Leo's Den Nursery

37 Law Street, off Great Dover Street, London SE1 4DZ
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9.9 67 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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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

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.

Opening Times

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

When Closed

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

Leo's Den Nursery Reviews (67)

9.9

Leo's Den Nursery has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.873) out of 10, based on 31 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Leo's Den Nursery has 67 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Reviewer Connection to Leo's Den Nursery
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Total of 67, showing 21-40
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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank 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 Nursery
Thank you so much, we really appreciate your lovely words.
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Review from Natalie J (Mother of Child) published on 29 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been very happy at Leo’s Den Nursery since joining. The team are great and has really welcomed her. Regular updates are given and loads of lovely pictures of what the children are doing during the day. Would definitely recommend!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for your lovely comments. It's a pleasure to care for your child.
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Review from L M (Mother of Child) published on 29 February 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter started at Leo’s Den late last year, for a few days a week. I’m always struck by how personalised the attention on her seems; how updated each of the staff and admin are, and that they seem to genuinely understand what she needs, and to be able to respond to it. There’s clearly a lot of
communication between drop off and pick up because whatever I’ve mentioned to the worker when I drop her off is relayed back to me when I collect her.
It feels a very nurturing environment, and they managed to introduce new foods during a fussy phase and to help her nap which I’d been nervous about.
She’s clearly learning. She comes back singing new nursery rhymes, her vocabulary has improved quickly and she shows off her newfound yoga moves!
We’re kept updated throughout the day and (despite the tears at drop-off) she comes out smiling.
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Review from Salvatore Z (Father of Child) published on 30 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Started at Leo's Den early this year due to the closure of another nursery. We haven’t regretted the move since. It might have not the latest advanced facilities/structure, compared to some new flashy nurseries, but we really found a perfect environment with top caring, hands-on professionals.
Our
remarkable experience is confirmed by our daughter’s happiness as she has never shown any resistance at drop off every morning since she started, in contrast to the previous one. We believe this is the best value for money nursery in this area, where childcare prices have gone through the roof.
Another strength is the prompt service at the door at drop-off and pick-up. Great effort of carers helping at those peak times during commute to and from work, alongside other school runs for us.
Other pluses: the outdoor area for exercise and playground items; very easy to use and secure buggy area; effective online platform. Priceless service for us! Wondered why we didn’t consider it earlier.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for your lovely review, we are happy your family has become part of our Leo's Den family.
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Review from Razieh K (Mother of Child) published on 20 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery. The staff are wonderful and we have great communication with them. They update me every day and I am confident that they care about my son. We are so grateful to have found Leo’s Den.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for your lovely comments, we really appreciate your feedback.
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Review from Miriam A (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am the mum of a 4 and 2-year-old kids. They both joined when they were only 9 months old and they have learned and enjoyed so much since then. They do loads of activities there, they go in super excited and they come out with big smiles. There are loads of extra activities that make every day different
and exciting: they bring animals to the nursery, they take them to the library, a man comes in to play guitar and sing songs, they have a specialist phonics teacher, mini sports. I will be really sad to leave the nursery as this has been home to them. Thank you so much for taking care of my babies, nurturing them, and teaching them so much at the same time!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, we really appreciate your feedback.
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Review from Sinead M (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Lovely staff, good child-centered care.
My son is really happy here and continues to learn and grow. Lots of different activities each day, also sports and outdoors.
Absolutely amazing, cannot recommend it enough.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for a lovely review. We are happy that you are happy.
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Review from R C (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The nursery is absolutely great on any possible level. Right from the start my son has been super excited to go in and enjoyed spending time with his peers and carers. The daily activities really made a difference in my son’s development and his motor and communication skills are improving by the day.
Both staff/carers and management consistently go above and beyond to ensure parents’ minds are at peace. Communication is exceptional. We could not be happier about our choice.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for your lovely comments, we really appreciate your feedback.
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Review from Thomas H (Father of Child) published on 19 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Truly wonderful nursery. Cannot fault it! My son has been there 1.5 years and he runs in every morning. Staff are polite, courteous, and caring. Management are thoughtful and excellent communicators. You cannot go wrong by sending your child here.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for your lovely comments. Your little one really does love the nursery. It's our absolute pleasure to be part of so many families.
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Review from Sofia S (Mother of Child) published on 17 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son started at Leo’s Den at nine months, just before my return to work. He’s now a year old and has really settled in, thanks to the kind and caring staff. The nursery communicates really well, and I’ve had confidence from the beginning my son is getting excellent care. During his days at nursery
he’s well fed, cuddled, and entertained. I’ve really seen him grow, even over just a few months. I was nervous about the transition to nursery, but Leo’s Den have done everything for both me and him to make sure it goes well. Whenever I meet parents in the area I tell them to check it out, heartily recommended!
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you, what lovely feedback. So glad you love the nursery and share your views.
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Review from Eoin C (Father of Child) published on 17 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Fantastic nursery, I have two children in there and the staff are so lovely - our kids engage in great daily activities. The space is great with a large outside area, security is taken very seriously here and the kids are always out first.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you for your lovely review. It's our pleasure to take care of your two little ones.
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Review from Grace E (Mother of Child) published on 16 October 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are delighted with Leo’s Den. We were previously with a nursery that was significantly more expensive and looked “fancier” but actually, Leo’s Den has been better on every front. The major selling point is the wonderful staff and the excellent communication. I know what my child has been up to every
day and I am confident that the staff really care about him. We are so grateful to have found Leo’s Den.
Reply from Jenny Gagg, Operations Manager at Leo's Den Nursery
Thank you, our team is family orientated and communication with parents is key to us.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.873)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.873) 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 31 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 31 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 4.873 for Leo's Den Nursery is calculated as follows: ( (327 Excellents x 5) + (39 Goods x 4) + (4 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 370 Ratings = 4.873
  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 31 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 10 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, and then 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews and then 0.1 Points for the next five Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.100, 7th = 0.100, 8th = 0.100, 9th = 0.100, 10th = 0.100) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 + 0.1 = 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 31 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.

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