Westview Day Nursery

A Georgian house in Bradford on Avon provides the base; Victory Fields, Barton Farm and woodland give Westview Day Nursery a day that extends beyond its walls. The double-fronted, three-storey building is a concrete part of its character, but the stronger draw is the combination of outdoor exploration, practical learning and a carefully planned introduction to nursery life.

At its March 2024 inspection, Ofsted rated Westview Good, found safeguarding effective and judged that children made good progress across the areas of learning, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Westview accepts children from 3 months, with an upper age of 60 months. Morning, afternoon and full-day sessions provide different attendance patterns within a longer weekday opening window.

Learning and Activities

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the learning and care framework: children develop language, early mathematical understanding, physical skills and relationships through experiences such as stories, construction, imaginative play and handling materials. Westview and Shambles share additional curriculum approaches, including an environment inspired by Reggio Emilia, which uses open-ended resources and collaborative play to encourage children to explore their own ideas.

Discovery learning makes that approach tangible. Children experiment with model volcanoes rather than only hearing an explanation, while recurring geographical journeys return to topics and build on earlier understanding. Adults support the learning rather than organise every step for the child.

The shared STEM approach, covering science, technology, engineering and mathematics, also starts with investigation. Making playdough introduces changes in texture and the effects of cooking; torches and light boxes invite exploration of light and shadow. Children can form an idea, test it and consider what happened. These are concrete ways to bring problem-solving into play.

For preschool children, the shared Mathletes programme introduces number, shape, quantity and mathematical language through games and small-group activities. Ginger uses a bear to support conversations about emotions, health, kindness and independence in preparation for school. These additions address different needs: one develops early numeracy, while the other gives children practice in expressing themselves and managing everyday responsibilities.

In March 2024, children explored quantities by counting scoops of sand into containers and used number and shape while making scones. Stories and nursery rhymes supported language, and younger children practised signs to communicate their needs. Learning was woven into activity rather than reserved for a formal lesson.

Outdoor and Community Life

Victory Fields and Barton Farm are used daily for exploration and play. Weekly Forest School takes place in the Country Park and woodlands throughout the year, including wet weather. The shared Forest School approach gives children sustained outdoor time to investigate, balance, climb and make decisions with adult support.

In March 2024, children joined the town's annual pancake race, attended swimming lessons and visited the library; a market outing combined bread shopping with finding out how bread is made. These experiences connected children's learning with familiar places and people.

Relationships and Communication

Settling starts before the first regular nursery day. A month before a child's start date, a meet-and-greet introduces the family to the team leader and their child's keyworker; two weeks of settling sessions then follow without charge. Parents can remain for as long as they wish, and daily feedback with photographs accompanies those sessions. That gives the family a gradual introduction to the adults providing care.

The shared Now and Next approach uses visual cards to divide routines and instructions into manageable steps. Children take turns choosing the next cards, giving them an active role in transitions. For a child who finds a spoken sequence difficult to follow, a visual next step offers a more concrete way to understand what happens afterwards.

Five to Thrive is another shared approach, using building blocks and positive reinforcement to support emotional wellbeing.

At the March 2024 inspection, Ofsted found that staff understood children's starting points and next steps, used this knowledge to address gaps in learning, and maintained strong relationships with parents. In March 2024, younger children sought adults for help while exploring, and toddlers and preschool children discussed feelings and the effect of their behaviour on others. This joined individual learning with emotional support.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Chefs at both settings prepare fresh seasonal food, with three hot meals during the day or a picnic when children attend an offsite activity; family-style serving encourages children to help themselves. The allergy procedure uses a specific bowl and a photograph to identify a child's meal, with additional staff presence prioritised at mealtimes.

Children also take part in cooking each week. Older children can help prepare vegetables for meals, making food preparation part of their learning as well as something adults do for them. This reinforces the practical independence seen elsewhere in the day.

Sessions and Attendance

The address is 35 St. Margaret's Street, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, BA15 1DW. Opening hours are 7am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, across the year, except bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year.

Morning sessions begin no later than 9am and finish at 1pm; afternoons run from 1pm to 5pm. Full-day sessions begin no later than 9am and finish at 5pm. The distinction matters when planning work and collection: the session finishing time is earlier than the nursery's closing time.

An expression-of-interest form starts the joining process, followed by a tour arranged with the admissions team. Registration forms and terms follow the tour, and a registration charge is payable after confirmation. For a family leaving after their child has started, notice is three months from the beginning of the month, with fees payable during the notice period.

Funding and Paid Extras

Funded childcare is offered on a stretched basis over 51 weeks. The offer includes 30-hour funding for eligible families with children aged 9–23 months or 2–3 years, and 15-hour funding for children aged 3 and over, with a further 15 hours for eligible families. Age-specific funding starts in the term following the relevant birthday or the term after a child turns nine months; eligibility conditions apply.

Private fees include meals, snacks, baby formula, nappies and other consumables, plus trips and activities except swimming. Funded sessions have separate charges for meals and snacks, consumables, and applicable activities and enhancements; swimming is arranged and charged separately. Families opting out of the charging policy are offered an attempt to arrange alternative days or hours when additional charges do not apply, rather than a guaranteed matching timetable.

Current prices come in the nursery's written quotation. The fees page sets out the session and notice terms; the funded-hours charge structure needs to be considered separately from the inclusions in private fees.

• Language in group activities. In March 2024, older children did not consistently have equal chances to offer ideas, and adults sometimes used imprecise vocabulary with the youngest children. During a visit, ask how these two improvement points shape current conversations and small-group work.
• Outdoor participation. Weekly Forest School runs throughout the year, alongside daily use of Victory Fields and Barton Farm. Discuss how your child's age and routines fit these outings, and what clothing they will need.
• Funded attendance and commitment. Funded sessions carry separate charges, opting out can involve different days or hours, and leaving after starting requires three months' notice from the beginning of the month. Request a written quotation for your intended pattern, including extras and the cancellation terms.
• Food allergies. Meals are identified using a specific bowl and a child's photograph. Families managing allergies should confirm current preparation and serving arrangements before their child starts.

Westview suits families seeking morning sessions, afternoon sessions or full days, especially those who value regular outdoor exploration and practical learning. Daily local outings, weekly Forest School and shared programmes such as Mathletes give substance to that offer; the gradual settling process gives the start of nursery equal attention.

The March 2024 Good judgement provides a positive dated assessment, with specific language-development improvements to weigh alongside it. The other decision is contractual: funded-hour extras and a substantial notice period make the written attendance quotation an essential part of choosing Westview.