Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Powder Mill Lane, Dartford DA1 1LY
Review Us
9.5 120 Reviews
A BRIGHT AND WELCOMING NURSERY IN DARTFORD

The warm, homely nursery in Dartford is designed to support your child’s development from the age of 3 months to 5 years.

They support the youngest children with the transition into nursery through free settling in sessions at the beginning, and fun, engaging activities as they grow with the nursery. For preschoolers, the focus is on the transition from nursery to school. An enriching Ready for School programme gives every child the opportunity to gain knowledge and confidence to thrive in school and beyond.

Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery boasts a stunning outdoor space. There is freeflow access to the gardens so your child can explore outside at their leisure. The garden is also large enough to accommodate chickens that the children enjoy learning about and feeding.

They serve excellent, nutritionally balanced food, prepared daily by their own chef using fresh ingredients. The Creative Cooks activities also aim to install healthy food choices at a young age.

Springfield Lodge nursery is situated in a green area of Dartford, close to Brooklands Lake and Dartford Central Park. They have an onsite car park to make drop-off and pick-up times as safe and convenient for you as possible.

They would love to meet you and your little one, so book a visit today and they will show you everything the nursery has to offer during your own personal tour.
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Type of Service

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

Person in charge

  • Stacey (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 48

Total Places for Children

  • 144

Age Range

  • from 0 years 3 months
  • to 5 years 0 months

Funding & Fees

  • Please contact the nursery directly for up to date fees

Opening Times

  • Monday 07:00-18:30
    Tuesday 07:00-18:30
    Wednesday 07:00-18:30
    Thursday 07:00-18:30
    Friday 07:00-18:30

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays

Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool Reviews (120)

Total of 120, showing 1-20
9.5

Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool has a Review Score of 9.5 (9.460) out of 10, based on 28 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool has 120 reviews.

Overall Experience

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120
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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My son really enjoys going to nursery. I believe that most of the staff really love working with kids and you can see this how they interact with the children even with the ones that are not in their specific room. They seem to really make an effort to get to know the children, even the management.
Receptionist and management are really welcoming and always find time to speak to you if you have any queries or just a quick random chat.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your lovely words. We're so pleased your son enjoys nursery and that our whole team's warmth and dedication are felt.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend Springfield Lodge Dartford
enough, very good and clean nursery, all staff are very supportive they help my son to be confident and develop good social skills. Thank you everyone.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your recommendation. We're so pleased to hear your son has grown in confidence and social skills. Thank you for your review.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I've been using this nursery for the past 17 years for all 5 of my children and I cannot fault it at all. The children form wonderful bonds with the key workers and management and it really is like one big family. The wide range of activities planned help the children to grow and develop and special
celebrations such as Diwali, Black History Month and World Book Day are well recognised, often with craft activities, singing and dressing up. My children have always enjoyed the meals, freshly prepared by the fabulous chefs, with special diets well catered for.
The outdoor space is incredible with a large grassed area which is also used for sports day and graduation. Forest school has been a fantastic addition to help the children with their learning and experiences. Children have access to such a huge range of activities, indoor and outdoor which include making their own play doh, baking and arts and crafts.
We love Springfield Lodge!

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your heartfelt and long-standing support. It's been an honour for the team to care for all five of your children. We're so pleased you value the nursery's activities, celebrations, meals and outdoor spaces.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child has been really happy at Springfield Lodge and we're so pleased we chose it for her. She started very young and it has definitely helped her to be confident and develop good social skills. She has a lot of opportunity to play and learn through a variety of resources and experiences. The playing
field and forest school are good facilities. Children also have the opportunity to appreciate different traditions, celebrations and cultures. The staff are always happy and friendly and clearly care a lot for the children. They always take the time to talk about each child's day at pick up. Ours always leaves happy.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your 5-star review and positive feedback; we truly appreciate your kind words about the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Found the nursery very good-the staff are all very informed and supportive, keeps the child's safety and best interest at the heart of everything. The nursery is very inclusive and welcoming of diversity.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My 3-year-old has been attending nursery here for the past 3 months and I cannot even begin to express how amazing the staff are and how supportive they are of my daughter. Not to mention my little one really came out of her social shell once starting! She absolutely adores her teachers and so do I!
Will be really emotional when we have to all part ways. But they will always be a huge part of my daughter and my journey.
Big big thank you to you all.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your lovely review! We're so happy to hear that your daughter has come out of her social shell and formed strong bonds with her teachers.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My little girl started nursery for the first time this September and I was so worried she would have a difficult time settling in as she is a lockdown baby but from the moment we stepped foot into Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool, when we were still shopping around
for nurseries, my daughter lit up. We were made to feel so comfortable with everything. I loved how transparent the management were, showing us everything we needed to see to make an informed decision. My little one looks forward to going to nursery on all her days and has been developing leaps and bounds. She also is a big fan of the chef's wonderful cooking, the meals are healthy and delicious it seems from my daughters reports. I'd definitely recommend this nursery.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for taking the time to share your valuable feedback with us. We're thrilled to hear your child is settling in and thriving at our nursery. Thank you for your recommendation.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has a disability and we really struggled to find a nursery that would focus on developing and including him to the best of his abilities. The staff at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and
Preschool have welcomed him, involved him and worked on his progress and we are so
glad we made the decision to send him. He's always happy to go in and we feel that he's safe and understood. We couldn't recommend them more.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Hello, thank you so much for your positive feedback and for recommending us!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has just started at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and
Preschool. I can't expressed how well my daughter is progressing, when she started I was a little bit concerned with her speech but Bright Horizons has supported me and my daughter. The improvement has been amazing.
I would definitely recommend anyone this nursery to family and friends. The support I have received I will be forever grateful for. Thank you so much to the management for always giving me and my daughter the support we needed.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

What an outstanding children's nursery.
My child has attended since he was 1 and I have had no issues at all. He now happily goes into his class and enjoys playing and learning. He has developed so much and his key worker has an excellent relationship with him and us. She informs us of everything
and if I have any concerns I know I can always talk to her.
It's an extremely happy place to be.
My little one absolutely loves the food and the fact the chef comes to visit them in their rooms.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

We are delighted to receive your positive feedback and we're thrilled to hear your child is thriving at our nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has recently joined Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool and I wanted to express how much this has supported us, as a family.
Every time he is at nursery, he cannot wait to tell us about the day he has had and is happy to go in when dropped off.
Nursery is the
best decision made as, to begin with, we were torn with the childcare options available but overall, the facilities offered helped.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your 5-star review and for sharing your positive feedback with us!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Very good educational and fun environment to make friends and develop. Ready for school for our son. And ongoing fun. Thank you. Just wish you could moved away from the area.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your feedback and for sharing your experience with us.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am a mum of two with over ten years experience of Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool.
A happy child means a happy mummy. In the last year, I appreciated the staff being able to discuss situations at any point. They were always available and approachable. They had
a big emphasis on regulating emotions and were very supportive in co-regulating which formed a good connection between my little boy and key adults.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your heartfelt review! We're so glad to hear that your experience at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge has been positive over the years. Thank you.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am very impressed on how well the communication is between the nursery and myself. The staff members are super friendly and I am confident that my son is in good care. I also like the app feature as I can see what my son is up to but also can easily communicate with the nursery.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with the team.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 3.0 out of 5

Overall the nursery is satisfactory.
Found certain rooms better than others, personal experience, certain situations were handled poorly with a lack of care of the child in question. Only recently standards have seem to have dropped.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for sharing your experience. We appreciate your feedback. If you have further concerns or would like to discuss your experience, please contact the nursery manager who can assist, alternatively please contact our parent enquiry team at 0330 433 2460 or parentenquiry@brighthorizons.com.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The manager and the team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool have been brilliant over the past seven years - first with our son and since with our daughter who is just leaving to start school in September. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to start their children
in a nursery setting.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! The nursery is thrilled to have been a part of both your son and daughter's early years over the past seven years. Thank you for your recommendation. We wish your daughter all the best as she starts school.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been attending Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool for just over a year, I was very nervous about leaving her, the team were supportive and she soon settled after a couple of weeks. They kept me updated and when I called every day, in the beginning, they
made me feel welcome and not silly at all. She now loves going to nursery and talks about her friends and the staff all the time.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your five-star feedback and for sharing your experience with us.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool enough. The whole team are so caring and kind that you instantly feel reassured by them. My child was a bit slower with some of his milestones (walking, talking etc.) and the nursery went above and beyond to try
and support him. The staff know all the children, so when you arrive it is always very friendly and using your child's name. Even little details, such as noting what type of food they have had on the app as opposed to just reporting how much they have eaten, are so helpful as then, as the parent, you can start to understand more what your child likes to eat. The children go outside every day as the nursery has a huge garden and also has a forest school. Definitely the best nursery for the local area.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your glowing recommendation! We're delighted to hear that you feel reassured by our caring team and that we could support your child's milestones. It's great to know you appreciate the personalised touches, like the detailed food updates and our outdoor activities. We're thrilled to be considered the best nursery in the area!

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 2.0 out of 5

My daughter joined the nursery when she turned one and she only went part-time. She cried almost every day I dropped her. She was allocated a key person however they were never in on the days she was in so it was a little void. She cried almost every time I dropped her off. It got so bad that she started
running down the corridor when we approached her room. From my observation, I have a feeling she was being ignored or were not paying her much attention. They have so much time to write observations and update the app on how they have time to properly care for your child. When I picked her up her face always looked messy and her nose was never wiped until I arrived to pick her up. I decided to listen to my daughter's cry and changed nurseries. She never cries now and waves me goodbye she is super happy. Listen to your babies when they are trying to tell you something. Not saying that something bad happened, sometimes it is just the atmosphere.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your review. We did try and assist your daughter throughout her time with us and we are sorry to hear that you feel that we have let you down. We certainly miss your daughter, but we are so pleased that she is now settled and thriving in her new nursery.

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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Thank you and your team for being so great! Your team is always helpful, attentive and friendly.
Your overall effort has helped my son become confident and improved his speech and language difficulty.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your kind words and for entrusting us with his care and education. We're thrilled to hear about the positive impact our team has had on your son's confidence and speech and language development.

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Current Review Score: 9.5 (9.460)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.5 (9.460) out of 10 for Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.6 out of 5 from 28 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.9 out of 5 from 26 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.557 for Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool is calculated as follows: ( (235 Excellents x 5) + (63 Goods x 4) + (27 Satisfactorys x 3) + (5 Poors x 2) + (4 Very Poors x 1) ) ÷ 334 Ratings = 4.557

  • b) 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 4.903 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool is based on 26 positive Reviews in the last 24 months and is calculated as per below:

    The 5 points available are broken down as follows:

    • i) 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

    • ii) 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 144 number of registered child places is 28.8. 26 Positive Reviews ÷ 28.8 = 0.903

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • 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 (5)

Meet the Team (2)

Stacey

Stacey

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2012

I have worked for Springfield Lodge since 2006 and started as a Nursery Nurse within our Tawny Owls Room. Before this, I worked in Australia for a year working within a very small nursery, very different in size to Springfield.

Within Springfield, I have worked my way up to a management position. I have seen the nursery go through several changes and two outstanding Ofsted inspections.
I hold a higher national diploma in Early Years Care and a BSc (Hons) degree in Health and Child Development.

From a very early age, I have always wanted to work with children and follow the footsteps of family members who have also followed this career path bringing knowledge and experience to help and support not only the children but my team.
... Read more
Jo

Jo

Job Title: Deputy Manager

Hello, I am Jo the deputy manager.

I have worked in the childcare sector for over 25 years. I have a level 3 diploma in Childcare and Education. I have a wealth of experience, working as a nanny, a nursery practitioner, a room leader and in leadership roles, joining Bright Horizons in October 2022.

I enjoy working as a team and value everyone’s ideas, I have the passion to drive my team to be the best they can be.

Watching the children thrive and grow and seeing the differences we can make in a family’s life is what I find most rewarding about my job.
... Read more

Frequently Asked Questions about Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool

What is the Age Range of Children that Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool accepts?

Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool Open?

Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool is open: Monday 07:00-18:30, Tuesday 07:00-18:30, Wednesday 07:00-18:30, Thursday 07:00-18:30, Friday 07:00-18:30.

How many Children does Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool have capacity for?

Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool has capacity for a total of 144 Children.

How far is Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool to the centre of Dartford?

0.8 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 Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Bright Horizons Springfield Lodge Dartford Day Nursery and Preschool has an Enhanced Service - more info.