Westwood Montessori
OutstandingTakes funded hoursBirth to 5Open for decades
A day nursery in Saffron Walden for babies from 6 months up to 5 year olds, open 8am to 6pm. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Outstanding by Ofsted in June 2022. Open since 2006, with 44 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
15- and 30-hours funding.
Worth knowing. For those attending all-year-round, we allow funding to be stretched.
What childcare usually costs in Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex 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
CB10 2SAWhat 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, 13 June 2022 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children flourish in this exceptional nursery. They receive high-quality care from the attentive and caring staff. Children are extremely motivated to learn and immediately become deeply engaged in the abundance of activities available to them. The outside area provides a high-quality, rich environment for children to explore and learn in. Children develop an excellent understanding of the life cycle of animals. They learn how to care for chickens, taking responsibility to feed them every day and check for eggs. Children prepare for the arrival of baby chicks. They collect straw in wheelbarrows and learn about the difference between male and female chicks. Children busy themselves planting tomato plants in the greenhouse area. They learn about harvesting foods they have grown, such as raspberries. This supports children to make a clear connection in their understanding of where the food we eat comes from.
Children demonstrate exceptional care and consideration for resources. Children carefully put toys away after playing with them. They develop strong friendships with each other, resulting in a kind and respectful community. Children are reassured with familiar faces as they interact with siblings throughout the day.
They wave and hug each other as they play in the garden.
- 13 June 2022Outstanding
- 11 May 2016Outstanding
- 14 June 2011Outstanding
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Westwood Montessori
- What it costs
- Meals
- Nappies
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
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Do you have a place for a child of my age now? 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.