An Ofsted Outstanding, independent, privately-owned nursery school for 21/2 to 5 year olds situated on a beautiful farm near Hook Norton, Oxfordshire.
A traditional pre-school that blends EYFS and Montessori teaching with outdoor learning in our Forest School, regular outings on the farm and everyday contact with nature.
“Leaders and staff want the very best for the children in their care. They understand that young children have an impressive capacity to learn, so long as learning is pitched at exactly the right level… The quality of teaching is consistently excellent… Leaders work tirelessly to ensure that all aspects of nursery life are the best they can be.”
Ofsted 2025
- Fabulous new classrooms
- Forest School
- Tractor and trailer adventures
- Farm animals
- Regular nature rambles
- Traditional EYFS and Montessori teaching
- STEM
- RULER Programme
- Excellent Links with follow on schools
- Exceptional staff with high staff/child ratio
Take the virtual tour
Our Vision
We wish our children to be imaginative and creative through curiosity, awe and wonder. We would like each child to develop confidence, independence, resilience, a caring nature, courage, grace & courtesy.
We will use your child’s two-year journey with us to build a strong foundation that prepares them for their transition to school and their lives thereafter.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember,
involve me and I learn”
Benjamin Franklin
What the Parents Say
“I just wanted to say thank you for giving my son a wonderful first day at nursery. He came out so excited to come back to you tomorrow and spoke so happily about his day.
It is the best feeling as a parent to have this kind of response from him, so I just wanted to pass on my appreciation to you all. I feel very lucky to have managed to get him a space at your nursery for the year.
What the Parents Say
Just a quick note to say thank you so much for everything this week as my daughter started at The Willow.
All the updates, kindness at the gate and great preparation in the form of emails, newsletters etc.
As we left today she said ‘I love the Willow’.
What the Parents Say
It’s a unique offering in the area and the learning environment of Willow is so needed in the world we live in today as our children will need to help answer the challenges of tomorrow.
What the Parents Say
Thank you so much for the most amazing couple of years we could have had! The Willow On The Farm has been truly amazing in every way, so thank you to all the staff that made it all happen. I can only imagine how much effort goes into planning and organising each day for the little ones. Even just getting them to sit at a table, would be a challenge!
What the Parents Say
You would’ve been so proud of Harley today! He had his first taster morning at primary school. He made me cry as when we arrived Mr Rubeun was waiting at the gate he ran straight up to him him shook his hand and said “I’m Harley. Good Morning” and looked him straight in the eyes, all 6ft god knows! So confident and polite! Mr R giggled and said “I wasn’t expecting that Wow!” He did this with all the teachers they were blown away.
Thank you all again and to ALL the staff that’s helped and supported him through his Willow journey.
What the Parents Say
We are so thankful to have the Willow on the Farm as part of our kids learning journeys. The teachers have been brilliant at harnessing the individuality of our children, particularly our spirited daughter, using creative ways to form a positive educational experience for her and our son. We are especially grateful for what the Willow on the Farm team did during lockdown to keep our children stimulated and smiling with the online Parent Portal. Our childrens’ safety and well being have always been at the forefront of the nursery’s decision making, but this was very evident during the pandemic. The nursery really pulled together to get the kids back on to the school grounds once given the green light. I hope you know your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for being you!
Lauren Greaves
What the Parents Say
Willow on the Farm’s Parent Portal has been completely brilliant and very well managed. It’s very easy to navigate with following the schedules provided for the week ahead. Along with the children’s normal curriculum, the Portal offers a hugely diverse range of arts, crafts, recipes, skills sets and forestry school videos which always help me too! The teachers are brilliant. They are very accessible and extremely dedicated in these uncertain times. I dont know how we would have coped without them. Thank you guys xxx
Willa Keswick
What the Parents Say
We loved The Willow on the Farm Parent Portal in the lockdown period as it allowed my daughter and I to remain connected to the school, teachers and friends and have a flavour of what it feels like normally in class, which is tremendously special. It was a springboard for us to do additional projects based on the topics, explore our garden like Forest School and my daughter could specifically keep on track for her school readiness which we balanced with our own free play time. She loved to watch/listen to story time with the teachers.. her favourite. Most importantly the school spirit came though in the voices and videos of the teachers! Thank you.
Poppy de Villeneuve
What the Parents Say
“Its such a lovely thing picking up your child from nursery and finding the faint sweet smell of bonfire in their hair and hot chocolate on their lips, all rosy cheeked from Forest School and their tractor and trailer trips down to the farm. Romy has literally blossomed on the farm!…… we are delighted that The Willow On The Farm offers such a refreshingly hands on approach to outdoor learning”.
What the Parents Say
“Our little boy has thrived beyond measure at The Willow On The Farm Nursery. He is more confident and adventurous in different situations. He loves Forest School and can name the different trees by their leaves. Going around the farm on a tractor is a favourite activity but also doing numbers in the cosy classroom.”
What the Parents Say
“For years I have been dreaming that somewhere like this would exist; and sure enough by some miracle it has arrived. Our daughter has gone from strength to strength in her development and this I know is down to the incredible staff and the time and effort they put in to preparing the days for the children. Each day there is something new to discover and something to learn. Our daughter would live there if she could!”
What the Parents Say
“Tractor Tuesday is a highlight when they go in the trailer with Pete the driver to explore the farm. Anything from finding the animals, discovering new insects or objects and not forgetting the Forest School where they just love the mud kitchen and making hot chocolate…… The Christmas performance puts every other school to shame – it was perfection and memories to be cherished forever”.
What the Parents Say
“RULER was new for us as a family I only wish our oldest daughter was exposed to this. I think every child should be; it is extraordinary how quickly the children pick it up and how they can then express themselves by colours; particularly good for those whose speech is developing, and communication can sometimes be a battle – this system works.”
What the Parents Say
“Thank you all so much for a truly wonderful coronation celebration this afternoon. The farm looked amazing and it was clear how much organisation and effort had gone into it. My child absolutely loved being a part of it and has been so excited the last few weeks practising his songs and learning about the coronation. I was so proud to see how much his confidence has grown since I last saw him perform at the nativity and thank you all for all you have done with him in the nursery, at forest school, in dance class and out on the farm to help him progress like this.”
What the Parents Say
“What a magical couple of years! Thank you for creating the most idyllic learning environment filled with fun, adventure, warmth and encouragement.”
What the Parents Say
“What a wonderful two years! From magical farm walks to tractor rides with Tractor Pete, dancing, singing and above all your incredible staff, who have nurtured and taught our child such vital life values, which he will take with him to the next stage of life.”
What the Parents Say
“I very much enjoyed the tour and was impressed by your approach to early education, both inside the classroom and outside at forest school. I could see how happy the children were cleaning the tractor, and observed how well mannered and kind they were with one another. Your ethos and values align with ours, and we would love for our child to attend WOTF.”
