Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

24 Park Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 7BQ
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9.9 32 Reviews
  • Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch), Cardiff
Meithrinfa Si-Lwli are a Welsh Language nursery based in a large Victorian house in Whitchurch Village, Cardiff.

The nursery and its skilled practitioners welcome children aged between 6 months and 5 years old, and provide wrap around to the local Welsh School, Ysgol Melin Gruffydd.

They are a nursery that offer high quality childcare and education, using an approach to teaching and learning inspired by Planning in the Moment (Anna Ephgrave), Forest School and Froebel.
The setting were rated as ‘Excellent’ by CIW in August 2023, and also by ESTYN in June 2024.

The nursery has three outdoor areas that are used daily, no matter the weather!
Meithrinfa Si-Lwli and its practitioners are passionate about outdoor play, engaging with nature, planting and growing, block play, wood work, clay work, schematic play, loose parts play and heuristic play.

The children who attend are able to free flow from room to room, indoors to outdoors as they please, allowing the children to follow their interests and take part in engaging activities that are child led, meaningful and fun.

Care Provided by Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

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

Good to Know

  • Owner
  • Meithrinfa Silwli Nursery Ltd
  • Person in charge
  • Sophie Lewis and Kimberley Hellyar (Managers)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 23
  • Total Places for Children
  • 58
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 6 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:45-18:00
    Tuesday 07:45-18:00
    Wednesday 07:45-18:00
    Thursday 07:45-18:00
    Friday 07:45-18:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

  • All day session (8am - 6pm) £85.50
    Half day session (8am-1pm / 1pm-6pm) £50
    Additional early start available (7:45am-8:00am) £2.50


  • Wrap around sessions to Melin Gruffydd available. Please email for further details.


  • Parking
  • Parcia stryd ar gael ar hyd St Margrets Road.


    Street parking available along St Margrets Road.


Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) Reviews (32)

Total of 32, showing 1-20
9.9

Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.940) out of 10, based on 32 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) has 32 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our two-year-old son moved to Si-Lwli recently from a different nursery. He settled in amazingly quickly and is already picking up Welsh words and singing songs, despite us being an English-speaking family. The staff are warm and welcoming, making the transition completely smooth.
My son absolutely
loves the outdoor areas - especially the sand pit, obstacle course and anything involving mud! His motor skills have significantly improved thanks to all the outdoor play, whatever the weather.
I really like how he can freely move between different indoor and outdoor spaces, choosing activities that interest him. The nursery's approach lets children follow their curiosity while still providing the right guidance.
The management team is super responsive, and I love getting detailed daily updates about what he's been up to. The food must be good too, as he always seems happy at mealtimes!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for your review. We're so pleased that your son settled well and is enjoying his time with us. Diolch yn fawr!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both our children have attended Si-Lwli and the level of care and compassion provided by the staff has been incredible. The recent investment in the setting has been great, but what makes Si-Lwli stand out is the amazing staff that work there!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your really lovely review of the Nursery.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff are great and friendly, my 10-month-old son has only been going a little while but has been made to feel very welcome. There has been a lovely new play area developed in the garden recently. We receive regular updates and the staff want to proactively improve the experience and development
of the children.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review of the Nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been in Si-Lwli now for almost 12 months, the level of service has been exceptional and the team delivers a level of service that shows they really care. I've been constantly impressed by every interaction and the level of communication is spot on. They just get the small things right which
for little people is key.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for your kind review of the Nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our 3-year-old daughter loves attending Si - Lwli. Every week, staff come up with new and varied activities that stimulate and improve the children's confidence and independence.
For example, this week they visited the shop to select ingredients to later make cookies. The other week, they visited
the park to collect leaves for another project.
Our daughter loves being in the garden. The staff encouraged her to dig, saw, hammer, and do other things we wouldn't think to let her loose at home. It's a delight to see the regular photos and receive updates on these activities.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review of the Nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both our children attend the nursery and settled in very quickly. They both love it! The staff are always lovely and the activities they do there certainly enhance their learning, physical development, and social skills. The gardening and woodwork I think are great!
My children are from an English-speaking
family and they understood the Welsh language within a year of attending (to an expected age-related level).
I would also add, that the dates for a child to start seem to be more flexible and helpful than some other nurseries I had looked into, in that a couple of others would only let you know a couple of months before if they had space or not, and would only intake in September, when Si Lwli were able to advise straight away if they had availability to start in a certain month or not, which was certainly useful for us.
It's important for us to know that when we drop them off at nursery they'll be in a safe environment, and they'll have a wonderful day!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for your lovely review of the nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

An outstanding nursery with staff who go above and beyond to nurture and care for the children. The variety of activities they undertake with each child and all linked to development outcomes is fantastic. Communication between parents and the team is great both daily via the app and also in person,
by email, and over the phone. Nothing is too much trouble. The staff are highly trained and emphasis is placed on CPD and training for all staff so they are always up to date and ahead of the curve in their knowledge and implementation of the latest childcare and early years approaches. Our child is so happy here, it's a friendly, caring, and fun environment with a lovely community of staff and parents. We can't thank them enough.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review of the Nursery.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has flourished within the warm environment and has thrived whilst being supported by such dedicated staff. It has been a joy to see how he has adapted within the Welsh language setting and enjoys sharing songs that they have learned. The variety of activities and meals is wonderful, as are the
opportunities for messy and outdoor play.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your kind review of the Nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic nursery with a welcoming and homely feel. Our daughter has been attending for 2 years loves her time here and has great affection for all the staff.
Staff are kind and caring and get to know the children well. There is continuous training and staff are rightfully proud of what they offer.
Great
communication with daily summaries, child focus weeks, and parent's evenings. The St David's Day show is a highlight.
Varied activities and child-led. Lots of time spent outdoors and on local trips.
5 stars all round!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for your lovely review of the nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My granddaughter absolutely loves her Si-Lwli family and friends. The nursery is an exemplar in their field. The way the staff and management are friendly, approachable and inclusive is something which they should be proud of. My granddaughter is always having new and rich experiences ranging from
learning skills through play, building friendships and much more. She is thriving and is becoming a beautiful girl inside and out. I couldn't recommend this nursery any higher.
The fun being had in the outside areas is clear to see and brings a smile and warmth to my heart.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review of the Nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have used Silwli since 2021.
Our eldest was a lockdown baby who wasn't great with new experiences and meeting new people but she quickly settled and came to love going into nursery. To see her confidence build over the years has been wonderful. Our second child has recently started and was settled
within a matter of days. My eldest loves helping at pick up and drop off just to see the staff again.
The experiences the staff provide are second to none, and the amount of outdoor time is amazing. We particularly liked the opportunities the forest school provided.
We love that we have access to a Welsh language nursery which provides wrap around for school.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend SiLwli thanks to the amazing staff that run it day to day.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your kind review of the Nursery. If you'd like to get in touch to let us know how we can improve in the areas you've rated us lower in, we'd be very appreciative. We're always happy to receive constructive feedback as we want to offer the best service possible for our families.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Si Lwli is an excellent nursery and we are so pleased that we chose it for our daughter. The staff are enormously caring and knowledgeable, and the childrens' days are filled with engaging activities, both in and outdoors. The environment itself is homely and our daughter loves her Antis and Wncwls!
Communication is excellent and the use of Welsh is comprehensive. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Si Lwli to others and have already!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your wonderful review of the Nursery!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The way that the team at Si-Lwli encourage exploration and curiosity from the children is incredible and they have so much opportunity to explore their own potential.
Our son has attended Si-Lwli since the age of 2, having previously been in another setting and settled in really quickly. As non-Welsh
speakers at home we are amazed at how his Welsh language is naturally developing within just a few months.
The overwhelming thing that's stands out for us is just how happy both the children and staff seem to be there!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review of the Nursery.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter started at SiLwli when she was 11 months old and still loves going to this nursery a few years on. She has the opportunity to get involved in different activities every day with lots of creative, imaginative and outdoor play. The staff are fantastic - so lovely and caring and they build
a great relationship with both the children and parents. I would highly recommend this nursery.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review. It's been wonderful to have your daughter with us for the last few years.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I highly recommend Si-Lwli, my son has attended four days a week since November 2021. He started as a baby and is now age 4. The team have been fantastic in supporting his development through all stages, baby, toddler, potty training through to wrap around to his school sessions in the afternoons!
He
has thrived, enjoys every activity and has great relationships with the staff. Si-Lwli has a family feel, the team and environment are amazing.
You will never worry leaving your child with the Si-Lwli team.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for such a lovely review. It's been an absolute pleasure caring for your son for the past 3 years!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been going to Si-Lwli for almost two years now. She has a lovely time here, doing a huge variety of activities and spending lots of time outside. The staff are great, they were so kind when she was settling in and have recently been so helpful while my daughter has been potty training.
I get updates through an app on what my daughter has been doing with photos which is always lovely to see. She also gets nice healthy meals here, and eats things here that she wouldn't eat at home! I will be sending my second daughter here next year and have complete confidence in the care she will receive.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for your review Bethany. It's a pleasure caring for your daughter.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Si Lwli is a really special place and that is because of the people there. Si Lwli has been part of our lives for 7 years, and it has enabled our daughters to become the confident, curious, and creative girls they are.
I'm not sure how to put into words just how fantastic the staff are. They feel like
a part of our extended family and that is due to their genuine care for the children, and for us as parents.
As staff, they are always developing professionally and they have been able to adapt and find ways to support the children when they have needed that extra emotional care.
I am so grateful for the input they've had on such formative years in my children's lives. They've modelled to them what a caring, respectful relationship looks like, and this has meant that they've formed wonderful friendships of their own while there.
I couldn't recommend it highly enough and we'll be sad when our youngest daughter leaves Si Lwli for school in the summer because they've become friends with us.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for such a lovely review Hannah!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Could not recommend the nursery enough! My son has enjoyed his experience from the first viewing to his journey into school. They have supported both my son and us as parents in every way they can. Thankyou Si-Lwli!

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you for your lovely review! We've loved having your son here.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have used Si Lwli for both of our daughters and the experience has been extremely positive. Both children have enjoyed going in every single day. Food choices are varied, healthy and tasty. Children have been exposed to lots of different foods. A lot of outside and creative play. It is a Welsh medium
nursery but they provide all communication to parents bilingually, which is important to us, as I don't speak Welsh fluently. I couldn't recommend them higher.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for your lovely review of the nursery.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Si-Lwli is amazing and has been since my eldest started there almost 4 years ago. Both of my children have thrived throughout their time there. I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd want to send my children. The staff are wonderful and have incredible relationships with the children. The provision and
resources are fantastic and have encouraged my children to develop in so many ways. I would highly recommend Si-Lwli to anyone with young children looking for a nursery setting.

Reply from Sophie Lewis, Manager at Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

Thank you so much for such a lovely review of the nursery!


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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.940)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.940) out of 10 for Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) 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 32 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 32 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 4.940 for Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) is calculated as follows: ( (364 Excellents x 5) + (15 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 383 Ratings = 4.94

  • 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 Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) is based on 32 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 58 number of registered child places is 11.6, which has been reached with 32 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 (4)

Sophie

Sophie Lewis

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2013

Sophie began working at Si-Lwli in 2013, after spending a year with us as a Student.


Over the years, Sophie has gained further qualifications including Level 5 in both advanced practice childcare and management.


Sophie progressed from practitioner to team leader, then stepped into a deputy manager role to cover management during maternity leave.


After the COVID-19 outbreak, Sophie progressed to manager, managing the Nursery with Kimberley.


Sophie's main responsibilities are to support staff during the day-to-day running of the Nursery, communicate with parents and other professionals, and also managing the occupancy of the Nursery.


Kimberley

Kimberley Hellyar

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2010

Kimberley started working for Si-Lwli in 2010 and began as a practitioner in Si-Lwli Canton (which is no longer in operation).


She moved to the Si-Lwli in Whitchurch in 2014 to take on the role of Deputy Manager. Shortly after she stepped into the role of Manager to cover a period of maternity leave.


Kimberley then became a permanent manager in 2016.


She has completed many qualifications including Childcare, Learning and Development Level 3, and a Level 5 in Management.


Kimberley's role as manager is to support and embed education across all ages in the setting while also supporting the team with their continuous professional development.


Abigail

Abigail Hathway

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Joined: 2016

Abigail started working in Si-Lwli in May 2016, where she started her Childcare career working within the under 2 years team.


Abigail has completed a wide variety of courses during her time with us, including mandatory, general CPD and her level 3 and 4 CCLD.


Abigail joined the Over 2's team in October 2017 where she continued to gain experience and knowledge of the curriculum.


In 2020, Abigail was promoted to team leader, where she took on the responsibility of planning activities for the children and leading the team of practitioners who work with over 2 groups.


Abigail gained further responsibility while supporting Kimberley during Sophie's maternity leave. During this time, Abigail became champion of implementing the New Curriculum for Wales at Si-Lwli and has been integral in the integration of the In The Moment planning that we now have at Si-Lwli.


Abigail was then promoted to Deputy upon Sophie's return to continue supporting the management team, while also continuing her role as a team leader.


Anest

Anest Owen

Job Title: Team Leader

Joined: 2017

Anest began working for Si-Lwli in July 2017, after completing a degree in Early Years Education.


She worked with the under 2 group for 4 years, before being promoted to Team leader of the toddler group (ages 2 - 3) in August 2021.


Anest took on this role to support the growth of the Nursery after we increased the number of children we were able to accept in late 2020 following a renovation.


Anest led a team of practitioners who were split between both floors of the Nursery, before joining Abigail in leading the over 2's as one large group.


Anest took on some additional responsibilities during 2023 as support during maternity cover.


Her main responsibilities are to guide and coach the team to deliver the highest quality of care and education to our children. She supports them in their day-to-day practice and helps identify any training needs there may be.


Frequently Asked Questions about Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch)

What is the Age Range of Children that Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) accepts?

Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) accepts Children aged from 0 years 6 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) Open?

Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) is open: Monday 07:45-18:00, Tuesday 07:45-18:00, Wednesday 07:45-18:00, Thursday 07:45-18:00, Friday 07:45-18:00.

How many Children does Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) have capacity for?

Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) has capacity for a total of 58 Children.

How far is Si-Lwli Nursery (Whitchurch) to the centre of Cardiff?

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