Willows Farm Day Nursery

Willows Activity Farm, Coursers Road, London Colney, St Albans AL4 0PF
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9.3 86 Reviews
  • Willows Farm Day Nursery, St Albans
Fresh air, nature-based play and farm animals are aplenty at Willows Farm Day Nursery and Pre-School, set amidst the grounds of Willows Activity Farm.

The modern, purpose-built day nursery is split into four rooms (based on the children’s age). As children become toddlers, they enjoy free flow access to large private nursery and pre-school gardens. And as you would expect being based at Willows Activity Farm, one of the daily highlights are supervised visits to the farm attraction’s outdoor play and animal barn.

Throughout the week and seasons, the activities vary. Children enjoy weekly pony grooming sessions, hatch ducklings for the farm’s duck pond and get extra close during the lambing season.   

This is in addition to weekly French lessons and weekly forest schools, which help develop children’s five senses. The wide range of activities give children numerous rich learning experiences, both indoor and outside.

The Nursery was also proud when they updated their teaching ethos to ‘Planning in the Moment’ in 2019. The child-led teaching builds upon a child’s natural interest in an activity and fits well with the Early Years Framework.

The nursery cares for children aged from six weeks to five-years-old with staff working in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure they are happy, healthy and ready for mainstream school.

Tours are available daily for prospective parents, however, the Nursery also usually opens on the first Saturday of each month for tours. Please see the website for details and how to pre-book tours.

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Care Provided by Willows Farm Day Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Lucy Nicholson (Senior Childcare Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 70
  • Total Places for Children
  • 188
  • 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 & Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for Willows Farm Day Nursery

  • Full-day session: 7:30 am - 6:30 pm
    Morning session: 7:30 am - 1:00 pm
    Afternoon session: 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm

  • Each situation is different and bespoke to your childcare needs. To find out more about our fees, please do get in touch so we are able to build a profile and give you a breakdown of what we believe best suits your child’s needs.

Willows Farm Day Nursery Reviews (86)

Total of 86, showing 41-60
9.3

Willows Farm Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.3 (9.319) out of 10, based on 27 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Willows Farm Day Nursery has 86 reviews.

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Review from Sofia A (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have been in touch with the nursery to arrange my daughters place. Despite all the problems due to COVID-19, all the ladies are always cheerful, kind, ready to help. I can be one of those parents who always has “just one more question” I have never felt I can’t just ring and ask and they are always
patient and encouraging. Exactly the environment I want my daughter to be in. Even though I was only able to view the nursery through an online tour, I still felt so reassured this is the right place for my baby girl. My daughter is so excited to join and I am excited for her. Thank you so much to the manager and her team.

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Review from Mangala M (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our child started here during the pandemic and could not be happier. The daily outings on to the farm reassure us of the level of physical activity and fresh air that she gets. Within a short space of time, her diet became more varied, her sleep improved and she was out of nappies. She asks to go in
on her days off, which just warms our hearts to know that she is happy there. The staff have been so responsive to our needs and we feel that this has been a happy preparation for the next steps in our child's life.

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Review from Marnie F (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Every member of staff is kind, professional and friendly. They will listen to any concerns you have about your child and help with any issues. Being on a farm is the best place. Outside and seeing lots of animals.

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Review from Elizabeth G (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Have been using Willows since my son was in the baby room, he absolutely loves it and is due to start in the nursery/preschool when he is 3. Staff are so friendly and generous with their time, nothing is too much bother and they build great relationships with the children.
The added bonus of Willows
is the frequent trips to the farm; this is both educational and fun for the children. I would wholeheartedly recommend Willows to anyone looking to secure exceptional childcare. Thanks for everything you have done for my son and I look forward to my daughter starting in the next few weeks.

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Review from Sian T (Mother of Child) published on 17 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

As the mother of a child with special educational needs, it was very important for me to find a nursery that were prepared to support us and work together to give her the best start in life. Willows Farm Nursery has exceeded expectations, working with myself and my child's speech and occupational therapists
to supper her in achieving her targets. The SENCo is fantastic, so caring and considerate and all members of staff have gone above and beyond, learning to communicate with my daughter using sign and communication cards. My daughter always has lots of stories to share about her mornings on the farm, riding tractors, holding chicks and feeding the animals. I 100% recommend this fantastic nursery and so sad we cannot stay here for the rest of her education.

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Review from Julie B (Mother of Child) published on 17 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Willow farm is a great nursery. The staff are always so warm and friendly and they all pay such great attention to detail. My oldest daughter, who’s now in reception, still remembers her key workers and has fond memories. My youngest daughter absolutely loves it there and I would definitely recommend
it to others.

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Review from Lisa A (Mother of Child) published on 14 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been delighted with our experience of the nursery since the very first settling in session. The staff are brilliant - warm, comforting, professional and fun - our daughter loves them, especially her fantastic key worker! I also like the environment and the fact she gets to get out to the farm;
at a time when many of us are stuck indoors with activities limited, I've really appreciated the daily farm trips. Highly recommend!

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Review from Geri F (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Both my girls have attended Willows Farm Day Nursery since they were 1. My eldest is now at school in year 1 and my youngest is currently in preschool getting ready to start school next year. My eldest still has such fond memories of her time at Willows and my youngest loves going in every day. The
staff are caring, attentive and really help to develop and nurture the children. It's been amazing to see the development of our youngest as they start to prepare her for school next year. I couldn't recommend this nursery more highly.

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Review from Jemma W (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are 3 months in from starting at Willows Farm and our son has settled so well, getting the best of indoor and outdoor activities (taking trips to the farm most days) and our son loves it! The staff are also all really friendly and helpful constantly keeping us updated on progress and learning. Our
son's key worker is great!

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Review from Lauren S (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We love Willows. We send our 2.5-year-old and our 10-month-old, and both absolutely love it. Our toddler has been attending since 7-months, and everyone in the nursery not just his key worker always knows him and us and is so welcoming. It’s a home from home.
The activities for both children are exciting
and varied, painting, modelling, outdoor games and, of course, trips to the farm, which is one of the things that first drew us to Willows.
They get fantastic meals and snacks, nappies/formula if needed. We can literally drop them off with nothing and know that they are being so well looked after. I cannot speak more highly of them; the staff are amazing. Well done to the whole team for running such a wonderful place.

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Review from Gemma K (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are delighted with our experience of the nursery so far. The communication has been great and it's been wonderful to see how easy our son has settled in. We love the activities that he's been able to take up both indoors and out. We couldn't be happier with our decision to enroll our son here.

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Review from Rach (Mother of Child) published on 19 November 2020
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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The nursery is such a great setting for little ones, they love going out on the farm and the great space there is. The staff are all so friendly and genuinely really care about my children which is such a comfort.

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Review from Stephanie T (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2020
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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has settled in so well at nursery, he seems so happy here and always has a day full of fun activities. I love that Willows Nursery uses the farm as part of their day and I hear nothing but good things from all the other parents that use this nursery. My son has been to a previous nursery and
he never fully seemed to settle but he is a different child here at Willows.

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Review from Sophie T (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has attended Willows Nursery since he was six months old, and I cannot recommend the setting enough. The staff are caring, genuine and passionate, they know him so well, what makes him laugh, what things he enjoys doing and they always go above and beyond to ensure he has the best day with his
little friends. Being a working mum I always have slight guilt that he has been in childcare, but he is being looked after by Willows makes me feel so much better. He loves going to Pre School now, the garden is huge with lots of activities in. He enjoys going on regular trips to the farm to see the Peter Rabbit shows, on Tristan the Tractor and seeing all the animals. He has been transitioned between rooms extremely well, with the staff knowing a lot about him. He's moved from the baby room all the way to Pre School. Highly recommend for anyone looking for nature-based childcare.

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Review from Victoria C (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son loves going to Willows nursery, he waves to the animals as we drive along the road and can’t wait to go in when we arrive! All staff are warm, friendly and give a thorough debrief on my son's day. He loves the outside and seems to get plenty of time doing activities and going to the farm; if
he had his way he would be outside all day! I would highly recommend Willows, my son has attended since he was 6 months and he is coming up to 2.5 and he is progressing very well. My 2nd son is due to start in January, he will be 6 months and it makes it that little bit easier going back to work knowing he is in such great hands.

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Review from Emma C (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Willows Farm is an amazing nursery that both my children have thrived and grown in. The staff are all extremely friendly and nurturing and give their all to ensure a safe and fun environment. The facilities are like no other and the children get to experience the fresh country air and fun on the farm.
They have always been so accommodating and supporting all our childcare needs and continue to grow to provide a wonderful place for my children to thrive.

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Review from Linda W (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

After looking at a number of nurseries for my 1-year-old daughter (at the time), I had no doubt that Willows was the best by far for outdoor space. My son now attends Willows and has since he was 1 year old and now nearly 4 years old. It is a fabulous nursery/pre-school. What drew me was having outside
space and visits to the farm and the fun and care he receives whilst there. He has had so much fun and learning whilst at Willows and as he will be starting school next September I will be very sad not to be taking him to Willows pre-school anymore. He has been very lucky to have such a great nursery/pre-school. My daughter and son will look back on their early years there with great fondness. My daughter is still in touch with friends she made whilst there. The staff work really hard and have really excelled throughout the extra difficulties of Covid and still try to make it as fun and nurturing as they can in very difficult circumstances.

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Review from Emma N (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Couldn’t think of a better place for our child to attend nursery - the addition of the farm and the safe outdoor environment is a huge added bonus. One of the greatest strengths is the staff - They are so kind and caring and we are very impressed with all the things our little boy comes home with having
learnt or done during the day. We have a lot of confidence in the nursery and the staff and couldn’t ask for more.

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Review from Katie F (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All staff at Willows Farm Nursery have been absolutely brilliant with my son. He started at 1 year old and settled very quickly with no issues. We get daily feedback at the end of each day from his key worker on how much he has eaten, slept, dirty nappies and play highlights. Some of the massive plus
points for us was that the kids get to go out and see the farm animals, there are nice large indoor and outdoor areas for each age group, plenty of parking and they serve a range of great meals (mix of hot and cold) and snacks to ensure a varied diet. They do a range of exciting activities with the kids that really activate different areas of their learning and development through play. A big thank you to all the staff but especially to our key worker who has been exceptional and always has a smile on her face!

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Review from Lee H (Father of Child) published on 26 October 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We couldn’t recommend this nursery enough, our little one has attended the setting since he was 6 months old, he’s now 3 and absolutely loves going every day! He always goes in with the biggest smile on his face and leaves telling me “he’s done everything today!” He loves the weekly visits to Willows
Farm, seeing the animals, playing on the adventure play areas and even seeing the Peter Rabbit shows. The staff are kind, caring and always ensure all of his needs are met going above and beyond! He has a great bond with his key worker and has made lots of little friends along the way. He absolutely loves going to preschool! Would recommend to anyone looking for a nature-based, outdoor-focused nursery!

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Current Review Score: 9.3 (9.319)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.3 (9.319) out of 10 for Willows Farm Day Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 27 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.7 out of 5 from 25 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 4.654 for Willows Farm Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (248 Excellents x 5) + (55 Goods x 4) + (12 Satisfactorys x 3) + (3 Poors x 2) + (6 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 324 Ratings = 4.654

  • 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 4.665 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Willows Farm Day Nursery is based on 25 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 188 number of registered child places is 37.6. 25 Positive Reviews ÷ 37.6 = 0.665

  • 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)

Lucy

Lucy Nicholson

Job Title: Senior Childcare Manager

Hi, I’m Lucy Nicholson, Senior Childcare Manager of Willows Farm Day Nursery & Pre-School! Our Day Nursery offers childcare full of discovery and rich learning experiences, with the daily opportunity to meet the farm animals and enjoy forest school sessions in the great outdoors. We are located in the heart of the countryside of St. Albans, where we provide our children with the best in early year’s education and learn through the ‘Planning in the moment’ child-led teaching approach.


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