Holly House Day Nursery

Mayfield Avenue, Walkden, Salford, Manchester M28 3JF
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9.9 38 Reviews
Holly House Day Nursery’s Holiday Club has now launched, please contact the team or scan the QR code in the photo section for more information.

Holly House Day Nursery and Holiday Club offers a homely environment conveniently located close to Walkden town centre. Holly House provides quality and inspirational learning for children up to five years old.

A nurturing and caring environment is provided where everyone feels welcome and valued in their own right. Holly House has established an enviable reputation for delivering a high-quality childcare service and this is recognised by both parents and Ofsted.

Holly House was acquired by family owned Head Start Nursery Group in December 2022 but has been operating for over 20 years. The nursery has three main rooms, each specialised for 3 age groups; babies, toddlers and pre-school.

The children are cared for in a stimulating environment where each child can reach their full potential. Children are actively encouraged to explore, learn, communicate and interact with one another.

Holly House is very proud of its staff who you will find are enthusiastic, dedicated and highly qualified and this is what makes the nursery so special.

The outdoor area is extensive allowing for plenty of freedom and exploration.

There is also an open door policy to ensure there is effective communication at all times between the nursery and parents/carers.

Staff would love to show you around their wonderful nursery.
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Type of Service

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

Owner

  • Head Start Nursery Group

Person in charge

  • Melissa Heywood (Owner)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 30

Total Places for Children

  • 120

Age Range

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

Funding & Fees

  • NEW EASTER HOLIDAY CLUB 7TH - 11TH APRIL 2025 - Please get in touch or scan the QR code in the photo section.

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:00
    Tuesday 07:30-18:00
    Wednesday 07:30-18:00
    Thursday 07:30-18:00
    Friday 07:30-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Parking

  • Vehicular access is via Mayfield Avenue and there is additional pedestrian access via the High Street Walkden.

Holly House Day Nursery Reviews (38)

Total of 38, showing 1-20
9.9

Holly House Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.895) out of 10, based on 27 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Holly House Day Nursery has 38 reviews.

Overall Experience

  • 35
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Review from Louise G (Mother of Child) published on 11 July 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I can't rate Holly House Nursery highly enough. Every member of staff is so lovely, caring, and attentive-you can really feel how much they care for the children. As a first-time mum still dealing with postpartum, I was so anxious, especially with the stories you see online. But from our first visit,
I felt completely at ease. The team made me feel like my son would be safe, cared for, and happy.


He started at 9 months and is now 1, and watching his development has been incredible. The app updates genuinely make my day seeing what he's eaten and how much always puts a smile on my face!


Of course, I understand the staff are human and can have busy days, so I never worry if updates are late. I trust them completely and know my little one is in the best hands.


Every single staff member plays an important role, and they're all amazing. We feel so lucky to have found Holly House. Thank you for all the love and care you give.

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Review from Sarah A (Mother of Child) published on 11 July 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Brilliant nursery Iv used them for all 3 of my children the staff are really friendly and so nice the children are treated really well and looked after with so much care and patience I would highly recommend

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Review from Olivia H (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The main thing to say is that we have found the team at Holly House to be really lovely. When we viewed the nursery, we were really reassured with its homely feel and how much attention to detail and dedication the staff had. Our little girl loves going, has really progressed in terms of her development,
and they are good at keeping you posted during the day with what they've eaten, and what activities they've done. If you're looking for a family feel, and where your child isn't "just a number", I'd say Holly House we're doing a really good job!

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Review from Kate S (Mother of Child) published on 7 July 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Holly House is a long established nursery in Walkden. Both my children have attended and both have had a fantastic experience. The staff are caring, friendly and highly skilled. They have been excellent in supporting us and our children with key milestones like potty training and trying new foods. They
have prepared them both for school in a very positive way. We will be sad to leave Holly House behind when my youngest starts school, but we have so many lovely memories to take with us! 100% recommend this nursery.

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Review from N S (Mother of Child) published on 3 July 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff and managers are all wonderful, they are a great team. Excellent communication with children and interpersonal. My son is in preschool class and he is very happy. I am grateful to all of them.

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Review from B D (Father of Child) published on 18 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Staff not wearing uniform, sometimes I feel like I'm giving my child to another parent because they wear their own clothes. Some staff wear uniforms but I think they all should.
Regards to the app they don't update stuff when they should. For example, they say my daughter signed in at 11:43 when she
gets dropped off at 8:30 and when they sign her out it's a rather late time like midnight and when picked up at 5 pm.

Reply from Gareth Bennett, Owner at Holly House Day Nursery

Thank you for your comments. We are providing new uniforms to all staff across both settings in the new year. With regards to the times a child is signed in and out - we still hold paper registers for the children (printed from the app). Staff record arrival and departure times by hand on the paper registers which are then retained. For fire purposes, these are the ones we go by as the internet connection in some rooms can make the timings become out of sync.

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Review from Hana N (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My first child nursery is the only place where we have great quality of care. We are lucky to have such wonderful staff and teachers. They have been so supportive and helpful. My son and his friend have so much fun there. Thank you for teaching them to be kind people.

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Review from L A (Father of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at this nursery for a year now and loves coming every day, she always has a smile on her face and does amazing activities. The staff are kind and caring and always give updates and support where needed.

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Review from R P (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Could not recommend Holly House Day Nursery enough - absolutely amazing nursery! We get updated on a daily basis with how our little boy is getting on, what he has eaten and pictures of activities he's taken part in. The staff are incredible!

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Review from Laura L (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have only positive things to say about Holly House Day Nursery, the staff are always friendly and helpful, it's clear that they care about the children. I always feel it's a safe place to send my child, you have to buzz in and out on every occasion. They are very good at observing and keeping a close
eye on my child, updates are always given and the overall communication is fantastic. There are always activities my child takes part in, educational and fun!
Overall, I always feel comfortable sending my child to nursery knowing he's safe and well looked after.

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Review from Edoardo A (Father of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Brilliant nursery, we are very happy with everything. The staff are great and overall the service offered is highly given. The app also makes it really easy to communicate with the nursery and also know info regarding your child. Couldn't be happier, many thanks.

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Review from Francesca C (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Absolutely incredible nursery my child loves it here they are great with making sure that all children have their specific needs met. All the staff are amazing with my child and they make sure he is safe.

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Review from S B (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Staff are very friendly and make me feel reassured my child is settled throughout the day. Get updates on nap times nappy changes and meals eaten. The staff are good at answering back to messages using the app.

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Review from T G (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Chose this nursery as it seemed warm and welcoming from the first time I enquired about a place. In visiting all the staff were friendly and helpful. I really liked the outdoor space for the children to play and the activities on offer. They do healthy meals that the children love. I like the fact that
every staff member knows every child even if they are not assigned to their room.

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Review from N F (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little girl started at 9 months and has enjoyed every second of being there. She gets so excited talking about it and pulling up on the street. She recognises all her staff names and enjoys looking at the photos that have been posted on the app too. Communication is great and any questions I have
are answered quickly and thoroughly.

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Review from B L (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Lovely nursery and couldn't have asked for a better place. Our daughter is happy to go and her personality has grown with the help of the staff. She enjoys all the various activities and hands-on things they do.

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Review from A G (Mother of Child) published on 29 June 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter loves this nursery and the staff. It has such a warm, friendly and welcoming environment which made those teary mornings evening easier as a first-time mum! She started at Holly House at 9 months and since she has flourished in so many aspects including speech and language, social skills
and eating.
The staff regularly communicate through the app and we love receiving pictures to see what she's up to - especially the fun activities like Yoga and sensory play. She loves singing new songs she's learnt and recently has begun to count by herself. She happily plays with other children outside of the nursery and has a good understanding of social queues/taking turns/manners.
The food is varied and I wish I could get her to eat the same at home!
If there are any incidents were are informed straight away with a report to sign off which is always descriptive of what happened and what treatment was given. I am reassured knowing when she is upset she has plenty of cuddles.

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Review from Shannon N (Mother of Child) published on 26 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter enjoys coming here, she has made lots of friends and has grown a lot in her confidence. She has made lots of progress in a short space of time, and I think this is due to how hands-on the staff are with her, especially her key worker. The staff are always friendly when dropping off/collecting.
Management is helpful when explaining processes. Thank you!

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Review from Christian N (Father of Child) published on 26 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son loves the nursery and has lots of friends. The staff are amazing with him and really friendly when we pick him up and drop him off; he loves the nursery staff so much. We like getting updates on the app so we can see what he has been up to in the day, which is nice to see him enjoying his day.
The staff regularly communicate when running low on necessities or if he has any bumps. My son is very sociable in and outside of the nursery and really friendly with other kids. His speech is coming along very well too, and I put that down to his development at Holly House. The nursery includes food, and he is always coming home with some homemade treats too. Some nurseries charge you extra for the food. I really like the track they have in the garden with the garden toys, and now my son is moving up, he will be thrilled outside in summer, as he loves the outdoors. Thank you to all the amazing staff who look after my boy.

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Review from L W (Father of Child) published on 22 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Have never had a fault or issue Holly House my daughter is always happy to go to nursery and is always smiling when I come to pick her up. Since being at nursery her speech has really come along and they have always been willing to help and work with us.

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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.895)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.895) out of 10 for Holly House Day Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 27 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 27 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.895 for Holly House Day Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (293 Excellents x 5) + (26 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 323 Ratings = 4.895

  • b) 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 Holly House Day Nursery is based on 27 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 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

    • ii) 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 27 Positive reviews. Points = 1

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

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Meet the Team (1)

Melissa

Melissa Heywood

Job Title: Owner

Joined: 2022

Melissa has over 20 years’ experience in childcare and education and owns another nursery in Prestwich, Manchester. Melissa acquired Holly House in Dec 2022.

Melissa has an honours degree in Childhood Studies and is an Early Years Teacher. Her qualifications teamed with her managerial experience equip her with vast knowledge in all aspects of care, education and development of young children.

Melissa's belief is that to deliver high quality care and education that all children deserve, is down to meaningful play opportunities in a stimulating environment surrounded by staff who are attentive and care.
... Read more

Frequently Asked Questions about Holly House Day Nursery

What is the Age Range of Children that Holly House Day Nursery accepts?

Holly House Day Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Holly House Day Nursery Open?

Holly House Day Nursery is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does Holly House Day Nursery have capacity for?

Holly House Day Nursery has capacity for a total of 120 Children.

How far is Holly House Day Nursery to the centre of Manchester?

7.3 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 Holly House Day Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Holly House Day Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.