Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City)

9 Guessens Road, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6QW
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9.9 92 Reviews
  • Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City), Welwyn Garden City
Rowan Tree day nursery is a happy nursery 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 is a discreet CCTV system which enables parents to view their children when they first settle into nursery life, and an intercom system for security.

Brightly decorated rooms provide children with the opportunity to grow and develop through a stimulating and sociable environment. The children can enjoy the outside in the spacious garden, stocked with a variety of equipment to promote all areas of their development with a secluded garden for babies with safety flooring. Rowan Tree has a fully qualified Forest school leader and has started a Forest School Programme with the pre-school children. They have also achieved their Green Flag Eco-Schools award four times now.

A friendly and enthusiastic staff team work together to ensure high-quality child care is provided.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Claire Ovenden (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 32

Total Places for Children

  • 75

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

  • Free parking is available onsite.

Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) Reviews (92)

9.9

Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.941) out of 10, based on 17 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) has 92 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City)
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Total of 92, showing 1-20
Review from Danielle S (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This is a fabulous nursery. They have looked after all 3 of our children since 2017 with incredible care. All of our children have gone on to start school with an amazing grounding of skills and confidence. The staff are lovely and take a real interest in each child; they get to know them as individuals
and make sure they are engaged in activities that interest and stimulate them.
We feel very lucky to have had our children in such a nurturing and supportive nursery. We would thoroughly recommend Rowan Tree to anyone!
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Review from Claire E (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Rowan Tree Nursery has given our daughter the best possible start in life, and we are so grateful. She has been there since 2021, starting under a year old, and I wish she could stay forever.
Every member of staff we have met has been incredible, and it is clear how much they care. Our daughter's time
has been filled with wonderful experiences, from forest school, and trips into London, to hatching ducklings, and she has learned so much along the way.
Communication is always clear, and the staff are approachable, knowledgeable, and accommodating. Rowan Tree has been a truly special part of our lives, and we will always remember it with huge gratitude and joy.
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Review from Sarah O (Mother of Child) published on 8 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have been at Caterpillars for the last 3mths. I am wholeheartedly impressed, they have worked really well as a team to help settle our daughter and helped her get through a big transition. Her point person has been absolutely fantastic, demonstrating incredible care and building a strong bond and
connection. She's clearly so happy with her - it's lovely to see how much fun, laughter, cuddles, and learning you bring into her day. You've made such a positive difference, and we're grateful to you and the wonderful team in Caterpillars.
We always get lovely updates from the staff members, including the office team, about her progress and what she's enjoyed during the day. It really feels like the whole team is connected and deeply in tune with the children, and I'm genuinely in awe of the amazing job they do.
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Review from Isabel W (Mother of Child) published on 5 September 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My baby has attended Rowan Tree for almost one year. I could not fault this nursery. They have left me really calm, confident and inspired. Every single individual I meet there goes above and beyond and takes pride in their job with the goal to do the absolute best for your baby. My baby and all the
babies I see are extremely happy and engaged. The food is excellent too. The admin is very professional. The free courses in behaviour and speech provided great information and advice, ensuring everyone had to the opportunity to raise a question or two. The overall impression is care before profit for the baby and parents.
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Review from H K (Father of Child) published on 3 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We're incredibly happy with this nursery! The staff are professional, kind, and truly caring towards the children. Both our son and daughter always goes with a smile and is clearly developing well. Communication is clear and thoughtful, and everything is very well organized.
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Review from Lisa E (Mother of Child) published on 20 May 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We couldn't be happier with Rowan and the amazing team at the nursery. Our eldest has been attending since 2022, and our youngest joined last year. We feel incredibly lucky to have our boys in such a nurturing, family-like environment. The thought that goes into learning, the attention to detail, and
the genuine care shown never go unnoticed. The staff are truly fantastic!
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Review from Katy F (Mother of Child) published on 16 May 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has now been attending Rowantree in their 'Caterpillars' room for 9 months and we could not be happier with the care and nurturing she has been receiving. We feel hugely positive about every aspect of Rowantree. The staff in the room clearly know our daughter and do whatever they can to
provide her with individual care and support - from shifting and tailoring her naps, making sure she is well fed (she's a hungry girl) to supporting her development through a really varied programme of activities. We have seen excellent development in our daughter, in her communication (speech and sign language), hand eye coordination, mobility and social interactions - a huge amount of which we attribute to her time spent at nursery. Our interactions with all the staff at Rowantree are always positive. Staff in the office are super helpful and always very welcoming. The nursery also organises a large number of events and activities for families which are brilliant!
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Review from C W (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been attending Rowan Tree Nursery for a little while, and we've had a really positive experience. From the start, the staff have been welcoming, and it's clear they care about the children. My daughter enjoys her time there, and that's been a huge relief for me as a parent.


Leaving

her in someone else's care was initially a bit nerve-wracking, but the team at Rowan Tree have made me feel comfortable and at ease. The staff and management are all friendly, approachable, and happy to answer any questions I have.


It's been great to see how my daughter is developing, and I'm really happy with the care she's receiving. I would definitely recommend Rowan Tree Nursery to other parents looking for a reliable, caring environment for their children.

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Review from R W (Mother of Child) published on 8 January 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Rowan Tree is an outstanding nursery. They put your child at the centre of everything. From the moment we looked around we knew it was the nursery for our daughter. She is absolutely thriving there after 4 months. She found the setting overwhelming in the settle sessions but has adapted so quickly,
that she now crawls in happy to see her wonderful carers. This is only because the amazing staff have got to know her and enabled her to trust them. She absolutely loves the food and always eats everything, there is great variety and it is nutritious. If she is hungry she can always have seconds, which suits her! We get regular feedback and pictures of her, which is lovely and there is always a comprehensive handover. The variety of activities is amazing, she is always creating something for us, or exploring new things. I genuinely couldn't imagine our daughter going anywhere else, it is a warm, welcoming place with friendly faces everywhere you turn.
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Review from Faye S (Mother of Child) published on 9 December 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
So grateful to all the staff at Rowan Tree, especially the team in the Ladybird's room, for helping to settle my son. The genuine care and attention my son has received has been wonderful and a real relief for us as parents. It has been a joy to see him come out of his shell over the past few months
and he is really starting to flourish there and in social situations outside of the nursery too!
At home, my son was a very happy, chatty, and excitable boy, but whenever we went out he would cling to me and not say a word. We decided to enroll him in nursery to improve this and the team at Rowan Tree have really worked wonders. My son now asks to go to nursery and loves it! The staff are great at updating us on his day and we love receiving photo updates on the app too. Rowan Tree is worth every penny- thank you so much!
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Review from A P (Father of Child) published on 29 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of our children have been through every stage at Rowan Tree.
They have learnt so much, developed immensely and become friends with lots of other kids who they have gone on to school with (or in the case of our eldest, now at school with).
The staff are fantastic and it's very clear that the
kids are valued highly and really well looked after.
You get daily updates via the app and a handover at the end of each day.
We, as a family, would have no hesitation in recommending Rowan Tree to any new prospective parents.
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Review from Lindsay P (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our two children have absolutely thrived in the care of the wonderful team at Rowan Tree. As full-time working parents we have in-trusted so much of our little one's development, confidence building and happiness in the day nursery and I honestly would not change this. As our youngest graduates Rowan
Tree this weekend it feels bittersweet that our journey has now ended. It is on to big school and having experienced how our eldest is thriving, we have every confidence that a lot has to do with the incredible love, care and attention afforded to her during her formative years - at home and whilst at Rowan Tree.
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Review from B L (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Both of our children have been through all the rooms at Rowan Tree. The nursery has been a part of our lives for the past 7 years and we have always been so pleased with the care they have given. The staff there have really made the effort to get to know the children's quirks, likes, dislikes and things
that they get really enthused by. They show this knowledge in their daily interactions and there is a genuine warmth shown by everyone. The nursery makes such an effort to involve families. We've really enjoyed the carol concerts in the garden, the Mother's Day afternoon tea and Father's Day activities, and the art gallery comprising the children's art. They don't have to do this, but it really connects us to an important place where the children spend a lot of time.
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Review from K N (Mother of Child) published on 29 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Rowan Tree is a fantastic nursery. Both of our children attended prior to starting school and we have been so impressed with the range of activities they provide and the nurturing environment they have created.
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Review from C L (Mother of Child) published on 26 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are so pleased we chose Rowan Tree. The staff are amazing, it's really well run, the nursery rooms are great, with a good range of engaging toys/resources/books, the outside space is lovely. Our daughter is very happy there. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
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Review from Viliana R (Mother of Child) published on 25 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Very very happy and thankful for this nursery and its staff.
From the very beginning when you are welcomed inside by the smiley and friendly receptionist, to dropping your child in the morning with the caring and positive key workers, the updates and pictures throughout the weeks, to the time of picking
up my child and I’m being carefully explained and reassured my child had a nice day, full of fun, education and rest. I’m so happy with my experience so far and I hope it carries on the same way.
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Review from Amy M (Mother of Child) published on 8 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both of our children have been at Rowan Tree from being young and we absolutely love it. The room settings are amazing and tailored to the ages of the children and the staff are incredible. They are always very supportive of needs and accommodating. The facilities are some of the best I’ve seen in Welwyn
Garden City, particularly the outside space. I really like how each room has access to its own garden. We love the social events they organise and we’ve made some really great friends over the years! We love the regular updates on how the children have been getting on and what they are learning. Couldn’t recommend the nursery enough and wouldn’t want them to be in any other setting.
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Review from J L (Mother of Child) published on 28 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A really excellent nursery, we have had our eldest there for 3 years now and have been in all the rooms. Our youngest has just started. Staff are consistently high quality and he has been happy, comfortable and relaxed throughout his time there. All staff know all the children's names and know brothers
and sisters. Very supportive of your individual needs and flexible to your routines. I would highly recommend it.
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Review from Georges B (Father of Child) published on 21 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter started at Rowan Tree Day Nursery in September and we are all so happy with it. The staff are great, very attentive and patient. They organise a lot of different activities inside and outside the nursery and spend a lot of time teaching children about subjects such as how to care for the
environment, nature etc. They always provide plenty of information on how the day went and regularly partner with various charities where families are offered to donate clothes or food which I find great.
It feels very structured and family-oriented at the same time. Our daughter loves it there and so do we.
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Review from L R (Mother of Child) published on 30 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending Rowan Tree for 7 weeks now and we could not be happier. He is really content which makes us feel completely reassured he is in good hands. The nursery itself feels homely and welcoming. We sent our older son to another nursery in Mardley Hill (which was also amazing) but we
are actually happier with Rowan Tree and are so happy we made the decision to send him here.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.941)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.941) out of 10 for Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) 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 17 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 4.941 for Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) is calculated as follows: ( (192 Excellents x 5) + (12 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 204 Ratings = 4.941
  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 Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) 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 75 number of registered child places is 15, 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)

Claire

Claire Ovenden

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2001

Claire is the Manager of Rowan Tree Day Nursery in Welwyn Garden City and has a wealth of experience, having worked in the early years sector for 20 years.


Claire has an NNEB in Childcare and has worked for Childbase Partnership for 19 years.


What is your favourite feature of Rowan Tree?
My favourite features of the nursery are the roof garden for our babies and the Art Studio for our Pre-School which has been designed using the Reggio approach.


What are you most proud of about your nursery?
I am most proud of our team. We have a very highly motivated team with a low turnover and dedicated staff who have been with us for a number of years.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City)

What is the Age Range of Children that Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) accepts?

Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) Open?

Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) 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 Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) have capacity for?

Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) has capacity for a total of 75 Children.

How far is Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) to the centre of Welwyn Garden City?

0.3 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 Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Rowan Tree Day Nursery (Welwyn Garden City) has an Enhanced Service - more info.