Willow Nursery School, Dunstable
Willow Nursery School is a nursery school for pupils aged 2 to 5 in Dunstable. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Willow Nursery School in detail
Willow Nursery School in its own words
In its own words: "We admit children to 2+ Little Nursery the term after they turn two. Each term we will work on the cohort of children that are turning 2 years old, to enrol children to join the school at the beginning of the term after they turn two."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Who goes there
0% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 44.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (43%), Asian (26%) and Mixed (12%).
In 2026, 7 pupils (8.4%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Leagrave Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Linsell House (opposite), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 275 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Central Bedfordshire (47), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Your child will thrive in a calm, well-ordered environment where staff know them extremely well and adapt learning to match their interests. Children develop strong independence and confidence through clear routines, while enjoying a wide range of exciting hands-on activities from dinosaur swamps to bug hunts. The nursery celebrates different cultures and provides enriching experiences like watching chicks hatch and performing nativity shows.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes - children are kind, respectful and concentrate well on activities
- Strong relationships between staff and children, with warm and caring key worker bonds
- Well-planned curriculum with clear learning steps that help children build knowledge over time
- Effective support for children with special educational needs, with quick identification and adapted provision
- Rich enrichment activities including visitors, performances, celebrations and outdoor learning
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistencies in staff interactions with children - some miss opportunities to address misconceptions or extend learning deeply enough
- Curriculum leaders need better understanding of how different areas of learning connect together to identify improvements
- School still refining how it checks whether the curriculum is working effectively
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with clear systems in place to keep children safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Religious festival celebrations, local walks, nativity performances, Christmas activities (making mince pies), meeting external visitors
Willow Nursery School is a good nursery where children are happy, confident and love learning. The school has made significant curriculum changes since the last inspection and maintains exceptional behaviour standards.
At a Glance
0.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby nursery schools
Latest from Willow Nursery School
Nursery News 28th September 2026
28 Sep 2026
Nursery News 21st September 2026
21 Sep 2026
Nursery News 14th September 2026
15 Sep 2026
Nursery News 7th September 2026
8 Sep 2026
Nursery News 13th July 2026
13 Jul 2026
Nursery News - Monday 6th July 2026
6 Jul 2026
From Willow Nursery School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Willow Nursery School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Willow Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Willow Nursery School is in Central Bedfordshire; for families living there:
- Central Bedfordshire's school travel policy: Apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 11 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
Area Demand Pressure - Dunstable
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Dunstable
Across Central Bedfordshire council
Places available
1,710
Applications
1,502
Got 1st preference
91.0%
Got preferred school
95.9%
All secondary applications across Central Bedfordshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
8.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
83
Total Pupils
43
Boys
40
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
27.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,863
Mean salary
2026 data
Questions parents ask about Willow Nursery School
What is Willow Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
Willow Nursery School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2012 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Willow Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When Willow Nursery School is oversubscribed, Central Bedfordshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Willow Nursery School?
Willow Nursery School has around 83 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Willow Nursery School?
Apply through Central Bedfordshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Willow Nursery School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Willow Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 11 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Central Bedfordshire is 6 (the median across 135 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Willow Nursery School?
Willow Nursery School is at Goldstone Crescent, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 4QU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)