West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester)

Romsey Road, Winchester SO22 5HT
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9.9 119 Reviews
  • West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester), Winchester
A purpose built day nursery, specified by Childbase to the highest quality standard. Friendly and well-established, West Downs provides a happy, sociable environment where every child is treated as an individual.

The nursery has four main bright and colourful playrooms for individual age groups with additional sleeping areas. Outside is a secure, fully enclosed garden with a well-equipped soft tarmac playground and a lawned area which includes a digging and planting area and a sensory path for exploration.

The nursery also organises regular outings as a means of extending the children's vocabulary and understanding.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Ren Norman-Greer (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 26

Total Places for Children

  • 68

Age Range

  • from 0 years 2 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

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

  • Drop off bay directly outside of the nursery.

West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) Reviews (119)

9.9

West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.896) out of 10, based on 20 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) has 119 reviews.

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Reviewer Connection to West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester)
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Total of 119, showing 81-100
Review from L B (Mother of Child) published on 21 August 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We couldn’t be happier with choice of childcare for our children. Management and staff are very approachable, informative and take the time to reassure us whenever we have any questions or concerns. After a couple of emotional weeks of settling in, (which was to be expected) our children now happily
set off each morning with a spring in their step heading to nursery! And every evening they excitedly tell us what they’ve been up to during the day. Activities are varied and educationally focused, which is important to us, just as much as free play which they get plenty of in the outdoor space. Food can be hit or miss and we do find that they are ravenous when they get home, so not sure if portions are on the smaller side - but it could just be that ours are greedy! Overall really happy with the setting and would happily recommend.
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Review from Carmen C (Mother of Child) published on 2 August 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Overall we have been very pleased with the staff and educational approach in West Downs. Our son has thoroughly enjoyed all the activities, games, reading time and sports (rugby tots) that have been offered. Staff are warm, kind and professional. Management has always been very responsive to the minor
concerns or requests that we have made. Our son has not always been keen of all the food options in the menu but we think this might also obey to cultural differences/preferences. I am sure our son will miss his time in West Downs very much.
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Review from Ana G (Mother of Child) published on 1 August 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have always found the staff at West Downs very approachable and friendly. My children both have enjoyed their time there. I really felt they went the extra mile when we were having some family difficulties and even sourced books for us to help my children deal with difficult concepts.
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Review from D P (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
All our children have been through West Downs from as young as 7 months to school age and we couldn’t consider any other form of care. They are extremely comfortable in the West’s Downs environment - from their carers, friends to management and, importantly, as parents, we are very comfortable with
and confident in the level of care and attention the kids have during their days at nursery. They play well, eat well, learn and enjoy themselves. Which makes a good day for everyone! I highly recommend the nursery to anyone interested in sending their children there.
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Review from Sophie G (Mother of Child) published on 6 June 2018 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have been incredibly impressed with the professionalism, friendliness and welcome that we have received from all staff since joining the nursery. Everyone has taken the time to get to know our boys and as a result, they settled in extremely quickly.
There are on-going enrichment activities for everyone
to get involved with and their communication is excellent! I can't fault it!
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Review from Emily L (Mother of Child) published on 23 May 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has struggled with settling in but the staff have been excellent at accommodating her and assisting her to settle. The activities and the learning opportunities are fantastic. The all-inclusive approach means I don't have to worry about bringing anything into nursery in the mornings. All
in all, we are very happy with West Down's as a nursery for our daughter!
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Review from Helen S (Mother of Child) published on 23 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My 2 year old has been attending West Downs Day Nursery since he was 7 months old and he is extremely happy there. The current team in Ladybirds room are brilliant - he has gone from being very reluctant for me to leave him in the morning just a few months ago, to not even wanting to leave at home time.
It is obvious the staff take a real interest in each child as an individual. Recently, he has started doing RugbyTots, which the staff recognised was something that he would personally find extremely enjoyable.
Concerns are always listened to by the management team when they are brought to their attention.
In the interests of providing a balanced review, there are a couple of minor shortfalls relating to food choice (my son is not particularly fussy, I would say this may not be the case for all - some of the options are quite 'interesting'!), and also the learning journey app where often observations are not published/approved for a long time and there are often not regular updates on there.
Reply from Lyndsey Burns, Nursery Manager at West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester)
Thank you for your review, we are continually working on areas and welcome your honest feedback. Our new menu is purposefully diverse and seeks to encourage healthy eating from day one so the children…read more
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Review from Gemma L (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot speak highly enough of West Downs Day Nursery. From the very 1st meeting when looking for our chosen nursery for our son, the staff were welcoming and extremely professional.
Their warmth along with the impeccable appearance of the nursery made my husband and I instantly feel like this was
the nursery for our child. They have gone on to prove that this was the right decision. They have a keen interest in our son's development and make conscious efforts to report this back to us.
Our son has been attending just one day a week for 8 months now and it is clear that he thoroughly enjoys himself and feels very comfortable being there with the staff and the other children.
We are very happy that we chose West Downs - and hope to increase his days at some point.
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Review from Maria N (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended West Downs Day Nursery since the age of one, three days a week. Currently in the bubble bees room and extremely happy and looks forward to going into nursery. The staff members in the room have been brilliant and supported us through potty training. Each evening on collection
they will update you on your child's day, explaining what they have been doing, eaten - how much etc. I couldn't ask for anymore. Every week we receive a memo via email and has all relevant information on there. Overall the staff and management team are amazing they are approachable, listen to views and give feedback. My child is happy so of course, I'm even happier as never used a nursery before. Thank you to all the team at West Downs :)
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Review from Chrisleen D (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
West Downs Nursery provides a fantastic learning environment for my children who both now attend. My eldest, who is now three, has been going since she was six months old - and absolutely loves it!
All room teams are brilliant and have such fantastic relationships with both the children and parents.
My 5-month-old has just started - and I have really been put at ease with her settling in - all thanks to the staff who provide a calm environment and strong settling in period.


The meals and activities are second to none - my 3-year-old loves coming home and telling me about her day. I highly recommend West Downs Nursery to anybody thinking of sending your little ones there - they will love it (and you will have such peace of mind knowing they are so well cared for)

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Review from Leanne (Mother of Child) published on 9 February 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
West Downs Day Nursery is a fantastic nursery. The whole team are kind, caring and attentive to the children in their care. They go above and beyond to provide the children with a stimulating learning environment and provide engaging activities from the moment the children arrive at the time they are
collected. They prepare the children well for transitions from room to room and from pre-school to school.
My son has attended West Downs since he was 7 months and he absolutely loves it! I feel confident to leave him in their care, knowing he will be safe, and this has supported me to continue with my career.
I would highly recommend West Downs Day nursery without reservation.
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Review from Gabriella D (Mother of Child) published on 2 February 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is attending the Butterflies room and she only recently turned 3. All the girls have been very helpful in making the transition to this room as smooth as possible. My daughter was not speaking any English when she started to attend the nursery and I am impressed on how in only 4 months she
can now speak and understand English as well as Italian and German (languages that we regularly speak at home).
They are preparing delicious food for the kids with a 4 weekly rotation in the menu.
I find the girls very nice and supportive. Each of them is showing genuine affection to my daughter and is very dedicated to helping her in developing her skills/personality.
The nurse gives you the possibility of swapping 3 sessions in a year without any charge, but only recently we found that out.
Also, they are using the Parentzone app where they are posting few photos and assessment of the child.
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Review from Sarah B (Mother of Child) published on 23 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
West Downs is a really lovely nursery and my daughter loves going there - she has so much fun. It's also made her more independent and she's made a lot of friends. The excellent staff do lots of activities and post up assessments and pictures for parents to see during their day. The hours are also great
for me when I'm travelling long distances with work, and the fact you can book half days and days often at late notice is also really convenient. A great nursery!
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Review from Susannah L (Mother of Child) published on 23 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have used West Downs for two years for our son and nearly one year for our daughter. We are very impressed with this nursery and the care they have given both children. The staff are attentive, caring and kind who show genuine love and interest in our children and their development. In both the Butterflies
(pre-school) room and Caterpillar (babies) room there have been the same staff for many years and the consistency this gives to the children is wonderful. It also shows how much they enjoy working with the children and the Childbase company. We are kept up to date on the children's activities and progress promptly and any suggestions or queries we have are dealt with quickly and competently. Any issues we have had, no matter how small, are dealt with sensitively and seriously. The management team are equally as excellent and their door is always open. It is a happy and caring environment and the food, facilities and service we get we are delighted with.
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Review from Hayley W (Mother of Child) published on 22 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I love the nursery my son is always happy to go in and sad to leave.. he loves all the ladies and men that he sees and they all make him feel welcome. They are a very friendly bunch and are like an extended family to us.
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Review from Vanessa (Mother of Child) published on 19 January 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I cannot speak more positively about this nursery. My daughter has been attending the nursery for a couple of months and it's been lovely to see how happy she is when I collect her that I know she is well looked after and learning each day. My daughter has come on incredibly well since starting and
we are very pleased to see her developing her skills, language and creativity through the many activities. The staff are vey approachable, friendly and enthusiastic about what they do. They are always happy to help and inform you of your child's progress.


I believe the fantastic manager and team of staff make this nursery so special.

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Review from Emma P (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Just wanted to say how impressed myself and my Mum are with the staff of West Downs Day Nursery.
We were waiting in the foyer to be picked up, and a man called the buzzer. A member of staff obviously didn’t recognise him, came to the door and let him in but asked for ID and checked with the room before
letting him get his Daughter (it was just a case of he hadn’t picked her up before).
Whilst it’s within the nursery policies to safeguard children, and what we all expect of a nursery, it was actually really reassuring to see it in action.
Although I already feel content and happy leaving my Children at West Downs, this has proved even more so what a fantastic nursery I chose for my children.
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Review from Rachel W (Mother of Child) published on 26 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is always wonderful looking after my daughter. They've helped her to develop her confidence and encouraged her speech which has been a bit delayed. We've always had a positive experience with them in terms of communication of issues and concerns, and they've been great at supporting her
ongoing medical needs.
The range of activities they offer for her to do, both outside in the garden and in her room are really good, and it gives us confidence that she's getting to experience a variety of things that we'd find difficult to do at home. It's always lovely to walk in and have the staff greet her by name, which makes us feel really special. Would highly recommend.
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Review from Emily B (Mother of Child) published on 16 October 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is fantastic, my son has learnt so much since being at the nursery. His speech has come on fantastically and is a very happy boy at nursery. The staff are lovely and he is always looked after.
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Review from Gabrielle B (Mother of Child) published on 27 September 2017 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This Nursery goes above and beyond my expectations, every day when I drop off or collect my child the staff are kind, friendly and show a great deal of care and affection towards my son. The changes in his development from having been at this nursery are profound, and his social skills are thoroughly
improved by being surrounded by other happy children and staff.
The facilities are superb, with so many indoor and outdoor activities, a lot of one-to-one attention as well as smaller group tasks. The catering staff prepare wonderful foods and have just as great a connection with the children, as the nursery practitioners.


I have nothing bad to say about this nursery, its staff, space or their facilities.
I will miss West Downs Day Nursery and hope to be back again soon so that my son can continue his developmental journey here, with such wonderful staff and children alike.


Thank you for the wonderful care and support!

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.896)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.896) out of 10 for West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 20 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 20 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 4.896 for West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) is calculated as follows: ( (215 Excellents x 5) + (25 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 240 Ratings = 4.896
  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 West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) is based on 20 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 68 number of registered child places is 13.6, which has been reached with 20 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 (18)

Meet the Team (1)

Ren

Ren Norman-Greer

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2016

Ren is the Manager of West Downs Day Nursery in Winchester and has a wealth of experience, having worked in Early Years since 2012, starting as an apprentice and progressing through to Nursery Manager. Ren holds a Level 3 qualification in Early Years, a Level 3 in SEND, and is also a Mental Health First Aider.


What is your favourite feature of your nursery?
My favourite feature of the nursery is our wooded area. It lends itself to endless amounts of imaginative play and creativity.


What are you most proud of about your team?
I am most proud of my team because they are the most kind and supportive people that always go above and beyond for anyone who needs it.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. West Downs Day Nursery (Winchester) has an Enhanced Service - more info.