Dicky Birds Day Nursery and Preschool Raynes Park, Pepys Road

My son has been at Pepys Road since he was 9 months old and he is now 3 years 8 months. He is really happy and settled and is looked after by some amazing staff who really care about him. They really supported him when his older sister left to go to school last summer, and when he had a new baby sibling, which really helped us as parents so much-we were very grateful for their care and consistency at that time. The nursery is doing a wonderful range of activities and the recent changes since the new manager joined, have been really positive there’s been a big push to help parents feel more involved and also share with us what the children are doing more regularly. We feel confident he is thriving and learning and most importantly, feels safe and happy. Thank you!

Our daughter joined Dicky Birds last summer (2023) and has loved it. The extended settling in time gave us the opportunity to get used to a new routine and I’ve found the staff to be kind, enthusiastic and knowledgable. Last summer there was a period of adjustment as staffing changes happened, but my experience of it was similar to what I see in my work (NHS nursing), where we have an ebb/flow of staff but a solid core team who care a lot. It didn’t take long before this period of change felt settled and steady. Throughout it all, my daughter was happy (if the smiles and mess she makes are anything to go by).

There is limited outside space but they make the most of it and take regular trips out and about (which are clearly enjoyed). The current team are committed to communication, alerting us to any issues (or potential issues) and I want to recognise they are working hard to provide individualised learning opportunities within the context of overseeing a group of young children.

Our daughter has been attending Dicky Birds for 20 months and we have been impressed with the care and service from the staff there. Recently, there have been some changes within the leadership team of the nursery and we have seen a huge increase in parent communication, fun planned activity days and the variety of learning and play opportunities given to the children. There is a great app, that contains a lot of information and updates on what the children have been up to, eaten and how long they have napped for.

I recommend!

The team is great and my daughter is very happy at this nursery. The app is great and informative, yet I still get great handovers when collecting my daughter. It feels more like a small family rather than a team of staff, which makes pick-ups and drop-offs very welcoming. Facilities/outdoor space is limited, but this cannot be helped. However, they make up for this by going on outings.

My son started at the nursery 18 months ago, before it was acquired by Grandir. Since then, it has been going downhill fast. The staff is lovely, and caring, they are in no way the problem. Over the last few months, the turnover has been extreme. I know this is a generalized problem in the sector, but lately, they also seem unhappy, and extremely overworked.

We used to get updates about staff changes but they can't do this anymore because they happen so often. I don't recognize half the staff that opens the door. Lately, we've had to wait at drop-off because there are not enough staff to look after all the kids, and they are all put together in a room regardless of age group and ratio.

They have a new app that adds no value, the previous one was fine and actually got updated with pictures and written updates from staff. Now we never know what's going on. Is this where the money is going? Because the fees have been put up 3 times in the last 12 months and the staff are underpaid.

Lovely staff and a caring environment with good communication. Really flexible around extra days for freelance mums. Small and friendly so it’s easy to get to know everyone. Good food and happy children.

Both our daughters attended Dicky Birds Day Nursery and Preschool Raynes Park, Pepys Road and loved their time there. The staff are caring and warm towards the kids and I've always had every confidence in them looking after and educating our girls. The nursery is conveniently located, yet safe and by splitting the kids into rooms the kids are not overwhelmed by large numbers of kids. Food and facilities provided are excellent.

A great team from Dicky Birds Day Nursery and Preschool Raynes Park, Pepys Road. My son enjoyed it from day one, making friends and loving his teachers. I noticed that there are fewer outings recently but understand that there are problems with staff availability. We missed the parent's evening but the keyworker called us to catch up. I had a great conversation with the keyworker and the team is always there for us. We identified some issues to work on together and I am confident that the plan will work well to prepare my son for big school come September.

Highly recommended.

We are so delighted with the care at Pepys Road Dicky Birds, our son has been attending for the last 3 months and he has progressed so much in so many ways and he absolutely loves it there. The staff are brilliant, so attentive and caring. They create such a lovely environment for the kids and we are so grateful.