Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Basingstoke Road, Reading RG7 1AA
Submit a Review
9.8 19 Reviews
  • Spencers Wood Day Nursery, Reading
Spencers Wood is proudly rated Good by Ofsted (Jan 2025).

Spencers Wood Nursery and Preschool is a brand new setting, offering flexible childcare solutions to families.

The setting is located in the village of Spencers Woods, near Shinfield, which has a rich history and is surrounded by nature. It is an ideal place for your curious child to start on their early years education journey.

Once a beauty salon, the nursery is set across four floors and has been transformed into an educational hub bursting with creativity. The space combines play, education, and discovery to set your child up for the brightest future. Enquire today to learn more.

Show Spencers Wood Day Nursery on the Map

Care Provided by Spencers Wood Day Nursery

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Lauren Heward (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 10
  • Total Places for Children
  • 90
  • 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 Holiday, Christmas & New Year

Spencers Wood Day Nursery Reviews (19)

9.8

Spencers Wood Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.794) out of 10, based on 19 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Spencers Wood Day Nursery has 19 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 17
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • 1

Date Published

19
2
3
19
0

Review from A C (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Brilliant caring staff who have genuinely cared for my child and learned about my child and the best ways to interact with her. They have varied activities each day on the theme of the week and we get regular updates and pictures to evidence her participation. She has flourished in their care and enjoys
attending nursery.

Reply from Robyn Hattingh, Marketing Team Lead at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Thank you for your review of Spencers Wood Day Nursery. Our amazing team is dedicated to providing exceptional childcare and education to each child in the ways that they need, they are wonderfully adaptable. We are so glad to hear you and your child are experiencing this and feel supported and cared for during your time with us.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Emma O (Mother of Child) published on 23 October 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little one has been attending the nursery since May 24.
The two ladies in the baby room have been amazing along with another two ladies in the next room.
Nursery has had challenges with reception which is now fully resolved meaning we are all able to enter the building promptly and safely.
My
little one is enjoying their time in the nursery and from my experience would certainly recommend it for babies as I've only currently had experience with these rooms.

Reply from Robyn Hattingh, Marketing Team Lead at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi there. Thank you for your review of Spencer's Wood Day Nursery. We are so pleased to hear that your baby is having such a wonderful time in our baby setting! We have worked hard to improve the safety of our nursery and we are really glad you are happy with the results. We will continue to put the safety of the children in our care as a top priority and improve where and when necessary! Thank you for the lovely review and may your journey with Spencer Wood continue to be what your family needs.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Sara H (Mother of Child) published on 5 September 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Brand new nursery with up-to-date and engaging development resources. Clean and tidy workspaces. My child always arrives and leaves with a smile on their face which gives me confidence the nursery is providing an excellent service. Settling in sessions went well at the start and fitted in straight away
which reflects on the amazing staff. The key workers are very invested in bonding with them and enthusiastic in providing feedback on development. I do not get any negative feedback.

Reply from Laura Wiltshire, Marketing Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi there, thank you for your lovely review of our Spencers Wood Day Nursery & Preschool. We are so glad that your little one leaves nursery with a smile on their face. At Grandir UK, we are passionate about implementing settle-in sessions across our whole setting as we believe this is the best way to settle children into nursery life with ease and confidence. Wishing you and your little one the very best on your nursery journey.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from L M (Mother of Child) published on 13 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Staff have been friendly and helpful and my child has settled in really quickly with the help of the staff, always full of stories at pick up about the day's fun with new friends. Clean and fun rooms with lots of toys and activities to engage with.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our kind, caring team strive to make the settling-in process as seamless as possible so children feel supported, happy and confident in our nursery environment. They enjoy a great variety of activities throughout the nursery day which provide plenty of engaging, creative opportunities for learning.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Shanice R (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

As a parent, I am very happy with the communication and support as well as the great variety of food my child gets. She is thriving there and the staff are great! The premises are also very clean and tidy every morning which is way better than previous nurseries my daughter has attended. No complaints.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our warm, friendly team works hard to provide the right support children need to thrive. Providing informative and regular communication with our families is so important in building a strong partnership between nursery and home.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from L W (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

The staff are fantastic and super helpful. The girls in the baby room are amazing and always happy to update you. So happy with them. I love the updates of what they are getting up to and I can't wait for my little boy to go more.
My only honest concern relates to the safeguarding with reception. Reception
is rarely staffed and you can easily enter the building when other parents leave the gate. You can sometimes walk into the building and straight into the rooms. I appreciate the staff in the actual rooms know us and are not likely to hand over a child to an adult they don't know but it worries me that reception is non-existent a majority of the time and although unlikely it worries me slightly.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our friendly nursery team provide detailed updates to our families so they can stay up-to-date on their little one’s development. We would like to reassure you that the continued safety of our children is paramount and that there are protective measures in place to ensure their security.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Megan S (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has only been at Spencer’s Wood for 2 months and I am definitely not disappointed so far. We’re regularly kept updated via the app and any issues via a phone call. The relationship with his key worker is amazing which really puts me at ease! 2 months may seem like a small amount of time but he
has learnt so much and his confidence just keeps on growing! I can’t wait to watch him grow up at Spencer’s Wood.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our friendly team work hard to build strong bonds with the children in their care, taking the time to understand their individual needs and the right support they need to thrive.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Swasti G (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Spencer Wood Day Nursery is doing good. I would like to see the staff more prompt in updating the daily chores of children on the app. At the moment I feel it's very minimum info about how the day was.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our team strives to keep our app updated regularly so families can enjoy an insight into their little one's nursery day.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Sadie R (Mother of Child) published on 29 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My children are so happy at this nursery and are absolutely thriving! The staff encourage my children through learning and play and really supports their growth. The entire setting is amazing with great resources. Children have a range of different tools and equipment to support their development, and
all of the staff treat my children like their own family. The app they use to update you on your children's day is amazing and so helpful, I love being able to see what they have eaten and what activities they have done. I don't have a single complaint or concern about the nursery. My children have never been happier or more cared for at a nursery and I am so glad we found a nursery which was such a good fit for our family! Thank you to all the lovely staff!

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our caring, nurturing team are so passionate about helping children to learn and grow. They are incredibly attentive and supportive of their individual needs, taking the time to form strong relationships. We take great pride in our facilities and the fantastic experiences they provide for the children. The app is a great communication tool and gives families an insight into their little one’s nursery day.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from K V (Mother of Child) published on 28 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

I had 2 children at this setting when it first opened. In the first 4 weeks and our only 4 weeks here, we have had a disappointing and concerning experience.
This was mainly due to the management of the setting and inexperience of staff (I would like to call out the pre-school room leader however,
as each interaction with her was always fantastic).
Since leaving, senior management has reached out to hear my views and assured me of steps taken to make improvements. Whilst I won’t be around to confirm this, the setting has potential under the right leadership, but until that is established, the current performance did not meet my expectations.
Due to my experience, it was enough to pull my children out of the setting and revert back to our previous nursery which was outside of the area.
The nursery is new and may need time to develop. I wish them all the best.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We are sorry to read that you had a disappointing experience with us. Our nursery team consists of passionate, dedicated, and knowledgeable childcare professionals who work hard to provide exceptional childcare and education. We take all feedback provided incredibly seriously and are constantly working hard to improve. If you would like to discuss anything further, please don’t hesitate to contact our customer services team on 0800 028 4500.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Leah C (Mother of Child) published on 28 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have had such an amazing experience since putting our little boy in Spencers Wood Day Nursery. The amount of settling in sessions was just great and the staff have been so accommodating to our child's needs, including dairy intolerance. We get regular updates on the app throughout the day which instantly
eases us and we know he is having the best time when at nursery. The big smile when we collect him says it all.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's great to read that you and your family have had such an amazing experience with us! Settling in sessions are so important in ensuring children feel safe, secure and happy in our nursery environment. Our team strives to maintain effective communication with our families and the app is a fantastic way of providing an insight into your little one's nursery journey.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Laura B (Mother of Child) published on 28 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

When the nursery opened we moved our 2-year-old from a different nursery and found he settled in straight away and loved it.
We were very happy with the layout and the little extras that help with learning.
My son has had a great time every time he has been there, the staff are always polite, helpful
and give constant updates with pictures etc.
I would highly recommend the nursery and the staff.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We take great pride in our facilities and how they help to create a warm, welcoming nursery environment. Our friendly, knowledgeable team provide a great variety of activities for children to enjoy throughout the nursery day, stimulating their imagination and engaging their curiosity whilst helping them to develop important skills.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Lucy H (Mother of Child) published on 28 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff at Spencers Wood Day Nursery really make this place, the facilities are nice and new but the staff really do everything they can to make our child and ourselves feel comfortable. I've never felt like any request is too much and they think of so many extra little touches.
The app is great
for regular updates and also for general communication. The food is always nutritious and varied, there are many different activities they do each day and they spend a lot of time outside.
A massive thank you to management and all of the staff that help my little girl have great support and experiences each day.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our kind, caring nursery team are so passionate about helping children to grow and flourish. They are incredibly attentive and supportive of each family's individual needs, working in close partnership to share their knowledge and guide families through each stage of development.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Selina T (Mother of Child) published on 27 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We had initial doubts putting our son in a brand new nursery with no existing reviews or ofsted rating available, but the nursery tour put our minds at ease. We could sense the passion and knowledge from the nursery manager on their vision for the nursery, which we liked. Our son has been attending
Spencers Wood Day Nursery for over six weeks now, and we’ve noticed a huge development in his settling there and also in new skills he has learnt. All the staff have been really friendly and welcoming, and our son adores his key worker which really helps! The app is great as well, providing updates throughout the day.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our experienced management team are dedicated to providing exceptional childcare and education. It's so great to read that your little one is progressing so well! Our friendly, knowledgeable team provide a variety of engaging activities throughout the day. Informed by our specially-designed education programmes, they help to keep children curious, engaged and stimulated whilst learning important new skills.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Rebecca A (Mother of Child) published on 27 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic nursery. Our son is very happy! The staff are warm and welcoming and really know the children. They are empathetic and they’re there to support families. They communicate well through the app and we regularly receive photos.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's lovely to read that your little one is so happy here! Our team are incredibly attentive and sensitive to the individual needs of our families, sharing their knowledge and providing support where needed to help children thrive.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Debra G (Grandmother of Child) published on 27 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 10-month grandson joined in November and has not been happier. All staff members are so lovely and always keep you updated with everything about your child. He gets lots of activities to do encouraging his learning and has lots of different types of meals which he seems to love. Thanks to everyone
at Spencers Wood.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Our kind, caring and supportive nursery team forms close bonds with the children in their care. Good communication with our families is so important and gives our families a great insight into their little one's progress. A variety of fun, engaging activities are on offer throughout the nursery day to help children develop a variety of important skills.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from S E (Mother of Child) published on 27 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This is a wonderful nursery with excellent staff, management and facilities. The knowledge and care are second to none and our daughter who has struggled with separation anxiety is doing incredibly well and made strong bonds with the staff all thanks to their ethos, knowledge, facilities and understanding.
Would highly recommend Spencer’s Wood Day Nursery to any parents.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's so great to read that you and your family have had such an amazing experience with us! Our team forms supportive, nurturing bonds with the children to help them feel happy and secure whilst at nursery.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Haydn W (Father of Child) published on 24 November 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Amazing staff! Fantastic management! I’m extremely comfortable knowing my daughter is in safe hands.
She has settled in so quickly and loves going to nursery on a daily basis, would definitely recommend to friends and family.

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. It's great to read that your little one has settled into Spencers Wood so well and is loving her time here! Starting at nursery is a big change for both children and their families, and our caring team are incredibly attentive and understanding of their needs. They really take the time to identify the support they need to feel safe, confident and happy whilst at nursery.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Review from Katie V (Mother of Child) published on 31 October 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

All the staff are absolutely incredible! My daughter has taken a lot longer to settle than expected but the staff have gone above and beyond to make sure my daughter, her dad and I are happy with everything. Nothing seems too much for anyone. The app has been a great help and the staff are brilliant
and replying to messages and uploading things about the children’s day. Also, there is a wonderful manager! Overall 5 stars! Thank you all so much!

Reply from Charlotte Whyatt, Marketing and Communications Executive at Spencers Wood Day Nursery

Hi, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We take great pride in having such an enthusiastic, caring team who are dedicated to ensuring each child feels safe and happy in our nursery environment. Our app is a great tool which gives families an insight into their little one’s time at nursery and their continued development.


Facilities / Outside Space

Learning

Resources / Equipment / ICT

Care

Activities

Staff

Food / Nutrition

Management

Cleanliness

Safeguarding

Value for Money

Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.794)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.794) out of 10 for Spencers Wood Day Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 19 Reviews in the last 24 months.

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

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

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

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

    The Average Rating of 4.794 for Spencers Wood Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (202 Excellents x 5) + (16 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) + (5 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 228 Ratings = 4.794

  • 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 Spencers Wood Day Nursery is based on 18 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

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

    • ii) 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 90 number of registered child places is 18, which has been reached with 18 Positive reviews. Points = 1

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

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

Child Vacancies

Please Contact Us for Latest Vacancies

Awards / Recognitions (8)

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading

Loading events

Meet the Team (1)

Lauren

Lauren Heward

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Lauren has been working in childcare from the age of 17.


Starting her career as a student practitioner, she has worked in various settings across the south of the UK, gaining valuable experience from superiors. Lauren puts the knowledge and skills she has learned into achieving the best possible outcomes for the parents, children and staff under her responsibility. She has held managerial and managerial support positions over the last 7 years and takes pride in supporting her staff, and ensuring that the right tools are available to provide the highest quality care for children.


Frequently Asked Questions about Spencers Wood Day Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that Spencers Wood Day Nursery accepts?

Spencers Wood Day Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Spencers Wood Day Nursery Open?

Spencers Wood Day Nursery 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 Spencers Wood Day Nursery have capacity for?

Spencers Wood Day Nursery has capacity for a total of 90 Children.

How far is Spencers Wood Day Nursery to the centre of Reading?

4.3 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 Spencers Wood Day Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Spencers Wood Day Nursery has a Platinum Service – more info.