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The Willow Tree Nursery School

Ofsted: Strong standard·
5.0(19 parent reviews) ·St Saviour's Church, Cobbold Road, London, W12 9LN · Hammersmith and Fulham
Number of places
32 places
Age range
2–4 yrs
Last inspected
Mar 2026
Local authority
Hammersmith and Fulham

About this day nursery

The Willow Tree Nursery School, a childcare setting on non-domestic premises in London, W12 9LN, has been operating since 2010 and received an Outstanding rating at its latest Ofsted inspection on March 3, 2026. The nursery warmly welcomes children aged 2-4 years, offering a curriculum based on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

The setting is open Monday to Friday, from 08:30 to 15:00, during term-time only. The Willow Tree Nursery School is highly inclusive, effectively supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those learning English as an additional language (EAL).

Staff skillfully use gestures, signs, and visual aids to ensure all children participate fully and express themselves. Children thrive in an environment where their individual needs are promptly recognised and supported through close collaboration with parents and external professionals.

This ensures continuous progress for every child from their starting points. The nursery also provides ample opportunities for outdoor learning, encouraging lifelong healthy habits and exploration of concepts like shape and measurement in their updated garden resources.

This holistic approach ensures children are happy, confident, and engaged in their learning journey.

What it's like

Children arrive happily and settle quickly into the welcoming environment. Staff work closely with parents from the outset, offering home visits and sharing helpful strategies to support children who may feel anxious about separating from their families. Children show a strong sense of belonging, and staff value their ideas, ensuring their voices are heard in daily routines. Children enjoy a wide range of engaging experiences that encourage curiosity and independence, using real tools and exploring natural materials to develop creativity and problem-solving skills.

Strong sense of belongingEarly language developmentPositive behaviourNurturing relationshipsOutdoor play & learningInclusive environment

Key facts

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 08:30 - 15:00

Term time / All Year

Term_time_only

Established

2010

Ofsted Inspection — new report card

Strong standard

Last inspected Mar 2026

Headline: Strong standard

Grade summary

Exceptional
—
Strong standard
Expected standard
—
Needs attention
—
Urgent improvement
—

Each dot represents one of the six inspection categories. Headline is the average of the six grades, rounded up.

Category grades

AchievementStrong standard
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routinesStrong standard
Children's welfare and wellbeingStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingStrong standard
InclusionStrong standard
Leadership and governanceStrong standard
Age range
2 to 4
Registers
Early Years Register
Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for The Willow Tree Nursery School

Last inspected 3 March 2026

What it's like to attend

Children arrive happily and settle quickly into the welcoming environment. Staff work closely with parents from the outset, offering home visits and sharing helpful strategies to support children who may feel anxious about separating from their families. Children show a strong sense of belonging, and staff value their ideas, ensuring their voices are heard in daily routines. Children enjoy a wide range of engaging experiences that encourage curiosity and independence, using real tools and exploring natural materials to develop creativity and problem-solving skills.

Inspector highlights

  • Children make rapid progress from their starting points across all areas of learning.
  • Children develop growing confidence in communication as they share ideas during stories, repeat familiar phrases and discuss what might happen next.
  • Children demonstrate positive behaviour and cooperation because routines are clear and consistently reinforced.
  • Staff guide children to reflect on how their actions impact on others, helping them resolve conflicts independently.
  • Warm, trusting relationships underpin children's attitudes to learning, with staff interacting closely throughout the day, offering praise, encouragement and gentle guidance.
  • Leaders promote regular attendance and punctuality, ensuring children attend consistently and benefit fully from the provision.

Areas to develop

  • 1Leaders responsible for governance should sustain their work to ensure continued improvement and high standards.
  • 2They should focus on creating a transformational impact on the outcomes and experiences of disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing.
Inspection #10137949 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

Leaders create a highly inclusive environment where children's individual needs are recognised promptly and carefully supported. Staff observe children closely and assess their development to recognise any emerging needs. When additional support is required, they collaborate with parents and external professionals to introduce tailored strategies and review children's progress regularly. This helps ensure that support remains effective and that children continue to make progress from their starting points.

Outdoor space

Children have ample opportunities to move and play outdoors, reinforcing lifelong healthy habits. Garden resources were updated to enhance learning opportunities and children explore shapes and measurement in construction using soil in the garden. Children count and compare buckets of soil in the garden and explore shapes and measurement in construction. They measure water while filling containers, with staff demonstrating and guiding understanding to ensure all children make rapid progress from their starting points.

EAL / language support

Children who speak English as an additional language participate alongside their peers, using gestures, signs or words to express ideas. Staff use Makaton signs, visual prompts and simple choice systems to help children understand routines and express their ideas, ensuring all children are included. These approaches support progress in language, confidence and social interaction.

Parent Reviews of The Willow Tree Nursery School

5.0
(19)
Valentina Riascos Escolar
11 months ago

The Willow Tree is an OUTSTANDING nursery school with a wonderful staff that goes far and beyond to ensure children reach their full potential. With wide open spaces and an outside garden, children explore and learn in different environments. They are absolutely fantastic! 10 out of 10 every single day! I couldn’t recommend it more. ❤️

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Martin A.
3 years ago

Our daughter currently attends Willow Tree. My wife and I visited a number of nurseries in and around the area and we just loved the cosy village nursery type feel and everyone who works there are just wonderful and really love the children - which shows. Loads of great activities around a theme that changes every week and we get regularly updates and pictures of her day. Our daughter has thrived there and really enjoys it and playing with her friends. Gold standard as far as I’m concerned and would highly recommend them if you’re looking for a great nursery.

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Alice Young
4 years ago

The Willow Tree is a really special place. The staff are excellent - professional, caring, warm and organised. The setting is every child’s dream - with excellent toys and resources. The activities on offer are exceptional - lots of learning through play, music, arts and reading. I can’t thank the Willow Tree enough for the care and attention they gave my daughter who attended from September 2018 for a year. I’ve never known another nursery like it… simply brilliant.

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Zuzana A
4 years ago

An excellent nursery where staff go above and beyond to make sure the children are happy. Every single teacher is brilliant and knows all the children by name. Nothing is too much trouble.Miss Laura is always there to answer any questions or to calm worried parents. Miss Stacey and the rest of the team are really engaged with the kids and it feels like they really care,which is reassuring. The days are well organised with lots of learning activities and outside play (having the Wendell Park on their doorstep is a bonus). My older son started the Willow Tree as a quiet and shy boy, but left in 2018 as a confident child, ready for big school. All thanks to a loving and kind approach from the teachers in the nursery. When my younger son started it felt like coming back to our family. He loved going there every morning. He started his primary school in 2021 and still talks about The Willow Tree! I can't recommend this nursery highly enough!

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Hannah B
4 years ago

Our daughter was at Willow Tree for 2 years and a term and there wasn't one day in all that time where she didn't skip in smiling. The staff were so nurturing, kind and loving and the atmosphere was always calm but fun and stimulating. She was really well prepared for the transition to school and although she loves school she still talks about Willow Tree and wanting to go back to the garden and to see the teachers. A very special place.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for The Willow Tree Nursery School. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history

Date: December 2010

The most recent inspection point has been hidden because the parsed entry didn't match the headline Ofsted rating (Outstanding). We're re-checking it against the original report.

  • May 2020Outstanding
  • March 2016Outstanding
  • December 2010Good

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more