The West Finchley Day Nursery

181 Nether Street, London N3 1NR
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9.4 25 Reviews
  • The West Finchley Day Nursery, London
The West Finchley Preschool and nursery opened in September 2020. The nursery has been designed to provide a spacious, warm and stimulating environment for children aged three months to four-years-old, 11 months.

The rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows providing a bright and inviting environment with lots of natural light.

As well as having 7 spacious rooms they also have an on-sight library which all age groups benefit from and a sensory room with fixed equipment which includes a bubble tube, projections on the walls, mirror balls and coloured LED lighting to promote sensory development for under 2s.

Providing lots of outdoor space with most of the rooms having balconies for the children to free flow between as well as 3 spacious gardens for babies, toddlers and the over 2s children can enjoy a wide range of activities outside.

The nursery's specialist curriculum covers music, performing arts, early years and discovery and technology with purpose-built studios for each specialist area. They support the children's individual needs, talents, abilities and interests which encourages them to explore, discover create and learn.

Parents have access to their children’s learning through an online system and are able to view and contribute to observations and assessments of their children.

They provide nutritious, organic nursery cooked meals. The menu rotates over four weeks and were designed by a nutritionist. The nursery chef has an innovative approach to the meals he cooks and is an expert at cooking sugar and salt-free meals that look and taste amazing.

The West Finchley Preschool and nursery uses cutting-edge technology to support the nursery functions. Entry to the nursery is gained through biometric fingerprint recognition to ensure the children’s safety.

Care Provided by The West Finchley Day Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Donna Shepherd-Gill (Nursery Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 22
  • Total Places for Children
  • 96
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 4 years 11 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:00-19:00
    Tuesday 07:00-19:00
    Wednesday 07:00-19:00
    Thursday 07:00-19:00
    Friday 07:00-19:00
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Funding & Fees Guide for The West Finchley Day Nursery

  • Fees avaiable with enquiry pack


The West Finchley Day Nursery Reviews (25)

Total of 25, showing 1-20
9.4

The West Finchley Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.4 (9.429) out of 10, based on 10 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time The West Finchley Day Nursery has 25 reviews.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Lovely nursery, especially for younger babies and toddlers. The staff are great and very caring and supportive. Food is all fresh, healthy and a good variety and our children have thrived with the care and learning they have been given.

Reply from Robyn Hattingh, Marketing Team Lead at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for your review of The West Finchley Day Nursery. We are glad to hear about your feedback - we know how important delicious, healthy food is to a child's development and how important it is that they get exposed to a variety from an early age.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Everyone in the nursery is absolutely lovely and welcoming. Our son loves going there. He had a hard time settling in but there was a lot of help provided from all members of staff which made it a lot easier for us. The food provided is great. The activities are amazing and it’s lovely to get pictures
from time to time to see how little one is doing. Highly recommend them.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our dedicated team strive to make the settling-in process as smooth and seamless as possible, providing the support children need to feel happy, confident and secure at nursery.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

From top to bottom, this nursery provides excellent care to our young toddler. The staff is warm, caring, and truly passionate about their work with children. The atmosphere is calm, and daily activities are creative and enriching, suitable for each developmental phase. We are delighted to see our son
thriving in this setting.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. In our warm, inclusive nursery environment, children are nurtured and supported by our team who are so passionate about helping them to flourish. Children enjoy stimulating activities which incorporate their interests and provide opportunities to develop important skills for the future.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has gone to the nursery for the last two years, and they are getting better and better. They are full of activity and my son really loves the teachers.
I am very happy for the nursery and highly recommend.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our warm, nurturing team work hard to provide a great variety of stimulating activities which help keep children happy and engaged whilst helping them develop important knowledge and skills.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I recently had the pleasure of enrolling my two sons, aged 4 and 1, at The West Finchley Nursery, and I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with the level of care and education provided by the staff. As a mother from Japan, I was particularly pleased with their parent coffee morning events, which
cover a variety of helpful topics including toilet training and school preparation. These events have been truly instructive and helpful in guiding me through the challenges of parenthood. The staff at The West Finchley Preschool are kind, attentive, and genuinely care about the well-being of the children in their care. My eldest son, in particular, has been thriving under their guidance, and my youngest son is always happy and content when I pick him up. I highly recommend The West Finchley Nursery to any parent looking for a nurturing and educational environment for their children.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We strive to building strong partnerships with our families and an important part of this is sharing knowledge and helpful tips to help support you through all stages of development.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our two-year-old really enjoys her time at the nursery. She comes home eager to report on her Spanish classes, playing outside, circle time, and new things she has learned. The staff are warm, kind, and highly supportive. We'll be sending our second child there as well!

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's so great to read that your little one is enjoying her time here! Our kind, caring team provide a variety of throughout the nursery day which have been carefully designed to excite and inspire children, encouraging them to explore, investigate and develop their learning.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

We are really pleased with The West Finchley Preschool as a nursery for our little one, so much so that we are sending our youngest there, too. The staff are really friendly and care about the children, working with parents and taking seriously any concerns that you may have. The outdoor areas are well-equipped,
and our little one loves going to the art room and has weekly Spanish lessons. You’re kept in the loop with what’s happening through regular communication from the leadership team and key workers, which is welcomed. Thank you to The West Finchley team!

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our dedicated, nurturing team really take the time to form strong relationships with both children and their families, working in partnership to offer support and guidance. Good communication with our families is so important, and children enjoy a great variety of fun, engaging and educational activities throughout the nursery day.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

After two years at The West Finchley Day Nursery, we are really sad to say goodbye. The nursery has gone from strength to strength and my son has developed and grown in an encouraging, safe and positive environment. My daughter has only had six months in toddlers but has loved every minute. She's always
occupied and happily walks in every day. The staff are fantastic, from managers to the room to the cooks. It is a really warm and supportive environment. I highly recommend.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's lovely to hear that both of your little ones have enjoyed their time at The West Finchley Day Nursery. Providing a supportive, nurturing environment where children are able to learn and grow is so important.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I found the setting to be a warm, friendly and welcoming place for both of my children. They both enjoyed their time there very much and the genuine care and affection the staff and management showed them were very apparent. It was very reassuring as a parent to know that not only were they well looked
after but they were loved too.
The range of activities was great for little ones: from yoga classes to Spanish lessons to football coaching to art classes! The approach to encouraging and fostering the children’s independence (such as doing things for themselves) was also one we liked as it aligned closely with what we wanted to encourage at home too.
Overall, we have nothing but positive things to say about the setting.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We are proud to have nursery teams full of hardworking, inspiring individuals who are so passionate about providing exceptional childcare and education. They work hard to provide a great variety of fun, engaging and stimulating activities alongside our fantastic education programmes.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot speak highly enough of the wonderful care and attention that my 15-month-old receives at The West Finchley Day Nursery. From the moment we stepped through the door, we were greeted by friendly, enthusiastic staff who clearly love what they do. The nursery is bright, clean, and well-maintained,
with plenty of space for children to play and learn.
The staff here are truly exceptional. They are warm, patient, and nurturing, and it is clear that they have a genuine passion for working with young children. I always feel that my child is in safe, capable hands, and it gives me great peace of mind to know that my little one is being cared for by such dedicated professionals.
The activities on offer are really varied and engaging, with plenty of opportunities for children to explore, learn, and have fun.
The communication from the staff is also excellent, with regular updates on my child's daily activity, progress and well-being.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our team is incredibly passionate about providing exceptional childcare and education. They work hard to provide a supportive, nurturing environment where every child can learn and grow.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We've been with West Finchley Preschool since it opened in September 2021. We have had 2 kids attending, youngest is still there, oldest onto primary school. We cannot fault the warmth and care given by the staff, they are amazing, they really make an effort to get to know each individual child and
we always found the nursery's approach very personable to us as parents. Our daughter received a good foundation in phonics before she left for primary school which she is benefitting from now. Thank you to everyone at West Finchley Preschool for the great care you continue to give.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review and for the kind words about our nursery team. They are all dedicated and passionate and work incredibly hard to get to know each child on an individual level. Our supportive, nurturing nursery environment aims to prepare children for school and the future.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Our 18 month old absolutely loves her nursery and it's clear the staff are caring and take a lot of interest in her. We receive regular updates of all the activities that she enjoys.

Reply from Laura Millward, Parent Liaison Officer at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for your review of our West Finchley Nursery and Preschool. We are delighted to hear how happy you and your little one are with us.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has attended West Finchley pre-school since April 2022. She has really been supported by her key person and has really developed. She has mastered potty training and she has really shown an interest in art as the nursery do so many beautiful activities with her. She loves the Spanish teacher
and the fact she can speak Spanish at the age of 2.5 is amazing. Her key person has really shown her love and compassion and I know her needs are met when she is with them. She is flourishing and this is because the nursery are showing her so much attention.

Reply from Laura Millward, Parent Liaison Officer at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for your wonderful review of our West Finchley Nursery and Preschool. We are delighted to hear how well your little one is developing with the support of her key person. It is extremely important to us that children are exposed to many new activities and experiences such as arts, and languages. The team at our West Finchley Nursery and Preschool go above and beyond to meet the needs of all children and their families. Thank you!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Excellent nursery. The staff are very attentive to the kids. The facilities are great with a lot of outside space. We receive regular verbal and written feedback about our child's activities. Children are kept busy with different learning activities which prepares them really well for reception. The
management and SEND advisor are also amazing, working with the parents.

Reply from Laura Millward, Parent Liaison Officer at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for your lovely review of our West Finchley Nursery and Preschool. We are delighted to hear how happy you and your family are at our nursery. Parent Partnership is extremely important to us, we love to be able to share your child's day with you. Thank you!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending West Finchley Pre-school full time since she was 16 months old to now nearly 3. She has had outstanding care during this time from all her key workers and built strong relationships with them and other children. Particular strengths of the nursery for us have been the
nurturing environment, attention to reading, new skills like toilet training and outdoor play. As we are both working parents, we have also really found the nursery supportive with tasks like potty training and teaching our daughter to share and take turns. Our daughter has progressed amazingly in her time at the nursery in speech, physical skills and social skills. The quality of food at the nursery is very good and the staff work extremely hard. The fact my daughter talks about wanting to show her key workers things when she is at home is a testament to their strong bond. We have been and remain extremely happy with West Finchley Pre-school.

Reply from Laura Millward, Parent Liaison Officer at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Thank you for your fantastic review of our West Finchley Nursery and Preschool. We are delighted to hear that you and your little one are enjoying your time with us. Building strong relationships with our children and their families is extremely important to us. It allows us to support children's wellbeing and development holistically, enabling them to thrive both at nursery and at home. We strive to offer a nurturing environment where children can explore, investigate and learn in a fun way alongside their peers. We love to hear that your little one is excited to share their experiences from home with their key worker. We will also pass on your compliments to our chef! Thank you!


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

Our highlights go first and foremost to the staff, who have been wonderful and supportive, contributing to a healthy and safe environment. Most of the facilities are purposely built for a nursery, and the rooms are bright and airy. The menu is varied and healthy, including plenty of veggies and fruit.
The nursery was recently acquired by a group called Three Little Birds, and things changed over the past months. All the management and a few of the staff left after the acquisition. The website still advertises “Music and the Performing Arts are a key element of our unique curriculum”, however, we have not seen performing arts and music activities lately, which was a big selling point for us. We have also raised issues to management (one of which related to the fairness of treatment), we only got a response when we formalised the complaint, and the response so far has been disappointing (from there was an emergency, to it was an accident, to it’s the previous management’s fault).

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

Caught a pregnant teacher saying strong swear words in the corridor right after we dropped our son at the nursery. Very disappointed, we decided to stop our child from attending nursery after three weeks. Teacher seen as impatient and not caring. Email apology received from nursery but no official action
plan seen in regards to the incident.

Reply from The West Finchley Pre School, Operations Director at The West Finchley Day Nursery

Please be assured that we take all concerns seriously. Following any concern being brought to our attention, a full investigation will be carried out to ensure a thorough and informative process and outcome, following company policy and procedures.


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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff as well as the facility of West Finchley Nursery is absolutely amazing. They took great care of our daughter while customising their approach to her needs. We always knew what was going on at the nursery, we got pictures, reports etc. We really had a great experience and highly recommend that
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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

After viewing lots of nurseries in the area, we fell in love with the West Finchley Preschool. But when the opening was delayed, we opted for another nursery nearer our house. Even though my daughter "settled" at the second nursery and it was very convenient to get to, we made the tricky decision to
go with our initial gut feeling and resettle her at the West Finchley. Best decision we've ever made and we haven't looked back! She's been in the baby room and now the walkers' room. She's made so many friends and loves the room mentors. She talks about them constantly at home! Her appetite and love of food has grown so much in the time she's been there too - I'm often envious of the recipes listed on the app! A fellow mum once told me you need to find a nursery where you feel happy dropping them off and you can completely focus on your work while they're there. I can confidently say West Finchley has done that for us and I did not feel the same with the previous nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Absolutely fantastic nursery. Attentive, creative, caring, stimulating, everything you'd want for your child. Plus great communication and very thorough online reports and photos. We're very happy our son is at the West Finchley Preschool.

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Current Review Score: 9.4 (9.429)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.4 (9.429) out of 10 for The West Finchley Day Nursery 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 10 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.5 out of 5 from 10 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 4.908 for The West Finchley Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (109 Excellents x 5) + (11 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 120 Ratings = 4.908

  • 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 4.521 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The West Finchley Day Nursery is based on 10 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 96 number of registered child places is 19.2. 10 Positive Reviews ÷ 19.2 = 0.521

  • 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

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

Awards / Recognitions (9)

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Meet the Team (1)

Donna

Donna Shepherd-Gill

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Donna brings wealth of experience in the early years sector having been within it for over 29 years. Donna aims to make a positive change to the future generation, building all children’s confidence and self -esteem throughout their time at our nursery and to prepare them for their transition to school.


Frequently Asked Questions about The West Finchley Day Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that The West Finchley Day Nursery accepts?

The West Finchley Day Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 4 years 11 months.

What Days & Hours is The West Finchley Day Nursery Open?

The West Finchley Day Nursery is open: Monday 07:00-19:00, Tuesday 07:00-19:00, Wednesday 07:00-19:00, Thursday 07:00-19:00, Friday 07:00-19:00.

How many Children does The West Finchley Day Nursery have capacity for?

The West Finchley Day Nursery has capacity for a total of 96 Children.

How far is The West Finchley Day Nursery to the centre of London?

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