Western Elms Nursery
Good★ 4.3 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Reading for children from birth to 8+, open 08:00 to 18:00, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in February 2023. Open since 2004, with 48 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 Reading
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Reading 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
RG30 2ALWhat 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, 21 February 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are happy and secure at this welcoming, home-from-home nursery. They have very strong relationships with staff, who spend time getting to know them well. Children benefit from stimulating play spaces and eagerly explore the enticing learning experiences alongside their friends. For example, babies enjoy messy play activities and show high levels of curiosity as they hunt for hidden objects. They clap and splash with foam and laugh and giggle as they watch it float through the air. Toddlers look for bugs in the garden. They peer through magnifying glasses with anticipation and excitedly discuss what they see.
Staff focus on children's independence skills from a young age. Older children learn how to use tools safely and independently cut up fruit for their snack. They naturally pour their own drinks and demonstrate good hand-eye coordination.
Children in the pre-school room discover more about the food they enjoy as they make their own pancakes together.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- support older children to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills to the highest level n build on relationships with parents even further to offer them ideas and suggestions on how they can promote their children's learning at home.
- 21 February 2023Good
- 8 April 2022Needs improvement
- 5 January 2017Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Western Elms 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.