Highbury Lodge Day Nursery (Hitchin)

We couldn't be happier with this nursery. Our son is nearly two and absolutely loves going in each day, which says everything!

The staff are fantastic, warm, caring and genuinely invested in the children. He has built a wonderful relationship with his key worker and all the staff members there, even talking about them when he's at home, which is really reassuring as parents.

The app updates throughout the day are brilliant, keeping us informed on meals, sleep, and we love receiving the photos showing all the fun moments from the things they do each day. There's always a great variety of engaging activities that they get up to!

It's such a comforting feeling knowing he is happy, settled and thriving in such a nurturing environment. We would highly recommend this nursery to any parent!

Our daughter has been at Highbury since she was 11 months old and absolutely loves it. All of the staff are so kind, caring and nurturing. They make a great effort to learn every child's name, their siblings names and take an interest in their life outwith nursery. The skills, both motor and speech, that she has developed are fantastic and have been commented on by friends and family. She has opportunities to try different activities, meet different people and try different food that we wouldn't be able to achieve at home. I feel very lucky that she gets such good care in such a fun and caring environment from such wonderful staff.

Our son has had a great experience over the last 18 months at Highbury lodge. We arranged plenty of settling in sessions that allowed him, and us as parents, to feel comfortable and relaxed with the environment and staff. He has always enjoyed going to nursery and they provide a wide range of activities that have really helped him to develop and grow, and provided tailored support where needed. We have also been very happy with the food on offer, which seems to be very well balanced and varied. All the staff are very approachable, build great relationships with the children and seem to really enjoy their jobs. It's always lovely to chat with them at the end of each day to hear about what they have been up to.

Highbury lodge is an outstanding nursery. The staff are all so friendly, supportive and caring. They have built such a good relationship with our child, and we completely trust them. The facilities are great and the rooms are constantly changing to include new toys and activities, and the staff really go above and beyond to help the children to enjoy their time, play and learn. Our child has developed so much since going to Highbury lodge. The admin and management team are great and so approachable.

Our little one has been attending Highbury for over 2 years. A key feauture of this setting is the deep understanding of child development which is at the core of everything. The mix of newer to long-standing staff means that the children benefit from the expertise of some deeply knowledgeable practitioners. The staff genuinely care deeply for the children and enjoy their work which we believe to be of utmost importance in a nursery.

The child-lead approach has boosted our daughter's confidence and independence and we feel she learns a lot from the setting. For example, the team have supported her eating and she has become more adventurous with food over time.

While not experience has been perfect, the staff have always listened to us and responded thoughtfully. Overall, we're very pleased with the care provided.

Highbury Lodge have been amazing from day one in supporting our little who transitioned from an childminder setting into their pre-school setting as they prepare for reception.

The staff in the rooms as well as in the office are always soo welcoming, they really care for the welfare of every child and work hard to help them each thrive. There are different activities on each day to keep the kids engaged all while readying them for the next steps in life. We love that they engage with seasonal events too.

Our little one always goes skipping in each morning and we can thank the staff enough for their support.

A lovely nursery, if a little dated on decor and equipment. Key worker staff are brilliant, a real credit to the nursery. They are always willing to take the time to debrief and discuss your child's day with you.

Positives - excellent communication with staff, feels like the children do a range of activities within the nursery and you are kept abreast of their development. Key workers are really creative in bringing interests to the fore. Food seems to be varied with a lot of vegetables.

Negatives - the actual nursery is very inflexible with the days/times/sessions you can book for. You have to pay for full days and any changes take 6 weeks to implement. One of the most expensive in Hitchin but not sure what extra you get for this. Activities seem to be very internally focused e.g. no trips, no forest school etc. so it does feel a bit repetitive for the children. Some of the rooms are pretty packed with children on peak days

The nursery itself is vibrant and engaging, with well-planned activities that support meaningful learning and development. The care provided by every member of the team - from the amazing key workers and room leaders to the friendly and incredibly supportive office staff - has been exceptional. We're so grateful for the care our daughters have received and would wholeheartedly recommend this exceptional setting to any family.

Our son joined Highbury Lodge in October 2023, firstly in Caterpillars room and now Ladybirds. We have been delighted with his experience so far. The care and attention shown to him on a daily basis means that he has grown into a confident, kind and happy toddler! We feel very well supported as parents too - all developmental hurdles have been navigated expertly and professionally by the team. Our son's language, creativity, socialising and all round learning has been propelled by the support of all staff at the nursery. We love receiving updates of his day, linked to framework indicators so we can further develop his learning at home. He genuinely loves going to nursery every day and talks constantly about his friends and the staff at the end of his day. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly and it is clear that staff have taken the time to get to know our son. He is thriving at Highbury Lodge.

I cannot say enough positive things about Highbury Lodge! From the start every effort was made to ensure my daughter settled in and I was given multiple settle sessions. This was invaluable and a key reason she has gotten on so well there as we were given this opportunity to do it gradually. I know from experience that this is not offered by other nurseries and it felt personalised for us. My daughter has clearly bonded with several of the workers in her room which is lovely to see. I can see how much the activities have helped her develop and what she has learned. I also appreciate that she was not forced onto one nap until she was ready. I have been impressed by the food and the updates which make my day when I am at work. The staff always chat during pick up/drop off and all seem to know my daughter well. Whenever I have needed to contact the nursery I have received same day responses and they've been so helpful around the government funding. An amazing place all round!

Expensive though for obvious services as above, could only secure 3 days.

We now have our second daughter at Highbury Lodge and she's loving it as much as our first. Both made great leaps in their learning, creativity and confidence as a result of the superb staff and teaching. Each time they moved up a class I've been worried about the teachers they're leaving behind, but every time the new teachers have been just as caring and supportive. It's worth pointing out that the excellence goes throughout the nursery with the office, kitchen and all other staff just as good. A brilliant nursery.

My daughter has grown so much since being at Highbury Lodge. She has been attending the nursery for about a year and a half and the two rooms she has been in so far have been amazing. The staff are incredible and provide wonderful experiences for her. I really enjoy hearing about her day and reading the updates online of her development.

From day one, Highbury Lodge have gone above and beyond in the caretaking of our child. All of the staff members are warm and welcoming and any queries are always dealt with in a highly professional manner. During his time at the nursery, our son has developed a great love of learning through the carefully planned activities offered throughout the setting and his confidence and independence have flourished. All of the team show a fantastic knowledge and understanding of education in the early years and I am filled with happiness to watch my child enter the nursery, knowing that each day he is shown kindness and respect, whilst embedding important values under the gentle guidance of the practitioners. Each room is well resourced and reflects the specific learning taking place throughout the week, with set tasks to inspire. We are so thankful to have secured a place at Highbury Lodge and know that this is a fantastic investment for his wellbeing and future. Keep up the fantastic work!

Both of my children are excited every morning to go to nursery. My eldest is now in Bumblebees and started in Caterpillars when 9 months old and my youngest started in Caterpillars a couple of months ago. The staff are very caring and genuinely fond of the children. The nursery is very child-centric and the children are welcome to explore the entire nursery including the office and all of the staff actively engage in conversations with the children. They do a range of fun age appropriate activities in each room and my eldest was fascinated by the hatching chicks that were in the nursery foyer last spring. We are really pleased that we chose to send our children to Highbury Lodge Day Nursery and we wouldn't hesitate to recommend this nursery to other parents.

The food is brilliant and the resources, including the garden, have been well stocked with lots of fun things to do.

My son absolutely loves Highbury Lodge in Hitchin. He's kept very busy and is always encouraged to learn new things and be active. The care workers are professional and diligent, and he gets excited about returning to nursery after a weekend.

I am delighted with the service from Highbury Lodge Day Nursery. My two girls are treated with the same care and love as at home and they learn so much from the team. Our baby is overcoming her separation anxiety and our toddler has learned how to write Mummy! Such a great team. Couldn’t thank them enough for all they do.

Wonderful nursery, all of the staff are so friendly and kind- they take a real interest in the children and are constantly inventing new fun and educational activities for them, we are always impressed by the range of things they do!

A big thank you to our son’s current key person who we think is amazing and always goes that extra mile to give him the best experience possible.