Willow Nurseries West Derby

1 Royal Croft, West Derby, Liverpool L12 2BJ
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9.9 13 Reviews
  • Willow Nurseries West Derby, Liverpool
Willow Nurseries West Derby is an intimate family run setting, providing exceptional childcare and education for babies and children up to the age of five. The nursery offers a rich and varied curriculum with emotional wellbeing at its core.   

The dedicated and experienced team are committed to providing a loving and stimulating environment where children thrive and learn. They hold childcare qualifications, and are trained in paediatric first aid and access annual safeguarding training. Every team member has an enhanced DBS check and the nursery has CCTV throughout for added security.

At Willow Nurseries the nursery cook prepares all food using fresh ingredients. Children enjoy a three-week menu with a variety of healthy, delicious meals and all meals can be adapted to suit any dietary requirement. Willow Nurseries aims to foster a love of nutritious food and healthy eating habits from an early age.

MyHappymind is an innovative program delivered in the nursery’s Pre-School. This program helps to build resilient, balanced and happy minds for children both at nursery and at home. Children learn about the science behind how the brain works and what it takes to create positive well-being. There is also an online platform for parents to join their children in strategies to support self-regulation.

To further support children's well-being yoga sessions are provided for the children which supports children’s physical and emotional development. To ensure the children are school ready, weekly phonics classes are delivered by a qualified teacher. Children are taught letter sounds and letter formation to support the transition to reception.

To find out more and join the Willow Family please send a message or call the nursery.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care

Owner

  • Willow Nurseries Ltd
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Justine Gilbert (Owner)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 13

Total Places for Children

  • 30

Age Range

  • from 0 years 4 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • £66 a day from 1st April 2025

  • There is an annual fee increase every April

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

  • Two parking spaces available for drop off and collection at the back of the nursery

Willow Nurseries West Derby Reviews (13)

9.9

Willow Nurseries West Derby has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.942) out of 10, based on 10 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Willow Nurseries West Derby has 13 reviews.

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Review from Elizabeth H (Mother of Child) published on 1 July 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Such a special nursery. My little boy is so happy and settled here, when we pull up outside he is filled with excitement and is beaming. The staff are all professional, friendly and really do get to know each of the children personally which has really aided my little boys development. The children
experience a wide variety of activities such as taking the children to the local fire station, weekly Spanish lessons and watching chicks hatch and grow to name a few. I know my little boy is happy, safe and settled here. The staff regularly communicate and provide updates of his activities. There is a great varied menu which changes weekly. Thank you to all of the staff at willow nurseries for all of your hard work, it doesn't go unnoticed and has made the nursery transition very easy as I know my little boy loves his nursery days.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback! We know transitions and settling in can be tricky and our team really take the time to find out about our children and develop secure relationships and…read more
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Review from S B (Mother of Child) published on 4 June 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is great! All the staff are lovely, nothing is ever a problem and everyone is approachable. The food menu is fantastic and the children are always doing fun activities. The nursery have recently arranged for alpacas and baby chicks to be on site which are lovely learning experiences. I
would 100% recommend. Thank you x
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for such lovely feedback! We are very proud of our menus, our children thoroughly enjoy our food and their feedback informs any changes and improvements we make...they are our most…read more
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Review from H F (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter started at Willow Nursery in September of last year at 9 months old and absolutely loves it. Straight away we got a lovely feel from the nursery and the staff was so welcoming and warm on viewing. Fast forward 4 months and our daughter is coming on leaps and bounds, we have always felt
so at ease and safe with her there. The staff go above and beyond for the children and also the parents, the level of care is second to none, always keeping us up to date with progress and day to day activities. Thank you Willow.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such lovely feedback. Building and developing special relationships with our children is a real priority and the team work really hard to ensure this…read more
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Review from L S (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son is so happy at Willows Nurseries, he runs in each morning with a big grin on his face. We really like the smaller setting and close relationships he has built with the staff in each room. They are consistent and supportive in his development and he's formed some great friendships.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback. The relationships we build with our children are a real strength at the setting and the team will be delighted to hear this lovely…read more
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Review from R M (Mother of Child) published on 11 February 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy has been at Willow Nurseries since February 23 and he has come on in leaps and bounds. He absolutely loves going and will talk about his friends there every day! He is now in pre school and has loved the staff right from the baby room to his current pre school room.
His speech and understanding
of basic literacy and numeracy is amazing. The activities provided are very educational and I have noticed a huge difference in his progression from each room. The menu is also a huge hit and allows him to experience different types of cuisine both at home and in the nursery environment.
His little brother will also be starting this year and I know he will have just as an amazing experience.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback and for your kind words. We are delighted that you feel your son has made such wonderful relationships with the team and his friends and…read more
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Review from R W (Mother of Child) published on 15 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our little boy loves going to Willow Nursery, and his development has really progressed since he started (January 2024). The team do plenty of varied activities he wouldn't be able to experience at home, like watching duck eggs hatch.
He loves the staff, and the interactions with other children have
helped to bring him out of his shell.
The environment also has a really good balance of letting babies and toddlers play and explore with climbing elements while still staying safe
Thank you to all the staff for putting so much effort in.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review for Willow Nurseries. It's so wonderful to hear about the lovely attachments he has made with the team and his friends! We provide…read more
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Review from Kate M (Mother of Child) published on 30 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son and daughter really love their nursery. The staff who care for them are fantastic, and they have both come on so much since both starting at 9 months old.
Brilliant nursery and nursery staff.
I don't have any worries about them going in and know they will be getting brilliant care.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for your lovely review. The team really strive to give outstanding love and care to the children and help them to reach their maximum potential.
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Review from Lily F (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Finding a nursery/childcare for your child is always a difficult choice as you want the best for your child whilst in your absence. I could not fault Willow Tree for everything they do for my daughter! She has grown so much in herself since starting back in 2022.
All staff work well in their communication
with me when regarding my daughter & always go above and beyond for the care they provide for her.
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Review from K D (Mother of Child) published on 24 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Amazing nursery, professional staff and a lovely atmosphere.
My daughter has been here since she was 10 months old and I can honestly say I feel happy leaving her knowing she will be safe and secure whilst experiencing differentiating learning opportunities.
The staff have amazing relationships
with the children and give you regular updates on your child's well-being and personal development.
Highly recommended!
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Review from L N (Mother of Child) published on 18 December 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely nursery with amazing staff. My daughter loves going and has many amazing friends. The staff are kind and friendly and take excellent care of the children. They engage in lots of fun activities including a trip to watch the panto this month. Would definitely recommend it.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback about our team, we really do pride ourselves on the relationships we nurture with our children. All the children really enjoyed the trip to the panto and…read more
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Review from L L (Mother of Child) published on 17 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has been attending this nursery for some time and I am extremely happy with the care, and education she is receiving. Not only do the practitioners create a happy learning environment but they are nurturing and really do care for each child that attends. My child has thrived since attending
this Nursery both academically and emotionally and I will be very happy for my son to attend next year. This nursery is a small intimate setting but this was something I was looking for as they seem to apply more attention and care to the children and they are able to do other things larger settings may not offer like regular trips to the local park, shops, fire station etc around the area to offer practical life skills to the children that a large setting may not be able to do regularly.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. We are delighted to hear such wonderful feedback about our team. The children enjoy our trips in and around our local community, which…read more
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Review from C B (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter loves attending Willow Nurseries. She can’t wait to get in every morning. The staff are fantastic and form amazing relationships with the children, my daughter has come on so much since starting and that is a true testament to the staff in the Toddler Room.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with Willow Nurseries. We are delighted that your child has made fantastic progress with us and it is so lovely to hear such amazing…read more
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Review from Louise B (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is in the toddler room. She loves it. She is always mentioning staff names to me or drawing pictures of her friends there. She's a clingy child and the girls have always taken their time with her to help her settle in. We receive daily feedback on how she's doing and what has happened that
day. It only has a small outside space but they take the children out in the pram/buggy bus. The amount of food the children get each day is brilliant and my daughter never wants more than a snack on nursery days! We no longer live anywhere near the nursery but have kept her there because we love it. I'd definitely recommend it.
Reply from Justine Gilbert, Owner at Willow Nurseries West Derby
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience of Willow Nurseries. We are proud of our team and their skill in connecting with our children to enable them to settle in with us. We are…read more
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.942)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.942) out of 10 for Willow Nurseries West Derby 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 10 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 10 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 4.942 for Willow Nurseries West Derby is calculated as follows: ( (113 Excellents x 5) + (7 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 120 Ratings = 4.942
  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 Willow Nurseries West Derby is based on 10 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 30 number of registered child places is 6, which has been reached with 10 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 (0)

Meet the Team (1)

Justine

Justine Gilbert

Job Title: Owner Joined: 2022

I am the owner of Willow Nurseries West Derby and Willow Nurseries Bootle. I have forty years' experience in early years and started my journey as a Nursery Practitioner and have worked in many roles in our wonderful industry, including as a manager, regional and operations director, regulatory inspector for Ofsted and early years consultant. As well as my NNEB qualification, I have a BA(Hons) in Professional Development in Education, and I am the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at the nursery.


I am passionate about providing children with exceptional childcare and education, and I strive to give children the very best start.

Frequently Asked Questions about Willow Nurseries West Derby

What is the Age Range of Children that Willow Nurseries West Derby accepts?

Willow Nurseries West Derby accepts Children aged from 0 years 4 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Willow Nurseries West Derby Open?

Willow Nurseries West Derby 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 Willow Nurseries West Derby have capacity for?

Willow Nurseries West Derby has capacity for a total of 30 Children.

How far is Willow Nurseries West Derby to the centre of Liverpool?

3.2 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 Willow Nurseries West Derby to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Willow Nurseries West Derby has an Enhanced Service - more info.