My daughter has been attending Willows Farm Nursery since October 2020 and she absolutely loves it,Namrata V(Mother of Child)

Despite all the problems due to COVID-19, all the ladies are always cheerful, kind, ready to helSofia A(Mother of Child)

Being on a farm is the best place. Outside and seeing lots of animals.Marnie F(Mother of Child)

My daughter has been attending Willows Farm Nursery since October 2020 and she absolutely loves it,Namrata V(Mother of Child)

Despite all the problems due to COVID-19, all the ladies are always cheerful, kind, ready to helSofia A(Mother of Child)

Being on a farm is the best place. Outside and seeing lots of animals.Marnie F(Mother of Child)

Willows Farm Day Nursery & Pre-School in London Colney, near St Albans, offers high-quality childcare and early years education for children aged 0 to 5.
Set within the beautiful surroundings of Willows Activity Farm, the nature-based nursery gives children the freedom to explore, learn, and grow through play.
Willows Farm Day Nursery follow the Forest School approach, encouraging confidence, independence, and curiosity through outdoor learning and hands-on experiences. From caring for animals...
Funding & Fees
Morning session: 7:30 am - 1:00 pm
Afternoon session: 1:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Each situation is different and bespoke to your childcare needs. To find out more about our fees, please do get in touch so we are able to build a profile and give you a breakdown of what we believe best suits your child’s needs.
Contact Willows Farm Day Nursery to get a personalised quote:
Type of Service
- Day Nursery
Opening Schedule
Open all yearFull days available
YesHalf day sessions offered
YesGroup/Owner
- Farm Day Nurseries
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Lucy Nicholson (Senior Childcare Manager)
Number of Childcare Staff
- 70
Total Places for Children
- 188
Age Range
- from 0 years 2 months
- to 5 years 0 months
Meals Provided
NoConsumables provided
NoOpening 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 & Christmas
Willows Farm Day Nursery Reviews (123)
Willows Farm Day Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.885) out of 10, based on 54 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Willows Farm Day Nursery has 123 reviews.
My twins really enjoy attending Willows Farm nursery. The staff are very warm and attentive, and they love all the activities they do, going to see the animals and to the soft play. Meals are healthy, and they love eating everything.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear that your twins enjoy their time at Willows Farm nursery and that they love the activities, animals, and soft play.
Our team works hard to create a warm, caring, and engaging environment, so it means a lot to hear your kind words...
I feel incredibly fortunate that my son attends this nursery. I've been so pleased about the level of care given since he was 8 months old. He is now over 2 years old and the quality of care has been very consistent. He has learnt so much from the amazing opportunities and experiences provided by the nursery. Would recommend this nursery to other families.
Consistency in our care and providing rich learning experiences are so important...
He has grown in confidence and absolutely loves going in.
They have fun filled mornings at the farm and do a lot of enjoyable activities throughout the day.
The staff are all so caring and create a safe and secure environment for the children.
He has lots of healthy meals and there is a lot of variety.
I recommend this nursery to other parents all the time.
It's wonderful to know he's enjoying the farm visits and the wide range of activities we provide,...
We couldn't be happier with this nursery. Both of our girls attend and they absolutely love it. The staff (including the management team) are absolutely fantastic - warm, attentive, and genuinely caring. We've seen both of our girls grow in confidence, knowledge, social skills, and independence since starting here. Since the nursery introduced the app, the communication with parents has been absolutely fantastic. We feel very lucky to have found such a wonderful nursery and would highly recommend it to any parent.
Your kind words about our team mean a lot. We pride ourselves on creating a warm, caring, and supportive...
My son absolutely loves willows nursery especially his key worker Emmie. The staff are great with all the children. On collection I'm told all about day fun day, what he has eaten and who he has played with. I wish he could stay longer. He starts big school in September and we are both going to miss it very much.
We always aim to make every child feel supported, cared for, and excited about...
This is a brilliant nursery-very well organised, with a genuine level of care and attention shown towards the children. The kids always seem happy, engaged, and well supported. The staff are honest, professional, and consistently follow safeguarding policies, which is incredibly important and reassuring as a parent.
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful feedback. We are delighted to hear that you feel our nursery is well organised and that the care and attention we provide to the children is evident.
It's wonderful to know that the children appear happy, engaged, and well supported-this is always...
Thank you!!
Thank you so much for your lovely review!
We're so pleased to hear that your little one is happy and has built such strong bonds with our team - it really means a lot to us. Building trusting relationships with both children and their families is at the heart of what we do, so it's wonderful to...
Our child has grown so much since starting here - socially, emotionally, and in confidence. The activities are always creative and engaging, and it's lovely to see how much effort the team puts into making each day special for the children.
Communication with parents is also excellent, and we always feel informed and supported. It gives us great peace of mind knowing our child is in such caring and capable hands.
Thank you to the whole team for everything you do. We truly appreciate your dedication and would highly recommend this nursery to any family.
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind and thoughtful review. It truly means a great deal to our whole team.
We are delighted to hear that you feel confident and supported by our staff, and that your child is happy, thriving, and enjoying their time with us. Creating a warm, nurturing...
Many improvements could easily be made, especially in regards to communication with parents, relevant information on the app and via email, and their constantly increasing fees.
Getting in the door can be challenging.
The high turnover of staff is a red flag.
It seems undersubscribed, another red flag. Especially when other local village nurseries are oversubscribed.
Positives are that the people who look after the children are wonderful and kind. The space is generous and farm visits are great - if they take place.
We would like to clarify a few points. Communication with parents is important, and we introduced the App in October 2025 to support this. Updates, messages, and information are...
Overall very happy with the preschool. Welcoming staff and always happy to help with my son if he is a bit anxious going in first thing. My son always says he's had a good day with his friends. We love that the Nursery and preschool is part of the farm, as our son loves to be outdoors.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to leave us such a lovely review. We're so pleased to hear that your son feels happy and supported, especially during those early moments when he's feeling a bit anxious. Our team works hard to create a welcoming and reassuring...
My son has been at willows since he was 10 months old and he's now 18 months. He has settled so well and formed great relationships with his workers who he is always excited to see and who genuinely care about him and his progress. Overall we are very happy with willows and would definitely recommend it to anyone.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We're so pleased to hear how well your son has settled since joining us and that he has formed such strong, positive relationships with his key workers. It's wonderful to know he is happy, excited to come in, and well supported in his development - that's...
Fantastic nursery with good facilities and feel safe to leave my child. Excellent staff and care. Regular farm visits which is great. Daughter loves animals and this is a highlight. Good routines and child led activities
Thank you so much for your kind words. We're delighted to hear that you feel confident and safe leaving your child with us - that means a great deal to our whole team. It's wonderful to know your daughter enjoys the farm visits and animal experiences, as well as our child-led activities and...
I can truly say that I'm very happy with the current team in my son's preschool room at Willows Farm Day Nursery starting with their approach for learning and fun activities to the strong bond, connection and care. My son loves his time there and his teachers, which he proudly mentions. If your kids are adventurous and love the outdoor and you want them to explore the farm and different activities that this is the best place for you! Also need to mention since they've changes to this new app every information is so much clearer and easier to track. Keep up the good job !
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review! We're absolutely delighted to hear how happy you and your son are with the preschool team at Willows Farm Day Nursery. It's wonderful to know that our approach to learning, fun activities, and the strong bonds our team builds with the children...
We are 2 months in and our boy is really enjoying his nursery mornings. Comments after sessions include I had fun today and I really like my nursery school. The reason, the friendly and caring staff who has made settling in so much easier than I thought it would be. Having the farm to go to really sets it apart from other places we had considered. Definitely made the right choice for our boy.
Our team works hard to create a friendly, caring environment that...
Lovely friendly environment activities are well thought out and our daughter is genuinely excited to get inside and get involved. Staff have taken the time to get to know her. They have been very good at getting her settled.
It's wonderful to know that she feels excited and...
Our son has settled in the baby room really well thanks to the key workers by finding different ways to make him feel comfortable.
The key workers have shown such care and support towards him that he is comfortable with all of them and goes to nursery in the mornings happy.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We're delighted to hear that your son has settled so well in the baby room. Our key workers work hard to create a comforting, nurturing environment for every child, and it's wonderful to know that their care and support have helped him feel happy and...
I know my son is happy and settled here. There is so much stuff for him to do especially going out each day. He has also taken to the staff like a dream and has become more independent. Everyone seems lovely here and hes clearly well looked after
Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We're delighted to hear that your son is happy, settled, and enjoying all the activities we have to offer. It's lovely to know he's building great relationships with the team and growing in confidence and independence. Our staff truly care about...
All the staff are lovely and so intensive to my son and his needs. I highly recommend willows farm. My son is very happy here.
Thank you so much for your lovely review. It's wonderful to hear how happy she is coming in each day - and just as happy when she's collected! We're delighted that she feels so special and settled with us. Seeing her speech and confidence grow has been a joy, and we're grateful for your trust and kind words. Thank you for being part of our community.
You should have all year or from thier first day. The staff treat get like a princess. She isxalways so happy to go and just as happy when we collect her. She loves going so much and the staff have helped so much with her speech and confidence. Thank you all so much.
We're delighted that she feels so special and well cared for by the team, and it's wonderful to know you've seen progress...
My daughter absolutely loves going to nursery. She has recently started but settled in very quickly. They make her feel so welcomed and she is excited to go. The staff are amazing and so kind. They do so many activities and Involve the children in real life events.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're delighted to hear that your daughter has settled in so quickly and enjoys coming to nursery. It means a lot to us that she feels welcomed and excited each day. Our team truly appreciates your kind words - we love creating a nurturing, fun, and...
Child Vacancies
Please contact us for latest vacancies.
News (0) & Events (1)
There are no news items for Willows Farm Day Nursery.
- Organiser: Willows Farm Day NurseryDate: 04 July 2026
Awards / Recognitions (1)
- Recipient: Farm Day NurseriesDate: Friday 29 Apr 2022
Meet the Team (1)
Hi, I’m Lucy Nicholson, Senior Childcare Manager of Willows Farm Day Nursery & Pre-School! Our Day Nursery offers childcare full of discovery and rich learning experiences, with the daily opportunity to meet the farm animals and enjoy forest school sessions in the great outdoors. We are located in the heart of the countryside of St. Albans, where we provide our children with the best in early year’s education and learn through the ‘Planning in the moment’ child-led teaching approach.
Frequently Asked Questions about Willows Farm Day Nursery
What is the Age Range of Children that Willows Farm Day Nursery accepts?
Willows Farm Day Nursery accepts Children aged from 0 years 2 months to 5 years 0 months.
What Days & Hours is Willows Farm Day Nursery Open?
Willows Farm Day Nursery 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 Willows Farm Day Nursery have capacity for?
Willows Farm Day Nursery has capacity for a total of 188 Children.
How far is Willows Farm Day Nursery to the centre of St Albans?
3.5 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 Willows Farm Day Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Willows Farm Day Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.