Little Willows Kindergarten

Joicey Road, Low Fell, Gateshead NE9 5AT
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9.9 133 Reviews
  • Little Willows Kindergarten, Gateshead
Little Willows Kindergarten in Gateshead provides quality care and learning for children up to the age of five years in a caring, loving and safe environment. Staff strive to provide the highest standards of care and aim to support children through every stage of their early years development. All staff members are qualified or working towards a qualification.

The nursery is located in a purpose-built setting with a light and spacious atmosphere. There is an in-house kitchen where nutritionally balanced food is prepared for the children every day. All food is freshly cooked and the nursery does not serve convenient fried food.

Children can explore their outdoor environment in the nursery’s secure playground, which also has a fun natural adventure area.

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Care Provided by Little Willows Kindergarten

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

Good to Know

  • Owner
  • Tanya Vadhera
  • Person in charge
  • Vicky Rounthwaite (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 17
  • Total Places for Children
  • 120
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas
  • Parking

  • The nursery have ample parking behind the building.


Little Willows Kindergarten Reviews (133)

Total of 133, showing 1-20
9.9

Little Willows Kindergarten has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.871) out of 10, based on 39 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Little Willows Kindergarten has 133 reviews.

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Review from Jay H (Father of Child) published on 14 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our little boy only goes to nursery once a week and is often upset on drop off. He has started to settle down through the day is visibly starting to enjoy nursery more. The updates the nursery put on through the day about his meals, sleep and photos of things he's been getting up to are invaluable to
us. All the stuff know him by name, despite only going once a week.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It is lovely to hear how happy you are with nursery and how settled your little boy is with us.


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Review from L M (Mother of Child) published on 14 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Little Willows are always so accommodating to us as a family. Whenever we have needed extra help or support with regards to having our child in for an extra day they have been happy to help. Our daughter thoroughly loves going to nursery and the transition from home to joining nursery has been a smooth
one thanks to the caring and kind staff.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Your very welcome, thank you for your lovely words about us! Its so lovely to hear how much your daughter enjoys coming to Little Willows.


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Review from S A (Mother of Child) published on 10 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended this nursery since 14 months old and is thriving. They were extremely accommodating of her disability and have become one of her biggest ambassadors. They adapt activities for each child's ability, allowing all children to join in. My son has now joined too. The food is accommodating
for allergies and dietary requirements and the nursery managed to help my son on an amazing nap schedule after I'd struggled at home.
They both come home happy, having had a fun-filled day in the sandpit, the garden, the tuff trays, playing in the home corner or at the art table. They've made some lovely friends and the nursery is excellent at organising activities relevant to current events, they've just celebrated Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day with themed activities and we are looking forward to National Love Your Pet Day this week in circle time.
The staff are lovely and genuinely care about the kids, we often see staff out and about and they're so happy to see them.

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Review from N M (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has attended the nursery for over a year and has thrived in the setting. It makes such a difference when your child looks forward to going to nursery! Keeping the parents up to date with daily activities and photos gives peace of mind throughout the day and always coming home with crafts and
lots of chatter about what they have done today. Lovely staff who made my child really feel settled. Really happy with our choice of nursery and would recommend to others!

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

That is great to hear how happy you and your child are at Little Willows. Thank you for your lovely review!


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Review from S E (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We love Little Willows Kindergarten and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area. The staff are friendly and welcoming, dietary requirements are accommodated and our son gets to take part in plenty of fun activities during his sessions. The site feels tucked-away and secure which really puts
my mind at ease. Little Willows has really helped our son develop his confidence, independence and social skills. He's always excited for his sessions, I'm so glad we picked this nursery.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It's great to hear how happy you are with Little Willows and how your mind is at ease when you're leaving your little one with us! Thank you for choosing us and leaving a lovely review!


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Review from Jennifer B (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter attends one day a week and she always seems to have such a lovely time. She picks up new words and songs regularly and I never worry when leaving her.
There's an app that gets updated throughout the day and it's nice to see the things she gets up to.
She has a genuine relationship with
the staff members who care for her.
The outside space is limited although looks lovely and well cared for. The food options sometimes seem simple but they do change regularly. Would love it if the app was updated more regularly but would prefer the staff aren't stretched in trying to keep it updated.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you for your review and lovely words about our staff team. We have recently had 2 of our gardens completely renovated and hoping to have them available for the children again this week. Photos to come on the app and social media.


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Review from Katie A (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We've been with Little Willows Kindergarten since 2019, with both of our children attending, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The staff are fantastic, so caring, attentive, and dedicated to creating a nurturing environment.
Our son had such a wonderful time there that he was genuinely sad to
leave when he moved on to primary school. His graduation ceremony was such a special and thoughtful event, a perfect send-off that we'll always remember. Now, our daughter absolutely loves attending, and she has formed such a strong bond with her key worker. It's clear that the team put so much effort into making every child feel valued and supported.
The nursery also goes the extra mile to create magical experiences, from the fabulous Christmas carols to all the fun activities they organise throughout the year. We feel so lucky to have found such a warm, welcoming place for our children's early years.
A huge thank you to the team at Little Willows for everything you do.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Your review is lovely to hear. We pride ourselves on inclusive practice and meeting all of our children's individual needs, no matter what they may be! More fun and special experiences to come in 2025, including a potential Mother's Day High Tea and we will definitely be doing the Christmas Carols again!


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Review from M G (Mother of Child) published on 28 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff have been amazing and accommodating with getting our baby settled in and making sure they know his routine to make the transition as smooth as possible. We feel really comfortable leaving our baby with the staff at Little Willows and love how bright and spacious the building is!

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Nursery Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It is lovely to hear how happy you are at Little Willows and that you found your settling transition went smoothly. Thank you for your review.


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Review from Edana K (Mother of Child) published on 26 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Here's a positive review for Little Willows Nursery:
Fantastic nursery with a warm and caring environment!
I can't recommend Little Willows enough! From the moment we walked in, we felt the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The staff are incredibly kind, attentive, and genuinely care about the children's
well-being and development. My daughter absolutely loves going each day, and it's wonderful to see how much she has grown in confidence and learning.
Communication with parents is excellent, and I always feel reassured that my daughter is in the best hands.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It is lovely to hear how happy and settled you and your little one are at Little Willows and how welcomed you feel in our nursery. Thank you for your lovely review.


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Review from Rachel H (Mother of Child) published on 21 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I could not recommend Little Willows enough!
The staff are brilliant and amazingly supportive. My SEN son attended for 2 years, and Little willows couldn't have been more accepting and accommodating.
It's a lovely comforting environment for children and parents. We loved it and were genuinely sad
to leave.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Director at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you for your lovely words. We pride ourselves on providing an inclusive setting for all of our families, it's so good to hear how happy you and your son were with us.


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Review from Alex T (Father of Child) published on 20 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending Little Willows for the past 18 months, and we couldn't be happier! The staff are absolutely wonderful, so warm, caring, and attentive. They provide a fantastic range of activities throughout the day. My little one always comes home excited to share what they've been up to!
The nursery does a great job of keeping parents informed with regular updates and photos, and the nursery frequently invites parents to join in on special sessions and events. It's such a welcoming and nurturing environment!

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you for a lovely review! We love having our families in to share special moments with us, we have plenty more planned for 2025!


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Review from Fiona R (Mother of Child) published on 20 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended Little Willows for 3 years and loves it there. The staff are really friendly and welcoming to her as well as myself and her older sister when we pick her up. She enjoys all the activities and always tells me what a fun day she has had.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It is great to hear how happy your little girl is at Little Willows and that she has fun when she is here!


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Review from N C (Mother of Child) published on 20 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our eldest has attended Little Willows since he was 12 months old, and our youngest from 9 months. Both are thriving in the supportive and nurturing environment the staff provide. Both children are thriving and speak enthusiastically about their time in the Nursery. I recommend Little Willows to everyone
I know.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It is lovely to hear how happy your children are and how enthusiastically they speak about nursery!


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Review from Ray W (Father of Child) published on 20 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

A great little nursery. Well run, with friendly management and staff. Always communicative. My child loves going and has improved their education significantly. Sometimes the meals they have seem to be very basic but overall extremely happy with this nursery.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you for your lovely review! We are currently looking at amending our menus, so will be looking for parent and child feedback and suggestions soon.


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Review from Nicholas O (Father of Child) published on 20 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The whole team are excellent, and always friendly when I drop my daughter off and collect her again.
She seems to really enjoy her time there. they have a very good variety of activities and learning possibilities scheduled on different days. She really enjoys the yoga as well.
Highly recommend them.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

It is lovely to hear how much your daughter enjoys coming to Little Willows and taking part in our Yoga Sessions! Thank you for your review!


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Review from John W (Father of Child) published on 19 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending Little Willows since September of last year. She is 2 and loves her 2 days a week there. The staff are so friendly, and we are kept up to date on the app with everything that goes on so we know she is safe and in good hands. This is really important for us, as she has
a condition that has to be treated with medication throughout the day. We can see that she is thriving, and her time here plays a major part in that. So glad we chose this place for our little girl.

Reply from Little Willows, Director at Little Willows Kindergarten

Its so good to hear that you feel comfortable with your little girl at Little Willows and that her medical needs are met daily. Thank you for your review.


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Review from M H (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little boy started Little Willows in Sept 2024 and in just 5 months he has completely grown in every way! He'd attended another nursery previously and couldn't last more than 3 hours without becoming too upset, at little willows he was so comfortable instantly and has never struggled with the 8-4
days! He's made so many friends and has developed so many new skills, he absolutely loves nursery and is always so excited to go in and see everyone! The communication with staff is better than I could've imagined and it's so lovely to not worry whether or not he's enjoying himself. I can't recommend Little Willows enough!

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

We love hearing how happy both you and your son are and it is great to know how happy and settled you both are! Thank you for your lovely review!


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Review from M C (Mother of Child) published on 19 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending Little Willows since we transferred her from another nursery aged 2 years old. We immediately noticed a huge difference in the level of care and education she received. I genuinely couldn't recommend this nursery enough. Both the management team and staff are excellent
and I genuinely believe they care for the children who attend. My daughter has thrived during her time here and is more than well-prepared to attend primary school this September. Many thanks.

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you for your lovely words. It is fab to hear that we have given your daughter the tools to be ready for the transition to Primary, we love the School Ready Programme we have in Pre-School, so it is great to hear it is doing what it should be.


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Review from Vicky O (Mother of Child) published on 18 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending Little Willows now for over a year. She loves going and enjoys all the activities. The nursery are always organising exciting events for the children and includes the parents as much as they can. Staff are lovely and my daughter feels comfortable when she is there. She
has come on lot in her development since increasing from one day to two days per week. I honestly wouldn't hesitate to recommend this nursery to others!

Reply from Vicky Rounthwaite, Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you for your review! We love the parents being part of some of the activities and events we organise in the nursery!


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Review from Kerrie W (Mother of Child) published on 14 January 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Only been using Little Willows Kindergarten since September but our little girl loves it. We receive regular updates on the app of what she has has eaten throughout the day as well as nappy changes. The only thing to make it better would be more updates and pictures on what activities she gets up to
throughout the day.
All of the staff are lovely and so welcoming, nothing is ever a bother. Our daughter has additional medical needs and the staff have been great and so accommodating when it comes to her care and needs.
Looking forward to the next 12 months as I know she will come on with her development even more.

Reply from Libby McElroy, Nursery Deputy Manager at Little Willows Kindergarten

Thank you so much for your review, it is an absolute pleasure getting to care for your little one and watching them learn and grow so quickly! We love having you a part of The Little Willows family!


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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.871)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.871) out of 10 for Little Willows Kindergarten is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 39 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 39 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 4.871 for Little Willows Kindergarten is calculated as follows: ( (408 Excellents x 5) + (56 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 466 Ratings = 4.871

  • 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 Little Willows Kindergarten is based on 39 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 120 number of registered child places is 24, which has been reached with 39 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.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (1)

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Meet the Team (1)

Tanya

Tanya

Job Title: Director

Hello, my name is Tanya.
I am the nursery director. I predominantly manage the 'business side' of things. However, I do love to spend time with our children and watch them grow.
I love spending each day with my Banana Moon family :)


Frequently Asked Questions about Little Willows Kindergarten

What is the Age Range of Children that Little Willows Kindergarten accepts?

Little Willows Kindergarten accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Little Willows Kindergarten Open?

Little Willows Kindergarten is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Little Willows Kindergarten have capacity for?

Little Willows Kindergarten has capacity for a total of 120 Children.

How far is Little Willows Kindergarten to the centre of Gateshead?

1.2 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Little Willows Kindergarten to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Little Willows Kindergarten has an Enhanced Service – more info.