The Willows Preschool
GoodBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Trowbridge for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in January 2023. Open since 2003, with 24 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 Wiltshire
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Wiltshire 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
BA14 0TAWhat 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, 4 January 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children settle well and thrive on the thoughtful, patient support they receive from the pre-school staff. They form strong and beneficial relationships with their key person and the whole staff team, which helps to foster children's confidence and well-being effectively. Parents say that staff value the children as individuals and take care of children to a high standard.
Children are inspired by the well-thought-out environment that staff provide at the pre-school. They are motivated to explore, follow their interests and ideas and develop their skills. Their self-confidence grows with the reassurance given by staff as they test out their skills. They traverse obstacle courses outside and relish the many sensory opportunities available. They experiment with making marks in the sand or investigate how sand and water travel down different pipes. They explore the roles of the 'people who help us' as they create an imaginary fire engine or act out being a doctor. They imaginatively paint fire pictures and pretend to put out the fire with lengths of hose. Children learn about nature during sessions in the main school's forest school area. They develop positive attitudes to learning. They take turns, play cooperatively and begin to manage their emotions. They make good progress, including children in receipt of additional funding.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- flexibly adapt planned activities to support children's involvement and extend their learning as much as possible.
- 4 January 2023Good
- 26 April 2017Good
- 20 April 2015Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for The Willows Preschool
- 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.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.