West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester)

Romsey Road, Winchester SO22 5HT
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9.8 108 Reviews
  • West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester), Winchester
A purpose built day nursery, specified by Childbase to the highest quality standard. Friendly and well-established, West Downs provides a happy, sociable environment where every child is treated as an individual.

The nursery has four main bright and colourful playrooms for individual age groups with additional sleeping areas. Outside is a secure, fully enclosed garden with a well-equipped soft tarmac playground and a lawned area which includes a digging and planting area and a sensory path for exploration.

The nursery also organises regular outings as a means of extending the children's vocabulary and understanding.

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Care Provided by West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester)

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Ren Norman-Greer (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 26
  • Total Places for Children
  • 68
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 2 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Inset Days
  • Parking

  • Drop off bay directly outside of the nursery.


West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) Reviews (108)

Total of 108, showing 61-80
9.8

West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.801) out of 10, based on 18 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) has 108 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 102
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108
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Review from Philippa P (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son attended West Downs from the age of 1 through to going to school, and my daughter started her journey there 6 months ago and settled in very quickly. We have been so happy with the care and attention our little ones have received there. The staff are lovely, friendly and very knowledgeable too.
They take a real interest in your child’s abilities and needs and capture the heart of the children with their warmth, friendliness and emotional support. So much care is taken to play with them, guide them, educate them and make them feel special. An all-around wonderful nursery that I wouldn't hesitate in recommending.

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Review from Amy P (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We started our son at West Downs in November 2018 and we are so happy with the nursery. We recently relocated from Australia so starting a new nursery was a huge challenge. However, I have been so pleased with how kind and welcoming West Downs have been. They have a great orientation system and we love
that our son has a key person who is specifically responsible for him. He seems to be settling in really well despite the huge adjustment and is really happy when we pick him up. I’m particularly impressed with the family feel of the nursery and the opportunity for family to be involved. The recent Christmas craft morning was a great example of this. It was so imaginative and the staff clearly put in so much effort. It was a lovely opportunity to be in the nursery setting and play alongside my son and the staff.

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Review from Vanessa C (Mother of Child) published on 2 November 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We could not be happier with West Downs Nursery, Winchester. Our son (23 months) started in August 2018 and settled in very quickly which has everything to do with the staff who give him so much love, attention, encouragement and support. He is more than happy to leave me in the mornings to go and sing
nursery rhymes with his friend or play with any of the events that have been set up the evening before or to enjoy his breakfast with his friends. He is always happy and busy when I collect him and loves to talk about all his friends and the staff who he spent the day with.
He is currently in the process of transitioning to one of the older rooms, and I know the staff will do their utmost to support him and make him feel comfortable during this transition.
The staff are great at communicating with us and always are accommodating to our needs and requests.

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Review from Charlene H (Mother of Child) published on 24 October 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Since my daughter started in caterpillar room I have been very pleased with how she has settled. The practitioners in her room have been amazing throughout her development and her key worker always gave such good feedback at the end of the day. It has been so nice to see her progression via parentzone
through her observations and assessments.
Since transitioning into the ladybird room I was welcomed by her new key worker and extremely pleased with the excellent care that is currently ongoing now.
She has settled very well into her new room and is now beginning to communicate more and make special friends which is so nice to hear when I pick her up at the end of the day.
Overall I am extremely pleased with her progression.

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Review from Michelle B (Mother of Child) published on 9 October 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son transitioned into the Butterfly (pre-school) room at West Downs ahead of many of his peers in August 2018 and, despite having attended West Downs nursery for several years, found the change into a new room with older children quite challenging.


Despite several slightly wobbly weeks at the

outset, he is now very happy and comfortable in his new room and can't wait to get to nursery in the morning. This is very much a testament to the caring and supportive environment that West Downs fosters. The entire team at West Downs were amazing in providing my son (and also myself) with reassurance and support during his time in transition.


In particular, his key worker went above and beyond to help my son settle quickly and I am very grateful to her and indeed the wider team, for the exceptional level of care that is provided to our son within the West Downs nursery setting.


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Review from Russhelle (Mother of Child) published on 21 September 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Sarah was about 14 months old when she started going to West Downs Day Nursery. She was very shy. She was frightened by different faces. She was not confident at all. The staff were very helpful and friendly. It was easy for her to adapt to the environment. It was wonderful to see her development report
every now and then through parents zone.
They do so many activities that develops her interpersonal skills. She loves painting, drawing, and role-playing. Her speech is getting better. She loves the food at the nursery. We cannot ask for more. Overall, we highly recommend West Downs Day Nursery.

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Review from Andrea R (Mother of Child) published on 13 September 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Amazing nursery, my child has flourished in this wonderfully nurturing school. Brilliant staff and learning environment, we couldn't be happier.

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Review from David L (Father of Child) published on 22 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

When my wife was due to return to work after maternity leave, we visited several local nurseries to get an idea of what childcare is available in our area.
We settled on West Downs because:-
- Of the long opening times.
- Outstanding Ofsted rating.
- Fully inclusive (includes nappies, wipes,
all food/snacks).
From a personal point of view, I found it very nice to see male staff members working in this environment (both in the rooms and in management). I also love the additional activities that West Downs provide free of charge (such as Rugby Tots, and Baby Yoga).
When our daughter started here she got upset at being left without Mummy. However, we were impressed with the standard of care supplied/effort given to reassure her.
A few months on, and our daughter has now formed bonds with the staff. The regular observations published onto ParentZone reassure us as parents that her development is also progressing well.

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Review from James B (Father of Child) published on 22 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child loves nursery. Since attending his confidence has grown and grown. His speech has become a lot more developed and so has his coordination. My little one loves nursery, especially the food which is varied and healthy.

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Review from L B (Mother of Child) published on 21 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We couldn’t be happier with choice of childcare for our children. Management and staff are very approachable, informative and take the time to reassure us whenever we have any questions or concerns. After a couple of emotional weeks of settling in, (which was to be expected) our children now happily
set off each morning with a spring in their step heading to nursery! And every evening they excitedly tell us what they’ve been up to during the day. Activities are varied and educationally focused, which is important to us, just as much as free play which they get plenty of in the outdoor space. Food can be hit or miss and we do find that they are ravenous when they get home, so not sure if portions are on the smaller side - but it could just be that ours are greedy! Overall really happy with the setting and would happily recommend.

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Review from Carmen C (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Overall we have been very pleased with the staff and educational approach in West Downs. Our son has thoroughly enjoyed all the activities, games, reading time and sports (rugby tots) that have been offered. Staff are warm, kind and professional. Management has always been very responsive to the minor
concerns or requests that we have made. Our son has not always been keen of all the food options in the menu but we think this might also obey to cultural differences/preferences. I am sure our son will miss his time in West Downs very much.

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Review from Ana G (Mother of Child) published on 1 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have always found the staff at West Downs very approachable and friendly. My children both have enjoyed their time there. I really felt they went the extra mile when we were having some family difficulties and even sourced books for us to help my children deal with difficult concepts.

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Review from D P (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All our children have been through West Downs from as young as 7 months to school age and we couldn’t consider any other form of care. They are extremely comfortable in the West’s Downs environment - from their carers, friends to management and, importantly, as parents, we are very comfortable with
and confident in the level of care and attention the kids have during their days at nursery. They play well, eat well, learn and enjoy themselves. Which makes a good day for everyone! I highly recommend the nursery to anyone interested in sending their children there.

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Review from Sophie G (Mother of Child) published on 6 June 2018
Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been incredibly impressed with the professionalism, friendliness and welcome that we have received from all staff since joining the nursery. Everyone has taken the time to get to know our boys and as a result, they settled in extremely quickly.
There are on-going enrichment activities for everyone
to get involved with and their communication is excellent! I can't fault it!

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Review from Emily L (Mother of Child) published on 23 May 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has struggled with settling in but the staff have been excellent at accommodating her and assisting her to settle. The activities and the learning opportunities are fantastic. The all-inclusive approach means I don't have to worry about bringing anything into nursery in the mornings. All
in all, we are very happy with West Down's as a nursery for our daughter!

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Review from Helen S (Mother of Child) published on 23 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My 2 year old has been attending West Downs Day Nursery since he was 7 months old and he is extremely happy there. The current team in Ladybirds room are brilliant - he has gone from being very reluctant for me to leave him in the morning just a few months ago, to not even wanting to leave at home time.
It is obvious the staff take a real interest in each child as an individual. Recently, he has started doing RugbyTots, which the staff recognised was something that he would personally find extremely enjoyable.
Concerns are always listened to by the management team when they are brought to their attention.
In the interests of providing a balanced review, there are a couple of minor shortfalls relating to food choice (my son is not particularly fussy, I would say this may not be the case for all - some of the options are quite 'interesting'!), and also the learning journey app where often observations are not published/approved for a long time and there are often not regular updates on there.

Reply from Lyndsey Burns, Nursery Manager at West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester)

Thank you for your review, we are continually working on areas and welcome your honest feedback. Our new menu is purposefully diverse and seeks to encourage healthy eating from day one so the children get the best start in life while enjoying an interesting mix of flavours and textures. The learning journey observations take place regularly to record snapshots of children’s learning and development, we appreciate there may be occasions where the observation is not published on the same day.


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Review from Gemma L (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot speak highly enough of West Downs Day Nursery. From the very 1st meeting when looking for our chosen nursery for our son, the staff were welcoming and extremely professional.
Their warmth along with the impeccable appearance of the nursery made my husband and I instantly feel like this was
the nursery for our child. They have gone on to prove that this was the right decision. They have a keen interest in our son's development and make conscious efforts to report this back to us.
Our son has been attending just one day a week for 8 months now and it is clear that he thoroughly enjoys himself and feels very comfortable being there with the staff and the other children.
We are very happy that we chose West Downs - and hope to increase his days at some point.

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Review from Maria N (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended West Downs Day Nursery since the age of one, three days a week. Currently in the bubble bees room and extremely happy and looks forward to going into nursery. The staff members in the room have been brilliant and supported us through potty training. Each evening on collection
they will update you on your child's day, explaining what they have been doing, eaten - how much etc. I couldn't ask for anymore. Every week we receive a memo via email and has all relevant information on there. Overall the staff and management team are amazing they are approachable, listen to views and give feedback. My child is happy so of course, I'm even happier as never used a nursery before. Thank you to all the team at West Downs :)

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Review from Chrisleen D (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

West Downs Nursery provides a fantastic learning environment for my children who both now attend. My eldest, who is now three, has been going since she was six months old - and absolutely loves it!
All room teams are brilliant and have such fantastic relationships with both the children and parents.
My 5-month-old has just started - and I have really been put at ease with her settling in - all thanks to the staff who provide a calm environment and strong settling in period.


The meals and activities are second to none - my 3-year-old loves coming home and telling me about her day. I highly recommend West Downs Nursery to anybody thinking of sending your little ones there - they will love it (and you will have such peace of mind knowing they are so well cared for)


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Review from Leanne (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

West Downs Day Nursery is a fantastic nursery. The whole team are kind, caring and attentive to the children in their care. They go above and beyond to provide the children with a stimulating learning environment and provide engaging activities from the moment the children arrive at the time they are
collected. They prepare the children well for transitions from room to room and from pre-school to school.
My son has attended West Downs since he was 7 months and he absolutely loves it! I feel confident to leave him in their care, knowing he will be safe, and this has supported me to continue with my career.
I would highly recommend West Downs Day nursery without reservation.

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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.801)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.801) out of 10 for West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 18 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 18 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.801 for West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) is calculated as follows: ( (175 Excellents x 5) + (39 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 216 Ratings = 4.801

  • b) 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5').

    The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) is based on 18 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 4 points are available for the first 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 4

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 68 number of registered child places is 13.6, which has been reached with 18 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Meet the Team (1)

Ren

Ren Norman-Greer

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2016

Ren is the Manager of West Downs Day Nursery in Winchester and has a wealth of experience, having worked in Early Years since 2012, starting as an apprentice and progressing through to Nursery Manager. Ren holds a Level 3 qualification in Early Years, a Level 3 in SEND, and is also a Mental Health First Aider.


What is your favourite feature of your nursery?
My favourite feature of the nursery is our wooded area. It lends itself to endless amounts of imaginative play and creativity.


What are you most proud of about your team?
I am most proud of my team because they are the most kind and supportive people that always go above and beyond for anyone who needs it.


Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) has a Platinum Service – more info.