Day Nurseries Owned by Under the Willow Ltd

to stretch the settling-in period over two two-week spans, which was not feasible for us.
From the moment you walk through the gates, you are greeted by warm, smiling faces who embrace your child as if they were their own. My biggest worry was whether he would be comforted and cuddled if he became upset. Suffice it to say, he has received all the love and care we hoped for.
The team has a great understanding of child development, and they engage the children in incredible activities. My little boy loves going to nursery and sometimes even refuses to leave. I can breathe easy knowing he is in kind, nurturing hands with Marta leading the team! We highly recommend this nursery!

which is a great help.
We were particularly happy with the insightful comments about our daughter at the parent/teacher meeting which showed how well her key worker has gotten to know her.
The days have been so full for her, she has never come home overstimulated or overtired but has added a good 30 mins to her wake up time since starting!
Thanks to all the staff for their care and hard work.

each day and I am reassured in the day with updates and photos through the app. The food is freshly prepared on site, visits are made to forest school regularly and the garden has a lovely atmosphere with many activities for the children. Indoor learning is fun and informative. My son loves to come home with his baking and artwork to show us. We highly recommend this nursery to any new parent!

the extra mile to make everything feel special, not just for the children but for the parents too, with thoughtful touches like handmade cards for Mother's Day that create lasting memories. The food is freshly prepared on site every day, which gives us real peace of mind. The outdoor space is fantastic, with everything a child could wish for - sandpit, slides, swings, even a little botanical garden. We're constantly impressed by how much effort the staff put in and how much our child learns and grows while having so much fun.

and thrive since joining. It is a unique opportunity, especially in a big city.
We can see how the children are getting way more in terms of education, learning valuable skills on top of all the things required by the regular Early Years Foundation Framework. On top of that, the staff is incredibly helpful, providing continuity with whatever we do at home. We started toilet training a week ago now, and the School Outdoors has been extremely supportive.
Long story short, this place is great. If we have any more children, we won't hesitate to send them to the School Outdoors. If anything, we wish our little one would never have to leave!

joyful way.
The environment is nurturing, warm and genuinely caring. The staff are not only passionate about what they do, but they're also genuinely interested in each child. They're always happy, welcoming and ready to engage. If I ever need help or have questions, they've been nothing short of brilliant.
And for anyone wondering, "Don't the children get cold?". It's not the cold you need to think about, it's the wet! Invest in the proper kit (Didrikson's/POP technical gear) and your child will thrive outdoors in all weathers. As the saying goes, there's no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
We feel incredibly lucky to be part of this community.

with pre-schoolers. In the year that we have been here, there has been no staff changes (apart from maternity cover). We feel that they have really got to know our daughter and supported her development. She loves all of them, which wasn't the case at previous places.

seem to have wonderfully creative ideas to capture the children's imagination. I would thoroughly recommend this to any parent.

kind and empathetic boy who has a thirst for learning and exploring - and the team have played a huge part in shaping the wonderful person he has grown to be over the last 4yrs.
The entire team (management and all teachers) have also gone above and beyond to offer support to me as a parent. Their care extends beyond the child and they build a brilliant and supportive relationship with the whole family.
It's been a total pleasure to have Under The Willow be such a positive and lasting part of my son's early years education and we will miss them all dearly.

has been key in making them feel safe and secure. We have been really pleased with their development and the way their confidence has grown, the communication from the staff has been good and the extra activities of forest school, football, baking and trips to the park have been great. They have also made some wonderful friends which helped our eldest transition well into school and I hope will be the same for our youngest in September. We would definitely recommend our experience to others.

for a child born in a city. I love that the kids there need to use their imagination to find toys or build them from sticks. They are able to enjoy an 'analogue' childhood, where camaraderie and teamwork are key and freedom of thought is encouraged.
The staff are very kind and know each child and their needs well. It is a lot like a summer camp that lasts all year round (although without the weather!). The bonfire pancakes and hot chocolate will surely remain a fond memory forever.
My son attended for 3 days a week and I am very sad his adventure with the Forrest School is now over. In the era of screens and social media, it is a great alternative for our kids.

exploring and socialising. I honestly could go on and on about how incredible this nursery is! The teachers are experienced and clearly enjoy their work and spending time with the children.

dynamic way. The staff are exceptional - professional, warm, and genuinely passionate about their roles, which really enhances the children's experience. A highlight was the beautifully organised graduation ceremony for the children leaving in September. It was a touching and memorable event that celebrated their achievements in such a special way. As a parent, I appreciate the nursery's openness and the quality of interactions the staff have with both the children and parents. I highly recommend this nursery for anyone looking for a nurturing and vibrant outdoor learning environment for their child.

they really enjoy the ability to be outside and play in the mud and rain and to enjoy the sunshine when it does come! Getting involved with such a wide variety of activities such as chopping wood, making fires for cooking on, understanding nature and helping to grow vegetables has helped him to learn a much wider range of skills (as well as the traditional learning of letters/numbers etc.), and he is very proud of telling us what he has been doing at the end of every day. The teachers are excellent, and keep us updated on our son's day via an app with lots of photos. His confidence has really grown over the time he has been there, and we are very pleased with our choice of nursery.

proper gear and decent wellies. Don't waste your time/money on rubbish gear as you'll eventually end up buying the good warm/dry stuff. Secondhand is fine - The kids rarely get sick as they're not cooped up inside! The staff are lovely and engaging. The kids go cycling on Mondays and were all riding normal bikes by the age of 3 - simply brilliant. The kids do drawing, colouring, arts and crafts, sawing, peeling, chopping, gardening, nature walks, and day trips, and all love nature, bugs, and mud. They are now fearless about bad weather! The kids are now all super adventurous and confident. There's a good bunch of parents (and social media groups of course)!

of the activities and the way the school gets them to engage with nature and living outdoors.
We couldn't recommend it more.

have benefited enormously. Thank you to all the staff that make this haven of children being children the unique place that it is.

beautiful - tucked away behind tons of trees and greenery, the kids get to do different things every day. The winters can be tough - more so for the adults than kids, our son was fine but the laundry and pickups are a bit more complex in the dark / mud (but this all comes with the territory of forest school). I wish there were primary schools in the area that followed the forest school curriculum because it really is amazing and our son is so happy, confident and sleeps like a dream after all day outdoors.