Willow Pre-School

A light-filled church hall, a carpeted room for quieter gatherings and gardens on two sides give Willow Pre-School a recognisable character. This West Bridgford setting uses age-based groups within a shared hall environment. The combination gives children space for active play and a smaller setting for stories.

At its September 2025 inspection, Ofsted rated Willow Good and found its safeguarding effective, with learning supported by familiar routines and positive relationships. There were also two clear improvement priorities: making large-group activities engaging for every child and strengthening communication with other early years settings that children attend.

Willow has capacity for 50 children in total, while its own operating limit is up to 30 children across its two age groups at any one time. These are different measures. The children attending in September 2025 were aged 2 to 4; morning, afternoon and full-day attendance are offered during school term time.

Rooms and Ages

The main hall has plentiful daylight, while a smaller, carpeted room accommodates stories and registration. Outdoors, a fenced play space and patio sit beside the building; behind it, a garden combines grass, paving and established trees that provide summer shade. These are useful contrasts: children have space to move, somewhere softer for group gatherings and outdoor surfaces suited to different kinds of play.

Children are divided into two groups by age. The shared environment is an important part of the choice here: families are choosing a hall-based pre-school with two age-based groups.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage shapes the play-based sessions, covering seven areas of learning and development. In everyday terms, learning happens through play and conversation as well as activities led by adults. Singing, stories, outdoor play and group gatherings form part of the session mix.

In September 2025, mathematical learning included recognising shapes on toy cars and counting on fingers. Garden conversations introduced vocabulary through things children could see, including worms moving into soil. The value lies in connecting an idea with an object or experience, rather than treating counting and language as isolated exercises.

Community experiences supplied another starting point. In September 2025, children discussed pictures of a local fair and had opportunities to learn about firefighters through a visit that included trying their uniform. Those examples connected conversations with familiar experiences and people who help others.

Outdoor and Community Life

Willow's annual events include a Children in Need cake sale and toy collections for the Great Notts Toy Appeal at its Christmas Carol Service. These give family participation a practical purpose, combining celebration with support for others.

A Teddy Bears' Picnic and an outing planned for the summer term add different shared experiences. The outing is a planned part of that term, rather than a promise of frequent trips. Within the setting, the two outdoor areas make outdoor play part of the ordinary session offer.

Relationships and Communication

Every child has a key person who observes their learning and plans both adult-led activities and opportunities within everyday play. Parents are encouraged to have a 10-minute conversation with that person each term. This gives families a regular opportunity to discuss progress and contribute their own understanding of their child.

A newsletter goes out each half term, and Parent Evenings provide another point of contact. In September 2025, staff also shared photographs and written observations with families. Together, these arrangements connect the child's experiences at pre-school with conversations at home.

The practitioner team holds NVQ level 3 qualifications, with senior supervisors qualified at NVQ level 6. The practical relationship for a family remains the key person: an identified member of staff who follows the child's interests and development.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

A designated SENCO and Language Lead can work with parents, the child's key person and other professionals. At the September 2025 inspection, Ofsted found that children with SEND were supported well through adapted communication, staff training and targets developed with professionals. This is a specific account of support, rather than a blanket promise about meeting every need.

In September 2025, staff sometimes sang instructions to help children understand what to do, and helped children identify feelings and their causes. Cooperation was practised through shared equipment, including a see-saw, while taking turns on tricycles gave waiting a concrete purpose.

At that time, staff provided nutritious food and drinks and used food puzzles and conversations to explore healthy eating. They also met teachers to pass on information when children moved to school. Communication with other early years settings was less effective, however, which matters for children dividing their week between providers.

Sessions and Attendance

Willow operates Monday to Friday during school term time. Morning Session runs from 9am to 12pm, Lunch Club from 12pm to 1pm, and Afternoon Session from 1pm to 4pm. Full-day attendance is also offered, alongside flexibility in the pattern of sessions a family books.

Lunch Club sits between the morning and afternoon sessions, but it is outside the funded offer and carries a charge covering rent and staffing. Families comparing shorter sessions with a day spanning lunchtime should factor that distinction into their arrangements.

The waiting list follows birth-date order. Dropping sessions without notice can result in four weeks' fees being charged in lieu; fees also remain payable during absence unless sickness is prolonged, usually beyond three weeks. These terms make the regular booking pattern an important commitment.

Getting There

The address is St Paul's Church Hall, Boundary Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7DB. Enquiries can be made through the main telephone line or the admissions email contact.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare includes 15 hours per week from the term after a child's third birthday, with 30 hours funding for some eligible families and funding for eligible two-year-olds whose circumstances meet the criteria. Funded attendance follows the term-time operation, and entitlements remain subject to availability.

Private sessions and full days are charged, with fees payable termly. Consumables carry no additional charge. Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation; the sessions and fees page sets out the charging structure.

• Shared spaces and age groups. Willow uses two age-based groups within a hall setting and accepts up to 30 children at once. At a visit, ask how the hall and smaller room are organised around your child's stage and the sessions you would use.
• Large-group learning. In September 2025, some children became distracted during whole-group activities. Ask how staff now plan these gatherings so children can participate and benefit.
• A week shared between providers. September 2025 brought an improvement priority around exchanging information with other early years settings. Families using more than one provider should discuss how observations and learning priorities are shared.
• Term-time attendance and lunchtime charges. Sessions operate during school terms, and Lunch Club is charged outside the funded offer. Consider whether that calendar and the lunchtime arrangement fit your family's working week.

Willow suits families seeking morning sessions, afternoon sessions or full-day attendance within a term-time calendar. Its strongest practical attractions are the age-based groups, the contrasting indoor spaces and the two outdoor areas, supported by a key-person arrangement and regular opportunities for parent conversations.

The September 2025 Good judgement gives a positive overall assessment, with specific reservations about whole-group engagement and communication across settings. For a child sharing their week between providers, that second point deserves particular attention. For families comfortable with a shared hall environment, Willow offers a clear combination of play, outdoor activity and community events.