standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingExpected standard
Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
InclusionExpected standard
Leadership and governanceExpected standard
Age range
0 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for Child First Banbury Nursery

Last inspected 7 January 2026

Safeguarding effective

What it's like to attend

Children feel happy and secure at nursery, benefiting from a key-person approach that aids their settlement and addresses individual needs. They build positive relationships, learn kindness, and develop independence while making good progress in their learning, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Inspector highlights

  • Children, including those with gaps in their development or with special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress steadily, and some achieve more rapidly.
  • Staff provide a welcoming and caring environment to children.
  • Leaders have implemented a sequenced curriculum that staff have a clear understanding of.
  • Leaders and staff know children's individual backgrounds and circumstances securely and work closely with parents and outside agencies.
  • Leaders have worked hard to raise the quality of the provision and staff's practice since the last inspection.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders should take steps to provide additional support to staff to ensure leaders' high expectations for staff's practice and implementation of policies and procedures are fully embedded across the nursery to help raise the quality of the provision further.
  • 2Leaders should provide staff with guidance about using highly impactful teaching to support children to recognise that their actions may have consequences for their safety.
  • 3Leaders should develop staff's teaching to ensure they adapt this skilfully in the moment to support children's learning and development even further.
Inspection #10412119 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress steadily, and some achieve more rapidly. Leaders ensure staff receive regular training and updates to support children with SEND and those with gaps in their learning, implementing individual learning plans tailored to their needs.

Outdoor space

Toddlers at Child First Banbury Nursery can decide whether they would like to play indoors or outdoors. While outdoor play is encouraged, the report notes that staff working with babies do not always consider how outdoor play is organised, and older babies sometimes slide off wet stepping stones outside.

EAL / language support

Staff support children who speak English as an additional language and value their home languages by gaining words from parents in children's home languages to use alongside English. They help children develop their use and understanding of English through resources, including books, signing, and gestures. Leaders ensure a wide range of resources reflecting children's similarities and differences, including role-play resources and books.

Parent Reviews of Child First Banbury Nursery

4.6
(20)
Carl Ames
5 years ago

My daughter goes to this nursery and she loves it! She has learnt so much already from her time here. Her development is coming on lovely and I know this nursery is a big part of that. The staff are so thoughtful and caring. Everyday is a new challenge for my daughter, she literally runs through the door in the morning without even saying goodbye. Also the food is great, everyday is something different on the Menu. I feel safe leaving my precious daughter with the girls at child first. Thank you.

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Yes TP
5 years ago

I have had a great experience with childfirst, this has been my children's second home for a long time, my oldest started over 4 years ago and has now started school as a very confident little person, my youngest is currently attending and enjoying every day! The staff is great, both my children have had amazing key workers and I do feel they are properly looked after, played with and comforted, they have gone above and beyond on their support whenever I have needed it. The nursery Manager, Amy, has always been fantastic, very professional, great communication, supportive on my many requests, I couldn't ask for more!. I couldn't recommend them enough, they are excellent!

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Daniela Holt
7 years ago

My daughter goes to Childfirst and has been since she was 5 months old and is now 4 years old. Going to school in September we will miss Childfirst dearly. They have all helped my child be who she is today with lots of learning through play and enjoying all the different resources we don’t have at home. The food is amazing and she comes home telling me what she has had and what she has made with the cooking sessions. They also have some staff with a different first language so she comes home learning new words from different languages. My daughter gets up in the morning and gets very excited to hear she is coming to preschool and on a Saturday she asks when she’s coming back. All the staff are so welcoming and always ask how our weekend was. The office staff are always welcoming and always talk to the children as they come in. It’s definitely a Home from Home environment. I would recommend this to parents who want a home from home experience.

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Sophie May-Coates
5 years ago

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Child First Banbury; from the beautiful setting to the passionate and caring members of staff, it really is an exemplary nursery. Both our children have attended Child First and have absolutely loved it. The child-led ethos creates such a wonderful environment for the children to grow - I have truly felt that our children's interests have been pursued and nurtured. The staff clearly love their jobs and are so welcoming to both children and their families - the team are managed by Amy who is so supportive and accommodating to individual needs. The food offered is all made fresh within house and the menu is always varied and appetising. It's a huge weight off of our minds knowing that our children have been so happy and well cared for whilst we've been at work. It really is a home from home. We'll miss them all dearly when they outgrow Child First!

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Rebecca Drage
5 years ago

We have used childfirst since my eldest was 9 months old, she is now in year 2 at school. My youngest who is 3 is now there and I cannot fault them. They are so lovely, helpful, welcoming, great with the kids, offer amazing food options with a great chef. They have always helped us out with extra sessions when needed and been there to talk to. I feel that the go above and beyond. We will really miss them when my youngest goes to school. They are super heroes in disguise!

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Reviews from Google for Child First Banbury Nursery. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: September 2022

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

  • September 2025Inadequate
  • September 2022Good

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