Leo's Den Nursery

37 Law Street, off Great Dover Street, London SE1 4DZ
Review Us
9.9 78 Reviews
  • Leo's Den Nursery, London
Leo’s Den Nursery is in the heart of Southwark, and opened in 2009 in a converted public house very close to all major transport routes, with London Bridge and Borough high street stations close by.

Leo's Den Nursery prides itself on being a safe, caring and valued early education setting where children learn and thrive. They see parents returning to the nursery again and again, so that each of their children has the wonderful start in life that Leo’s Den nursery enables every child to have. The nursery also offers both two and three-year-old funded places and the 30 hours funded option for those parents that qualify.

With the areas of Bermondsey Borough, Peckham and Camberwell close by, Southwark is a very diverse area with children coming from many different backgrounds and cultures and many children having English as their second language. Leo's Den is a fully inclusive nursery and they celebrate and nurture each and every individual child, and have great relationships with the whole family. The staff team also reflect the diverse cultures of the area and bring many different cultures and languages to enhance the setting.

Key carers have professional rich bonds with their key children and their families, and they are very proud of all that their 'very strong' Parent Partnership brings to the setting.

Leo's Den offers a wonderful EYFS curriculum with many enhancement classes for the children to enjoy. These include weekly Ballet, Mindfulness and Yoga sessions, as well as Fun Phonics and Wild Fangs (the wonderful world of living things). With two lovely outdoor spaces/gardens, the children have many learning opportunities to try out their physical skills and enjoy lots of outdoor learning experiences whilst having fun.

From the start of the Covid pandemic, the nursery has remained open throughout and continued to serve the key workers of the local community, with many new families joining the nursery
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Funding & Fees

Leo’s Den Nursery Fees – April 2025


Cubs & Cheetahs Room from 4 months – 2 years - £105 per day


2 days   
Weekly £181.66    
Monthly £785.12


3 days
Weekly - £271.13   
Monthly - £1171.96


4 days
Weekly -£358.70   
Monthly - £1555.01


5 days
Weekly - £422.07   
Months - £1760.20


Cheetahs Room from 2 years – 3 years - £98 per day
2 days-
Weekly -£162.46   
Monthly- £702.42


3 days-
Weekly -£253.44   
Monthly -£1048.58


4 days-
Weekly -£333.71   
Monthly - £1391.30


5 days-
Weekly -£365.89   
Monthly - £1521.10


Lions Room from 3 years – 5 years - £93.00 per day
2 days-
Weekly -£162.69   
Monthly £674.92


3 days -
Weekly - £233.09   
Monthly - £1007.53


4 days -
Weekly -£308.24   
Monthly £1336.72


5 days -
Weekly -£348.60   
Monthly - £1446.22


Please note that your child will qualify for Funded hours of 15 or 30 hours depending on your circumstances. The funding only applies during term time only but we extend the funded hours to stretch the whole year. We also accept all childcare vouchers. Please ask Rachel Hine any questions with regards to fees/childcare vouchers and funding entitlement.

Our fees are very competitive with the local area.
We are a private nursery, but look after our local and extended community by keeping our fees at a rate that is affordable for parents.

Contact Leo's Den Nursery to get a personalised quote.

Contact Leo's Den Nursery to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care

Owner

  • Tony Hailwood
  • Privately Owned

Person in Charge

  • Rachel Hine (Nursery Director)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 32

Total Places for Children

  • 65

Age Range

  • from 0 years 4 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:30-18:45
    Tuesday 07:30-18:45
    Wednesday 07:30-18:45
    Thursday 07:30-18:45
    Friday 07:30-18:45

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays , Three staff training days per year. [ Inset Days]

Leo's Den Nursery Reviews (78)

9.9

Leo's Den Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.854) out of 10, based on 35 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Leo's Den Nursery has 78 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Leo's Den Nursery
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Review from K H (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We started at Leo's Den last year after trialling another local nursery first - we were very lucky to get a fairly last minute space.
My 21-month-old daughter has loved it there, she can count to 10, sing the alphabet song (& many others) and is learning colours (and Spanish!). The food all seems
quite healthy, they cater for her dietary requirements, and they seem to spend lots of time in the garden. They've been great at managing things whenever she's been unwell and the room staff and office staff are all really responsive and helpful whenever we need anything.
She started in the baby room and has recently moved up to the toddler room - all the staff have been great, she looks forward to going every day and talks about the staff when she's not there.
We get frequent updates about her development from her key worker and daily photos and videos.
Just wish they'd get a better buggy door / drop off system, but would still 100% recommend!
Reply from Tony Hailwood, Managing Director at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your positive review KH, it is very much appreciated.
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Review from Zsuzsi S (Mother of Child) published on 5 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
At Leo's Den all practitioners are highly skilled and qualified. Everyone cares so much for our little one and he loves going to nursery. The activities are really engaging and there are plenty of them.
Such great nursery, we made a great choice.
Reply from Tony Hailwood, Managing Director at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for such a positive review, we always try our best for our children and parents.
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Review from Z N (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are happy with the care our child received in the last 5 months. The response to queries have always been prompt. The activities at the nursery are varied and engaging. Our child really enjoys attending Leo's nursery!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your review, your child has settled really well.
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Review from Cinthia V (Mother of Child) published on 14 October 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Leo's Den is a fantastic place. They took such great care of our daughter in the Lion and then Cheetah room. She grew so much in her development including verbal skills, naming letters and social skills. They were integral to her potty training; very supportive and patient. They even took great care
of her when she was in a walking boot following a fracture. The staff are attentive, creative, caring and communication is excellent. Highly recommend!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you - your review is very much appreciated!
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Review from M B (Father of Child) published on 11 September 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child has been going to Leo's Den for over a year and we couldn't be happier with it. The staff are super friendly and caring, the garden space is great and the special guests (Wild Fangs, Music Man etc.) really enrich the overall experience. Communication is just right and the staff take safeguarding
seriously, which is obviously reassuring as a parent. Our child was a bit shy when they first started going but they've become so confident and sociable, which I do believe is in part due to the great experience they're having at Leo's Den.
I would strongly recommend this nursery.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely comments, it's our pleasure to care for your child.
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Review from S B (Father of Child) published on 27 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son loves going to Leo's! The team is so friendly and professional and you can see every day that he enjoys, learns and grows at this place.
The culture day makes it also easy for parents to engage with each other and see who their child plays with each day.
I can only recommend the nursery!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely comments, its our pleasure every day to look after your son.
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Review from R A (Father of Child) published on 20 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We have two children at Leo's Den and they are two little happy lions when on their way and when we pick them up!
Very friendly staff with great communication with parents, both via the app and directly.
Highly recommend.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for the lovely comments, your two little ones are a delight to care for.
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Review from Theea G (Mother of Child) published on 19 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff at the nursery is truly amazing, and our 3-year-old daughter has been incredibly happy there since she started at just 1 year old. She loves it so much that she even asks to go on weekends! She's always talking about her teachers and little friends, sharing all the fun activities and things
she's learning. Seeing how much she enjoys her time there gives us great peace of mind. If she's happy, we're happy.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely review, every day is a fun learning day at Leo's Den Nursery.
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Review from I F (Mother of Child) published on 16 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Leo's Den Nursery has become a second home to my child. She started in January, just before turning one, and has made so much progress. She went from being insecure and taking only 15-minute naps to now taking sometimes 2-hour naps. Recently, she has become very confident, singing songs and dancing,
which she has learned from the teachers. She has a great routine now and always finishes all her food there. I can imagine she loves the activities there including outdoor water play and music man with a guitar! I love receiving photos and updates from the caring teachers, as well as checking in on her through the cameras whenever I miss her while at work. It may not be the fanciest nursery in this area, but the staff there provide a perfect environment for the children. I highly recommend this nursery to other families!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your comments, your little one has settled so well and thoroughly enjoys her day.
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Review from Alfonso R (Father of Child) published on 12 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our first daughter joined Leo's Den in January 2023 and the experience to date has been great. To start, it's an independent nursery and that makes a difference in terms of culture and relationship with families. Rates are reasonable (for London, that is), opening hours are very convenient, and it is
open year-round. I've always had a positive view of the staff and how the nursery is managed, generally. Facilities are pretty good, for a central London location, and include an open-air patio which guarantees some outdoor play time every single day of the year. Kids seem very happy, and the same for parents. We have just registered our second daughter for the July 2025 intake. If you are looking for a nursery in the area, I would recommend you visit Leo's Den.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely comments. To know the parents are as happy as the children is what we are all about. Family-friendly, high quality, child care. Thank you.
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Review from Mariam M (Mother of Child) published on 8 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has attended Leo's Den since she was 1 year old, and in the last 2.5 years, we had to see how she developed many skills, including social interaction, language and emotion.
The staff in every room are loving and genuinely caring for the children, communication is always clear at pick up
and/or through their app.
They offer children a variety of activities including trips to the local park, library and playground.
The nursery has its own big outdoor area and a terrace, so they can offer outside playing activities every day.
They also use an app where they upload regularly throughout the day what the child did, and send daily posters with pictures about what was done during the day by the class. The app is also used to share useful info from management regarding local community/health information.
Overall we couldn't be happier that we chose Leo's for our daughter, and we always recommend this gem to all our friends looking for a nursery.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely review. We take pride in catering for the whole family with regular updates in person and on the app. It's our pleasure to care for every child the way we would want our own child to be cared for.
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Review from R B (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Leo's Den has been a wonderful place for our daughter to start nursery. The staff are all so welcoming and genuinely caring of the children, from the admin staff to those working in the room with the babies. They even called to check in on us when our daughter was ill in hospital. So thoughtful.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely comments, we care very deeply about every child and every family.
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Review from A A (Mother of Child) published on 28 June 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son has gone to Leo's Den for over a year. It took him a while to settle as he'd got used to his previous nursery. The staff are welcoming and kind. My son's confidence has grown enormously with the help and encouragement of the staff at Leo's. They do a varied selection of tasks every day and get
lots of outdoor time too. I would recommend this nursery.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely comments, it's our pleasure to care for your child.
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Review from Linda B (Mother of Child) published on 28 June 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Leo's Den Nursery is the best choice we could have made for our child. He loves going there and he has made so much progress since he started in February. All the staff are amazing and caring and passionate, you can genuinely see they love spending time with the children. It's the perfect environment
and the perfect situation you would want for your child when you cannot take care of them. You can rest assured your children will be well looked after at Leo's Den Nursery!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your comments, it's a pleasure to care for your child.
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Review from Igal G (Father of Child) published on 24 June 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our nearly 3-year-old son is doing well in Leo’s Den and is flourishing with new skills and experiences.
We are benefiting from the flexibility of drop-offs and pick-ups.
Our boy is learning about new foods which is great.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your comment, it is a pleasure to see your son grow in independence and confidence.
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Review from Caroline A (Mother of Child) published on 12 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been supported to grow and develop holistically, the management and the team are outstanding. I could never thank Leo’s Den Nursery enough!
My daughter looks forward to attending her nursery every day and that says a lot about the staff.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely review, we really appreciate it.
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Review from Melaine O (Mother of Child) published on 12 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I couldn’t be happier with Leo’s Den Nursery. Having to go back to work after only four months, they were extremely helpful, caring and professional. I immediately felt reassured that we chose the perfect place for our son! He is now 13 months and he is a very happy boy. I’m always impressed at the
amount of activities the team comes up with. I would recommend the nursery to anyone!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for a lovely review, so lovely seeing him develop from a small baby to an active toddler.
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Review from Jonah G (Father of Child) published on 1 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely warm, caring and attentive staff, inventive and creative activities and my daughter has a wonderful and happy time there. The management is highly responsive to any concerns or queries and the sharing of photos and videos throughout the day is a lovely way to feel connected. Very highly recommended.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you so much for your lovely review we really appreciate it.
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Review from Luis P (Father of Child) published on 1 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My two sons go to Leo’s Den Nursery and I’m very happy we found this nursery.
They have a great routine with lots of fun and activities every day. They love the food and the staff.
Every day, they get home very happy.
We receive many photos and videos of them every day.
The place is always very
clean and they have a great space, including a big garden.
Management is always helpful and super competent.
The cameras are a very welcome treat and I love to check whenever I have a break from work.
I recommend Leo’s Den Nursery to everyone!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you for your lovely comments. We really appreciate them.
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Review from M L (Mother of Child) published on 1 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My experience with Leo’s Den Nursery is an institution that strives to get to know their families and exceeds expectations.
I believe management is forthcoming and their presence is seen clearly and deeply. I have seen the combined energy from practitioners and teamwork bring a positive experience
for the children, their daily needs are met through a variety of activities and playtime which extends beyond its walls. Communication is a priority, as others have said, I am able to keep track of my child’s progress and state of mind which is important to me.
I really enjoy and am grateful for the partnership.
I would not hesitate to recommend Leo’s Den to other families.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den NurseryThank you so much, we really appreciate your lovely words.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.854)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.854) out of 10 for Leo's Den Nursery is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 35 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 35 positive Reviews in the last 24 months.

Detailed Breakdown of Review Score

The maximum Review Score for a Day Nursery is 10, which is made up from the Average Rating of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) and the Number of Reviews (maximum of 5 points) in the last 24 months:

  1. 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months. The Average Rating of 4.854 for Leo's Den Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (361 Excellents x 5) + (51 Goods x 4) + (5 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 417 Ratings = 4.854
  2. 5 Points are available for the number of Positive Reviews in the last 24 months. A Positive Review is defined as any Review with an 'Overall Experience' of '4' or '5' (out of a max rating '5'). The 5 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Leo's Den Nursery is based on 35 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    1. 4 points are available for the first 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 4
    2. 1 point is available for the number of Positive Reviews reaching 20% of the number of registered child places in the last 24 months. If this number is partially reached, then that proportion of 1 point is given. eg a Day Nursery registered for a maximum of 50 child places has to reach 10 Positive Reviews to receive 1 point, if it has 7 reviews it will receive 0.7 points. 20% of the 65 number of registered child places is 13, which has been reached with 35 Positive reviews. Points = 1
  3. When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.
  4. If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

Please contact us for latest vacancies.

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Awards / Recognitions (0)

Meet the Team (2)

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Rachel Hine

Job Title: Nursery Director Joined: 2009

Rachel is responsible for the overall direction of the nursery, dealing with parent's applications, the management of the nursery systems and dealing with parental accounts/fees.

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Kemi Akinniranye

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2015

Kemi is responsible for the day to day running of the nursery, including parent contacts, organisation of the staff and the planning of activities.

Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of daynurseries.co.uk. Please contact Leo's Den Nursery to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Leo's Den Nursery has an Enhanced Service - more info.