Mini Willows Day Nursery
GoodBirth to 5Long established
A day nursery in London for children from birth to 5, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in October 2023. Open since 2019, with 59 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Croydon
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Croydon from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
SE25 6RAWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
Ofsted inspector, 24 October 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children arrive happy and settle quickly into this vibrant, fun nursery. Staff greet them warmly and give them lots of hugs and smiles, which helps children build good relationships with them. Children play well alongside each other and learn to share toys. They are curious to explore the range of resources available to them.
Older babies are interested in using their fingers to discover the texture of sand, while toddlers enjoy squishing dough, which develops their small finger muscles.
Older children develop these skills even further as they learn to control a pencil to make marks.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- provide even greater support for the youngest children, to fully support their learning and development n strengthen strategies to support children to fully develop their listening skills.
- 24 October 2023Good
- 25 April 2023Inadequate
- 13 July 2022Needs improvement
Rated Good or Outstanding at 1 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Mini Willows Day Nursery
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.