Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet)

1-3 Orchard Road, Barnet EN5 2HL
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9.8 100 Reviews
  • Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet), Barnet
Woodlands Day Nursery is a beautiful property, converted to create a 77 place day nursery of the highest quality.

Friendly and well-established, Woodlands provides a happy, sociable environment where every child is treated as an individual.

Much of the character of the building has been retained to provide spacious and interesting rooms with first class facilities. There are many sensory areas where the children can explore using all their senses.

The outdoor areas at Woodlands have been designed to encourage the children to explore holistically. It incorporates a covered area for babies to allow them to safely discover and investigate, whether they are crawling or walking.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Melina Koulakis (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 46

Total Places for Children

  • 76

Age Range

  • from 2 months
  • to 5 years

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & Inset Days

Parking

  • There are a few bays on Orchard Road that are pay and display. Most parents park on the road next to the nursery, Elm Road, and put their hazards on. The nursery provides parents a sign in their car to state they are dropping or collecting.

Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) Reviews (100)

9.8

Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) has a Review Score of 9.8 (9.801) out of 10, based on 18 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) has 100 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet)
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Total of 100, showing 1-20
Review from J K (Father of Child) published on 10 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The team at Woodlands are extraordinarily caring and make my son's two days a week there an absolute joy. He eats well, enjoys his play and is always happy at the end of the day. I am always impressed by the amount of personal feedback about him I get from staff at the end of what must feel like a very
long day for them!
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Review from R S (Mother of Child) published on 4 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
As a first-time parent, I was naturally anxious about leaving my child in someone else's care. But from the very beginning, the team at the nursery made me feel completely at ease. What stood out to me the most was how genuinely they cared for my child-not just in words, but through every thoughtful
action and detail. Every concern I had, no matter how small, was listened to with such attentiveness and care. It's clear that this is a place where children's safety, development, and emotional well-being are deeply valued. Knowing that my child is not only safe, but also nurtured and supported to grow, has been the greatest relief which I'm truly grateful for. This nursery feels like an extension of our family-a warm, welcoming space where I feel understood, and my child is seen, heard, and loved.
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Review from Sara N (Mother of Child) published on 20 October 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Woodlands has been so much better than I had hoped. I had to take my daughter from 6 months old- doing very long hours. However, the staff at Woodlands really took the time to ease that for me. The settling in period was way longer than any other nursery I've seen and to be completely honest, I needed
those settling sessions so that I could feel confident and ready to leave her with strangers! The Caterpillar team have been incredible: they supply the nappies, buy brand new bottles in the brand I chose and then bought new teat sizes when I did and supplied the formula I wanted. I get given a list of the food she's eaten, types of nappies and amount of milk. They also send me pictures daily which makes my day! My daughter is an excellent eater, as the catering team give such a range of foods and supported me to introduce different foods into her diet. The staff are always smiling, kind and understanding. I've never felt judged even if we both looked a bit bedraggled in the morning!
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Review from M K (Mother of Child) published on 14 August 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My oldest has been attending Woodlands for nearly 4 years. Woodlands has been like a second home to him, and he has truly flourished there. The staff take the time to get to know each child and are wonderful at engaging and interacting with them. He always talks fondly about his day, which is a testament
to how much he enjoys being there.


I've seen some comments about there not being enough online photos/updates, and while this may be true, I personally feel it's because the staff are focused on interacting with and caring for the children rather than documenting every moment-which is something I value.


My 9 month old has just started in the baby room and I'm amazed at how calm and nurturing the baby room is. The staff have been fantastic, particularly as my little one has struggled with separation anxiety. They've been incredibly patient and supportive, arranging settling-in sessions and helping him adjust.He's already becoming more comfortable, and I have no doubt he will love it.

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Review from S R (Mother of Child) published on 7 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
We're very happy with our time at the nursery. The staff have built lovely bonds with the twins and it's clear they care deeply about their wellbeing/development. Although there have been several changes in their key worker, the transitions have been handled with care and professionalism.The activities
are creative and engaging. We appreciate the use of sensory play, which keeps the children stimulated/excited to learn through fun, hands-on experiences.Our main feedback relates to the nursery's safeguarding approach. While we fully understand and support the importance of safeguarding, we've noticed a significant increase in the level of caution compared to when our eldest attended.At times it can feel like the nursery is overly focused on covering itself, even for very minor incidents.Having energetic twins who play rough at times has meant a few bumps and scrapes, which we accept as part of their development. Overall, we grateful for the care and attention and recommend the nursery.
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Review from T J (Mother of Child) published on 1 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We've been enjoying our time at Woodlands. I say "we" as how happy/unhappy your child is impacts the whole family. We took our time looking for the right nursery for our son so much so that when we found Woodlands Barnet he was 15 months old. When he started he was quite reserved and would take his
time to warm to new things. A couple of months after starting, his personality really started to shine through - he is outgoing, loves being outside, always up for an activity, and has been growing rapidly in his speech and ability to do things independently. The Woodlands Barnett team are warm and welcoming, they are attentive to your child's needs and development, and make the effort to offer tangible support in recommendations and accommodating changes to routine as your child develops. Our son has now outgrown the room he started in and the team were quick to notice his readiness and put plans in place to transition him to the next stage room.
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Review from B P (Mother of Child) published on 29 April 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of our children have attended Woodlands Nursery over the past few years, and we couldn't be more grateful for the wonderful experience they've had. The staff are wonderful, warm, and caring - and it's clear how much they genuinely care about the children. We've watched both our daughter and son
flourish during their time there, growing in confidence, curiosity, and happiness. Saying goodbye is bittersweet, as Woodlands has felt like a second home. We'll miss it dearly and can't thank the team enough for the incredible start they've given our little ones.
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Review from T F (Father of Child) published on 28 April 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child started at Woodlands Barnet in Caterpillars during September of 2024 and I've only good things to say. He is thriving more than we could've ever hoped and comes in smiling everyday, excited for the day ahead. The team keeps us updated regularly with how he's doing within himself and his development.
The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and are on hand to help at all times. Our child has created amazing bonds with the staff, even those who are not based in his room due to the effort that they all put in throughout the setting.
The quality of activities is outstanding and the children are always engaged with various types of play, both inside and outside in their spacious garden.
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Review from Faisel C (Father of Child) published on 28 April 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
From the initial discussion on the phone, the first visit to actually enrolling our baby into the caterpillars room, everything has been nothing short of excellent in all regards.


There is a very good ambience as soon as you walk into the building from the reception all the way to the baby's room,

The staff are very friendly and professional and know all of the children's names even if not based in their own rooms.


Cannot recommend the nursery enough to any parent who is considering using it. The regular updates and the learning that takes place even at a young age, is clearly seen both in and out of the nursery.


Keep up the great work everyone!

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Review from J P (Father of Child) published on 4 April 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5
Woodlands takes great care of our daughter, and we feel that it is an exceptional place where she is embraced. She has really enjoyed her time there and has been excited to tell us what she has done that day on our way home. The staff are all lovely, though the staffing was a little dynamic and we felt
uneasy when her key person changed.
They give us photos on the app, which is always appreciated, but we would be even happier if more photos could be shared - for example, at least once a week.
Reply from Melina Koulakis, Nursery Manager at Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet)
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. We're delighted to hear that your daughter is enjoying her time at Woodlands Day Nursery. Unfortunately, changes within the staff team can…read more
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Review from R O (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been very happy with our experience of Woodlands. The staff are very caring and communicate very well with us at drop off and pick up.
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Review from C A (Mother of Child) published on 10 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our eldest daughter has been going to Woodlands for over a year now and our youngest just started. The whole Woodlands team is extremely friendly and has the interests of the children at heart. Everybody is very attentive and this brings a strong peace of mind to us, parents, knowing our children are
very well looked after, in a lovely and safe environment. We love the garden is in free access in the summer. We can see our children's development and learning progress, as well as the good manners that are being taught. Furthermore, we have observed little staff turnover compared to other nurseries, which provides continuity to the families.
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Review from J C (Father of Child) published on 6 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Recently, we needed some extra support via a large number of additional days which the nursery luckily had available. Communication and arrangement with the team was a breeze. But the best thing of all, was how our child has revelled and excelled in her additional days spent at the nursery with the
team and her friends! Our daughter loves it and we love picking her up, talking to the team to find out about her day and chatting to our lil legs all the way home, about all the fun she has had there. Thank you team, also for all the recent updates, they are totally awesome! Thank you!
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Review from Annwen B (Mother of Child) published on 26 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter started at Woodlands in January 2024, and I can't begin to express how happy we have been. We have seen her absolutely blossom and develop. The fondness she has for all the staff is clearly reflected on her smiling face, she sometimes doesn't even want to leave when I collect her. I can't
say thank you enough!
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Review from J M (Mother of Child) published on 24 May 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have had an excellent experience with Woodlands Barnet. The settling-in process was great. Everyone was very supportive and made what could have been a very difficult transition really easy. They understood what a hard adjustment it was, which really helped. There is a lovely atmosphere in the nursery
and my little one is really enjoying being there and getting involved in all the lovely activities they have.
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Review from Louise H (Mother of Child) published on 20 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Wonderful nursery - both my children have flourished under the care of the brilliant staff. Woodlands is a lovely, warm setting with lots of fun and educational activities for the children to take part in. The staff are wonderful and the care they provide my children is second to none!
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Review from A H (Mother of Child) published on 6 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Woodlands Barnet is a great nursery. My 4-year-old and 2-year-old both attend the nursery, and both have settled really nicely and feel excited to attend. There are so many learning opportunities for them, and they both talk about their friends. They really love their teachers, they have been very nurturing
and all genuinely very caring. They often have many activities to develop their social and emotional skills and they always spend time playing out in the lovely garden. In the preschool room, my son has learnt a lot and there are plenty of opportunities to learn about phonics and numbers. We have had a very helpful process so far thinking about transitioning to school, and Woodlands has been very supportive in this. Would highly recommend!
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Review from Ophelia R (Mother of Child) published on 10 January 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been in the Bumblebees room since Sept 2023. We initially were worried about him being in a larger setting, compared to his previous nursery, but there are plenty of staff around, so each child can have the attention that is required. We like that there is free flow between the room and
the garden (particularly in the warmer weather), as our son loves being outdoors. There are a good range of activities and the meals sound healthy and tasty! The entire team are so friendly and welcoming, it really feels that each child is a part of the Woodlands family. Staff work with parents to help children work on various skills and milestones - and run events to raise money for charity, which helps build the community spirit. Our only improvement would be more updates via the app: We'd love more photos of what our son gets up to! However, we understand that it is a balance between staff being present at the moment for the children and being able to take photos.
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Review from L C (Mother of Child) published on 9 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Woodlands has looked after our daughter really nicely.
She has just moved from Ladybirds to Bumblebees, so this review relates to her time in Ladybirds. At the start of her time in Ladybirds, the staffing was a little dynamic, with lots of recruitment and shuffling of staff between rooms, and changes
of key person. That seems to have settled out in the last few months, allowing our daughter to feel more settled and confident with the adults caring for her (this was important during potty training). The current staff are better at giving us updates and photos on the app, which is always appreciated (although there is room for them to increase this further). They do lots of activities, including time in the garden, and lots of messy play. They have really encouraged our daughter to make friends, and she has been happy and well looked after during her time at Woodlands in Ladybirds room.
The management team are responsive and easy to contact.
Reply from Melina, Nursery Manager at Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet)
Thank you so much for your kind comments and for taking the time to review our nursery. Parent feedback is vital to our efforts to continuously improve the nursery experience. With regard to…read more
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Review from Pratheeshaa M (Mother of Child) published on 6 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is in the Ladybirds room at this nursery- she has really enjoyed her time there and comes back excited to tell us everything she has done. The nursery staff are all lovely and I was able to call in the initial phases and ensure my child was okay- which was reassuring for me.
I am happy
with the care provided by the nursery and do feel my daughter really enjoys her time there.
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Current Review Score: 9.8 (9.801)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.8 (9.801) out of 10 for Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 18 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 17 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:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.801 for Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) is calculated as follows: ( (183 Excellents x 5) + (25 Goods x 4) + (6 Satisfactorys x 3) + (2 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 216 Ratings = 4.801
  2. 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 Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) is based on 17 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 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
    2. 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 76 number of registered child places is 15.2, which has been reached with 17 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. 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.

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Awards / Recognitions (19)

Meet the Team (1)

Melina

Melina Koulakis

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2003

I am the manager of Woodlands Barnet. I joined Childbase 20 years ago and have a Level 4 qualification in childcare. I have over 20 years of experience in Early Years.


What is your favourite feature of Woodlands?
Lovely team, great outdoor facilities and a 'home from home' environment.


What are you most proud of about your nursery/team?
Watching how much it has grown and developed over the years.

Frequently Asked Questions about Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet)

What is the Age Range of Children that Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) accepts?

Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) accepts Children aged from 2 months to 5 years.

What Days & Hours is Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) Open?

Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) is open: Monday 07:30-18:30, Tuesday 07:30-18:30, Wednesday 07:30-18:30, Thursday 07:30-18:30, Friday 07:30-18:30.

How many Children does Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) have capacity for?

Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) has capacity for a total of 76 Children.

How far is Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) to the centre of Barnet?

0.0 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 Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Woodlands Day Nursery (Barnet) has an Enhanced Service - more info.