Willow Tree Nursery School
Good★ 4.6 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in Clacton-On-Sea 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 They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask.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 October 2024. Open since 2023, with 190 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 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
CO15 4USWhat 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, 23 October 2024 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children enter the nursery cheerfully and part from their parents and carers with ease. Staff greet them with a smile and welcome them into their base rooms to begin their busy day of learning. Children develop confidence in their abilities from a young age as staff help them to become strong and independent. For example, babies are provided with opportunities to learn how to drink from an open cup, use their cutlery to eat and select resources to extend their learning. Toddlers and preschool children serve their own meals, pour their own drinks and very quickly learn how to put their coats on and off when they freely access the many outdoor garden spaces.
Children are keen and active learners. They confidently move around their base rooms and outdoor areas. They are effectively supported by staff who know them well and focus all planning around the children's individual interests, likes and dislikes. Children are well behaved and understand the nursery routines as staff provide them with clear directions, use praise and encouragement to get the best from children and help them to develop respect for each other. Babies who need support are provided with cuddles and comforted by kind and caring staff.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen and embed the programme of professional development to support staff in further developing their knowledge, confidence and skills to a consistently high level n make the best possible use of the environment in the nursery and surrounding areas to fully promote and extend children's learning opportunities.
- 23 October 2024Good
Still missing for Willow Tree Nursery School
- 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.