University Nursery at West Cambridge

The University Nursery, 8 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FZ
Review Us
9.9 146 Reviews
  • University Nursery at West Cambridge, Cambridge
University at West Cambridge is a purpose built nursery situated on the West Cambridge campus of Cambridge University.

A friendly and enthusiastic staff team works closely with the children to provide continuity between nursery and life at home. Professionals believe parent partnership is important to allow key people to support each child and their families as individuals.

The nursery offers childcare for employees of the University of Cambridge but also have a restricted amount of spots for local families who do not work or study at the university.

Each age group has its own designated garden directly outside its playroom, enabling all children to access a secure outdoor environment at any time of the day. The nursery has also obtained their Green Flag Eco-Schools Award.

In each of the five age groups, the children explore in light, airy and spacious rooms which provide them with the opportunity to grow and develop through a stimulating and sociable environment.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Lesa Clare (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 64

Total Places for Children

  • 120

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays (excluding May Bank Holidays)

Parking

  • Parking is on a shared car park pass.

University Nursery at West Cambridge Reviews (146)

9.9

University Nursery at West Cambridge has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.943) out of 10, based on 32 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time University Nursery at West Cambridge has 146 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Review from James P (Father of Child) published on 27 November 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son Freddie has been welcomed into the family with open arms. We are so thankful to the wonderful staff here for making our son feel extremely comfortable in his new surroundings. Everyday I pick him up I see a new improvement in his development and learning. There is a real sense of family here
at the nursery and I am proud to be a part of it and watch our son there in a happy and caring environment.
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Review from N W (Mother of Child) published on 27 November 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent experience. Very kind and professional staff very supportive for both: child and parents. Child eat well, I don't need to worry about this side. I see huge improvement in my son learning ect. I am incredibly pleased that we choose this nursery, as I cannot imagine the better end.
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Review from Mahendrini A (Mother of Child) published on 18 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The University of West Cambridge Nursery is truly the best you could ever ask for. My son started there when he was just one year old, and since then, it has become his absolute favourite place to be. He loves spending time at the nursery, and I can see every day how much he thrives in their care.


Everyone

at the nursery, from the management to the staff, is incredibly friendly, supportive, and respectful of both my son's needs and ours as parents. What stands out most is the genuine care and individual attention each child receives. The team goes above and beyond to understand and support every child's unique needs, something I haven't seen in other places.


We feel so lucky to have chosen this nursery for our son. It's a nurturing, engaging, and truly special place, and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

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Review from A R (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Simply put, an excellent nursery! Our eldest thrived here and we're so pleased our youngest can now begin her journey. The staff are caring and understanding; it really feels like one big family. All ages have free flow into their dedicated outside areas, something we have struggled to find at any other
nursery. The learning encourages, support and extends.
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Review from M B (Mother of Child) published on 10 November 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I joined the nursery 6 years ago for my first daughter and came back for my second one. I love the fact that you feel at home, like in a family. I think kids feel this too. I have seen other nurseries but this one is the best. The way they look after kids and report to parents is very reassuring. Kids
do activities that I could never do at home.
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Review from R C (Mother of Child) published on 30 September 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child has been attending the nursery for almost a year now. He settled in very quickly when he first started attending the nursery. He really enjoys going to the nursery and there are always lots of different activities for the children to do to learn. Some the highlights included helping to bake
a cake. The staff are also very caring and most importantly, we feel we can trust them to look after our child. We are so happy to have chosen the nursery and a great thank you to all the staff at the nursery!
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Review from J H (Father of Child) published on 15 September 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
They have always looked after my son very well and he enjoys being at the nursery. In particular he enjoys the interactive learning.
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Review from Abbie H (Mother of Child) published on 26 August 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We could not be more grateful for all the hard work of all the team at Cambridge West. Especially the manager, her dedication is outstanding. Two other members of staff are also invaluable assets to the nursery, and the support from another is incredible for our SEN child. They recently got awarded
their outstanding Ofsted rating, and it is very clear why. Absolutely well deserved! Thank you a million times over. So glad we found you. Our child has developed so much, and it is a huge credit to you.
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Review from Rakesh R (Father of Child) published on 24 July 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery has looked after both our children for a total of 7 years. We could not have asked for a better upbringing - they have been instrumental in their upbringing. They have helped them become kind, happy, friendly, confident and intelligent. The staff are both friends and family to us and we
couldn't have hoped for a better start for our children.
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Review from Geoffrey T (Father of Child) published on 1 July 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Overall, we are very satisfied with the nursery. Our daughter appears to be settled well and generally enjoys the nursery. I marked the learning as satisfactory as I need to gather more information on what the teachers think of her development. Her language is coming along slowly - she understands a
lot, but her talking is not as strong. Otherwise, her motor skills are good. She is getting quite emotional these days, but perhaps this is to be expected given her age.
Reply from Lesa Clare, Nursery Manager at University Nursery at West Cambridge
Thank you for your kind words and continued support of our nursery. We completely appreciate your interest in gaining a clearer picture of your daughters progress and understand that our team have…read more
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Review from N W (Mother of Child) published on 16 May 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
West Cambridge nursery is a wonderful place! Both my children have loved their experience and adore attending and all the staff.
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Review from S T (Mother of Child) published on 1 May 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing on all accounts. I would strongly recommend to all parents. This nursery gives me the confidence to go to work free from any concerns knowing my child is in excellent hands.
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Review from Morgan E (Father of Child) published on 10 February 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery for our son, who has grown with the support from amazing staff whom in every room support the children to achieve their best.
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Review from F U (Father of Child) published on 10 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Excellent nursery! The staff are super kind and engaged. Best part is that one members of staff's mash potato is the best in the world... just saying.
4 members of staff in particular are a real asset (so are all the others!)
Well done to the entire team.
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Review from R B (Father of Child) published on 4 February 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am very pleased with the University Nursery at West Cambridge. Simply outstanding.
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Review from T P (Father of Child) published on 4 November 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
University Nursery at West Cambridge has been so welcoming to us and our son since we moved here in July. All the educators are so supportive of our son and have helped him settle into the new environment. They have also been instrumental in his recent development and education. We are thrilled with
the nursery and all of the staff, it is a fantastic facility.
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Review from T L (Father of Child) published on 19 September 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Throughout the four years, my daughter attended University Nursery at West Cambridge, she was exceptionally well cared for and looked after. She was provided with a safe and stimulating environment in which to grow, learn and have fun. The staff always showed my daughter great care and treated her and
us (me and my wife) with genuine respect. We appreciated frank, useful feedback and insight into our daughter's development and behaviour at nursery. Very happy.
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Review from Beth P (Mother of Child) published on 6 September 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
West Cambridge is a wonderful nursery. My baby daughter settled right in. She had so much fun explaining and learning new skills. I can see the difference when she comes home! The practitioners are so kind and attentive and are clearly very invested in my daughter's well-being. It's a pleasure getting
to know the staff and see my daughter happy at the end of the day.
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Review from H X (Mother of Child) published on 20 August 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Very good. The best in Cambridge. Multiple particular members of staff plus all teachers form our best memory of the UK.
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Review from R R (Mother of Child) published on 15 August 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We cannot praise the nursery highly enough. It is a warm, enriching and creative place which has turned both of our daughters into bright, self-confident, energetic girls ready for school. I recommend it extremely highly.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.943)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.943) out of 10 for University Nursery at West Cambridge 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 32 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 32 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 4.943 for University Nursery at West Cambridge is calculated as follows: ( (365 Excellents x 5) + (16 Goods x 4) + (3 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 384 Ratings = 4.943
  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 University Nursery at West Cambridge is based on 32 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 120 number of registered child places is 24, which has been reached with 32 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

10 Child Vacancies

Posted: 13 Nov 2025

Spaces available for University and non-University families

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Awards / Recognitions (21)

Meet the Team (1)

Lesa

Lesa Clare

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2009

Lesa is the Manager of West Cambridge Day Nursery in Cambridge and has a wealth of experience, having worked in the early years sector for 21 years. Lesa has several qualifications, including an NVQ Level 3 Early Years Care and Education and has been with Childbase Partnership for 12 years.


What is your favourite feature of West Cambridge?
I love the family environment at the nursery, the warm and welcoming staff and the outstanding practice delivered throughout all of our rooms.


What are you most proud of about your nursery/team?
Being recognised as a top 20 rated nursery in East of England from DayNurseries parent reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions about University Nursery at West Cambridge

What is the Age Range of Children that University Nursery at West Cambridge accepts?

University Nursery at West Cambridge accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is University Nursery at West Cambridge Open?

University Nursery at West Cambridge is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does University Nursery at West Cambridge have capacity for?

University Nursery at West Cambridge has capacity for a total of 120 Children.

How far is University Nursery at West Cambridge to the centre of Cambridge?

1.5 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 University Nursery at West Cambridge to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. University Nursery at West Cambridge has an Enhanced Service - more info.