Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School

1 Bessborough Street, London SW1V 2JD
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9.7 39 Reviews
  • Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School, London
Rated Outstanding by Ofsted (April 2019), Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School provides childcare and education to children from birth to 5 years old.

You can find them in Pimlico, right opposite the tube. It's a light, airy nursery with separate spacious rooms and gardens for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers.

There are lots of imaginative activities to try with the qualified staff. From gardening to woodwork, ballet to baking cakes, yoga, collaging, climbing and more! The children also love to get out and about, with trips to the shops and local museum. Parents regularly join in the fun too, leading science experiments and storytelling sessions.

The in-house chef provides all meals using healthy recipes from LEYF’s menu.
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Type of Service

  • Day Nursery
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Dhanvanti Deshmukh (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 25

Registered Charity Number

  • 299686

Total Places for Children

  • 51

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:00
    Tuesday 08:00-18:00
    Wednesday 08:00-18:00
    Thursday 08:00-18:00
    Friday 08:00-18:00

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School Reviews (39)

9.7

Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School has a Review Score of 9.7 (9.733) out of 10, based on 23 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School has 39 reviews.

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Total of 39, showing 1-20
Review from A S (Mother of Child) published on 21 August 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our child did not like being apart from us when she started but the staff at Bessborough were loving and gentle with her and very quickly she was happily running in. Each room she has been in has been really great with her and all her peers - every child is treated as an individual and celebrated. The
outdoor space is fantastic and well-used and the staff are meticulous at planking and executing activities for the children to enjoy and learn from. We are so very happy at Bessborough!
Reply from Trudy Wilson, Marketing Manager at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you very much for your review. We are so happy to hear you and your child are enjoying Bessborough. We truly value having you as part of the Bessborough family.
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Review from Karem G (Father of Child) published on 9 May 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son had a challenging start to his nursery journey, but moving to Bessborough Nursery and being cared for by the manager has been truly transformative. Her warmth, patience, and dedication have made an exceptional difference in his happiness and development.
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Review from J D (Mother of Child) published on 19 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
From the moment we walked into Bessborough Nursery & Pre-school, it felt like home. The staff are incredibly welcoming, warm, and genuinely care about the children. Unlike our previous nursery, here they embraced my son's emotional breakdowns with patience and understanding.
A special thank you to
the manager and one member of staff, in particular, for their support throughout the process, as well as three members of staff, in particular, who have all been so kind and reassuring. I've yet to meet my son's key worker, but I have no doubt he will be just as wonderful as the rest of the team.
Although my son is still adjusting to the separation and finds it difficult, the fact that he comes home excitedly talking about everything he does at nursery speaks volumes about the impact they've had on him in only three days. I'm truly grateful to have found such a nurturing environment for him. After I was feeling so anxious about whether we would ever find the right nursery, I now have hope that this is the place for him.
Reply from Dhanvanti Deshmukh, Nursery Manager at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for the kind words. I am so happy to hear that your child has got a lovely family at Bessborough.
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Review from Rebekah B (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
This nursery is fantastic.
The care and commitment the staff provide is outstanding and my 1 year old looks forward to attending every day.
The facilities are exceptional with a safe large garden which is unheard of in central London.
Highly recommend.
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Review from P F (Mother of Child) published on 14 March 2025 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Wonderful, warm & welcoming nursery. Kind & caring staff, who are considerate with all children and parents. Easy settling in with lots of helpful information provided. Non-judgemental and supportive environment. Really pleased with our choice. Thank you Bessborough
Reply from Dhanvanti Deshmukh, Nursery Manager at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for the kind words and I am so happy to hear that the nursery has met all your expectations. I am so glad you felt the settling process and information helpful.
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Review from Maria B (Mother of Child) published on 26 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has been attending this nursery for over a year now and we couldn't be happier with the experience. The staff are incredibly caring and make every child feel truly special, creating a warm and nurturing environment. The activities and events they organise are wonderful, engaging, creative and
thoughtfully planned. We also deeply appreciate their cultural sensitivity and open-minded approach, which fosters a sense of inclusivity and respect. It's clear that they genuinely love what they do and it shows in how much our son loves going there every day. Highly recommend!
Reply from Dhanvanti, Marketing and Communications at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for the kind words., Our children inspire us and it is absolute pleasure to lead an amazing team and wonderful family here at Bessborough Nursery and Pre-School.
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Review from V P (Mother of Child) published on 13 November 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am very impressed about the fact the nursery has improved so much from earlier when my daughter was in. The new team and team leaders are putting great efforts in taking care of the kids and communicating with parents. The way the baby room team took care of my 1 year old son is beyond words. My son
loves going to nursery and loves his key person the most. A big thank you to the team.
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Review from Claire E (Grandmother of Child) published on 7 November 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I visited on grandparents' day and was delighted with Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School - the staff are delightful, so conscientious and caring and very much engaged with each individual child. I was also pleasantly surprised that during story time the nursery nurse was using Makaton.
A lovely, happy
nursery.
Reply from The Leyf Marketing Team, Marketing and Communications at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for making time to come and attend. Thank you so much.
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Review from Elisa M (Mother of Child) published on 7 November 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My son has been attending the nursery since 2023. He has learned so much, made good friendships, enjoyed his relationships with the teachers and loved the food (a big shout-out to one member of staff, in particular!) All the teachers are caring and attentive to children's unique needs. The nursery provides
a warm and welcoming atmosphere, allowing children to feel safe as they navigate new experiences and challenges.
Under the management, the nursery has seen a commendable increase in engaging activities. The involvement of parents and the community in the nursery's activities is another aspect worth mentioning.
Reply from The Leyf Marketing Team, Marketing and Communications at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for the kind words. I am glad that parents are enjoying the parent partnerships and events. Thank you for always being so appreciative of things we do at nursery.
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Review from A B (Mother of Child) published on 13 September 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Our son attended nursery since 2021. He had a wonderful time here and made lots of friends.
The outside space is amazing. Not something many nurseries are offering.
The staff are great too. Very caring and always plan lots of activities for the children according to their age group.
Reply from The Leyf Marketing Team, Marketing and Communications at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for making time to do the review. I am so happy to hear that your son enjoyed your time at Bessborough.
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Review from O B (Mother of Child) published on 12 September 2024 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We are very happy with this nursery. The staff are excellent and go above and beyond to ensure the children are stimulated throughout the day. Our daughter loves all the activities - thank you!
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Review from Eva K (Mother of Child) published on 13 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Absolutely fantastic nursery! My son loved the baby room and now loves the toddler room. I need to convince him to come home at 6pm. Could not be more grateful for the wonderful staff at Bessborough Nursery.
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Review from Aurora R (Mother of Child) published on 13 August 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A great outdoor space and a lovely sense of community. There have been several changes of staff lately but the care of the children has always been at centre stage. The facilities are really excellent.
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Review from Klodiana S (Mother of Child) published on 26 July 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I'm very impressed with Bessborough Nursery. The team does amazing and outstanding work with the kids. They are with lots of energy. Everyone there works as a team. My son has improved since he started last September 2023. The manager is an amazing person and very helpful. Deputy manager too. Every
single one of them needs appreciation. Well done to amazing people!
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Review from C K (Mother of Child) published on 22 May 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5
A nursery with beautiful outdoor space and extended hours, but plagued by ever-changing/ever-departing staff that creates a very unsettling situation for the children and the parents. There are days when there is no familiar teacher face when I drop off my little boy, as the nursery has to heavily rely
on bank staff. Feedback at the end of the day is also very poor, for the same reason. There are not many activities appropriate for children who are preparing to go to school.
Reply from The Leyf Marketing Team, Marketing and Communications at Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you for meeting me to discuss your concerns about your past experience. The staff retention has been an ongoing issue not just at Bessborough Nursery but across the sector. We are lucky to have…read more
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Review from Gemma C (Mother of Child) published on 12 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School is a magical place for children. Despite being an inner city school, it has a sizeable, peaceful garden, full of brilliant, age-appropriate equipment and the children have outdoor time almost every day. The staff are truly some of the most caring, generous and warm people
I’ve ever met, and I’ve noticed that staff across the entire nursery know the name of my son (and him theirs). They do different activities every day, from messy and sensory play to themed events and cultural activities. The children are constantly learning & seem to really enjoy their time there. The manager is often present during pick-up and drop-off times and is very approachable, friendly and professional. And the food is really good quality and varied, my little boy often finishes the whole lot and sometimes asks for seconds!
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Review from G B (Mother of Child) published on 11 April 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great outdoor space and staff who really care about the children’s happiness and development. Bessborough gets everything that matters right. They do lots of messy play; the food is varied; there is genuine diversity among the staff and children.
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Review from C A (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at the nursery for two months now and we couldn't be happier. She is well looked after by the staff who are loving and caring. The children have different and fun activities every day which help them to learn. The rooms are spacious and well lit and the children are given good,
healthy food. As parents, we receive daily updates on our daughter's activities and progress from the staff via the app or at pick-up time. It was a really good decision to take my daughter to Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School.
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Review from Carol F (Grandmother of Child) published on 27 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My granddaughter just started at Bessborough and the team has been wonderful. I have been amazed at the processes in place to safeguard children in regard to food, collection and the professional but family approach was heartwarming. We even got an Easter Bonnet starter kit which was sweet. I was gobsmacked.
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Review from J M (Mother of Child) published on 27 March 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been in the baby room at Bessborough for over a year, and we couldn’t be happier. The staff are lovely and caring and really love our daughter like their own. The team are incredibly creative and comes up with amazing activities. The outside space is amazing, and the rooms are large
and airy.
The management is faultless, and the manager really cares about everyone, staff, children and parents in the building. There is a real sense of community and love here with many staff staying beyond their required hours because they care.
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Current Review Score: 9.7 (9.733)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.7 (9.733) out of 10 for Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.7 out of 5 from 23 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 22 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 4.733 for Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School is calculated as follows: ( (220 Excellents x 5) + (39 Goods x 4) + (10 Satisfactorys x 3) + (2 Poors x 2) + (2 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 273 Ratings = 4.733
  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 Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School is based on 22 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 51 number of registered child places is 10.2, which has been reached with 22 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 (1)

Dhanvanti

Dhanvanti Deshmukh

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2022

Hello, my name is Dhanvanti, and I am the manager here at Bessborough. I joined LEYF in 2022, but have worked in the industry for over 28 years. I am very experienced, and working in child care is a career by choice. I am fun loving and a people person. I love telling stories using props, singing and making up songs with children and extending their imaginations.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School

What is the Age Range of Children that Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School accepts?

Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School accepts Children aged from 0 years 0 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School Open?

Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School have capacity for?

Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School has capacity for a total of 51 Children.

How far is Bessborough Nursery & Pre-School to the centre of London?

1.2 mile(s) as the crow flies, distance by road may be significantly further.

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