Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush)

616 Old Kent Road, Peckham, London SE15 1JB
Review Us
9.9 127 Reviews
  • Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush), London
Rated Good by Ofsted (2025), Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (formerly Bird in Bush) provides childcare and education to children from birth to 5 years old.

You can find them in Peckham, close to South Bermondsey station. It's a spacious, airy setting with separate rooms for different age groups and two gardens. They have strong links to the local community – many parents attended the nursery themselves!

The caring, experienced team will make sure your child feels safe and secure from their very first day. No day is ever the same at Old Kent Road! The children enjoy science experiments, messy arts play, construction, gardening, cooking, and much more.

The Nursery's on-site chef prepares home-cooked meals and snacks from LEYF's nutritious menu.
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Funding & Fees

Contact Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) to get a personalised quote.

Contact Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Chelsea Cowdery (Nursery Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 22

Total Places for Children

  • 55

Age Range

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

Opening Times

  • Monday 08:00-18:30
    Tuesday 08:00-18:30
    Wednesday 08:00-18:30
    Thursday 08:00-18:30
    Friday 08:00-18:30

When Closed

  • Christmas, bank holidays, 3 training days per year

Parking

  • Nearby parking bays

Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) Reviews (127)

9.9

Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) has a Review Score of 9.9 (9.871) out of 10, based on 18 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) has 127 reviews.

Overall Experience
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Date Published
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Reviewer Connection to Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush)
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Total of 127, showing 21-40
Review from K F (Mother of Child) published on 15 September 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
I am glad that my son enjoys coming to Bird in Bush nursery. He has such great bonds with the staff including management and is very comfortable within the setting, throughout the day. The staff are very enthusiastic and thorough when it comes to feedback at the end of the day, with what my child has
enjoyed, needs improvement with and how his general day has gone.
I really love the app as I get to see photos of what the nursery have got up to weekly, along with a snapshot of my child doing a focused activity to help with his next steps.
Thank you so much Bird in Bush Nursery.
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Review from A G (Mother of Child) published on 15 September 2023 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Both my children enjoyed their time at Bird in Bush. The staff are really caring. Food is all healthy and made on site. The garden area is big with lots of different toys and activities. They organise events for parents to come into the nursery and get involved.
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Review from Christopher S (Father of Child) published on 25 April 2021 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
From our very first interaction with the team at Bird in Bush Nursery & Pre-School we have been enormously impressed. We came to the nursery from a bad experience with our previous childcare provider and with a very anxious toddler as a result. The whole team worked with us to create a tailored settling
in plan and we felt listened to, supported and reassured at every stage. Since then, with their support, we have seen our son grow from being clingy and anxious at first, to now skipping up the steps in the morning and running out of the door, pink-cheeked, flecked in paint and joyful at the end of each day. Some of the things we have valued especially are the presence of male as well as female staff, the incredible food menus and most importantly the staff who, without exception, are clearly committed and care deeply about each child. The fact that they have managed to sustain this level throughout the pandemic is remarkable and we are deeply grateful to them all. We cannot recommend highly enough.
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Review from Tessa B (Mother of Child) published on 19 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been at the nursery for over a year now, starting in the baby room and recently transitioning into the pre-school room. For the whole time she has been there I have never seen her happier or more stimulated. She’s so supported on her development journey and her key carers in both groups
have always got comments and advice very specifically for her. I would absolutely shout the praises of the nursery from the rooftops from the manager through to the key carers to the cooks, they’re all incredible.
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Review from Katie O (Mother of Child) published on 1 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Bird in Bush Nursery & Pre-School has become like a second home for my son. The staff are so nurturing and caring. I honestly can’t praise them enough.
There is a wonderful relationship between the staff and children which allows for growth in confidence, social skills and learning. My son has developed
far beyond our expectations during his time spent here.
I can’t recommend Bird in Bush and all their staff highly enough.
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Review from Hugo C (Father of Child) published on 1 October 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
A fabulous and loving nursery that our son loves going to. Great activities to fill the day and lots of variety of food. Have responded brilliantly to Covid19 and kept everything running as smoothly as possible.
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Review from Shr S (Father of Child) published on 28 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Overall, a very good nursery. Staff are clearly compassionate and care about the kids. Food provided is healthy, there are more than enough activities for kids to lose themselves in and there is also organized learning and play. There is a lot of support and flexibility provided to parents if required.
They have been more than diligent during Covid, taking proper precautions as necessary. The child's daily activities and updates are put up regularly on the online portal. Recommended.
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Review from Delphina H (Mother of Child) published on 25 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter attends the Bird in Bush Nursery, baby room, she started in January 2020. At first I was a bit nervous but when I met with the staff and management I knew that she would be just fine. Wow - the management and staff are so friendly, caring and the environment is so conducive. I couldn’t ask
for a better nursery for my daughter. I would definitely encourage any parent to send their kids to Bird in Bush Nursery.
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Review from Sarah A (Mother of Child) published on 17 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been in this nursery for two years. A year under the new management. They have been very supportive in my daughter's learning and development and have given me regular updates on her progress. My daughter loves the nursery and never wants to miss a day.
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Review from Katanya J (Mother of Child) published on 11 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son has attended this nursery for the past four years. In that time, we have established great relationships with the staff and he has grown into a confident boy who is interested and engaged with his environment. He loved learning the planet song, he loves pretending to cook in the home corner and
has come home showing my husband and I a range of Makaton signs. He loves going to nursery and bounces in every day. During the pandemic, the staff were very communicative and were thorough in the way that they made changes so that the nursery could be as safe as possible. The nursery manager was very understanding of my initial reservations about sending him back in, but I felt completely reassured after witnessing the systems that they put in place. The home learning emails and group Zoom tasks facilitated by the staff were great, as it allowed my son (who's an only child) to have access to his friends, which really helped. I would recommend the nursery in a heartbeat.
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Review from Harry B (Father of Child) published on 11 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our children couldn’t be happier at Bird in Bush. The staff are lovely and attentive and provide a stimulating and caring environment. It’s great value for money and I encourage anyone who listens to send their kids there.
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Review from Naomi C (Mother of Child) published on 11 September 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter joined at 7 months and is now 18 months. Immersion was smooth. As she took time to get used to the new environment, the key person’s schedule allowed her to have full dedicated time for our daughter and to bond and make her comfortable. From there, the very dynamic team (I used to have
to pop by in the middle of the day to bring milk and all the members were always cheerful and full of energy) supported our daughter in making her confident to try new things. They follow guidelines for child development and our daughter has been visibly developing faster since she has joined the team. The team has a big sense of humour, the nursery is clean, well organized, safe (Pre-covid, I was never allowed to enter by anyone who could not clearly identify me), the staff were a great support during lockdown for home learning and very good at reintegrating the children after. They are reliable and try their best to accommodate extra days when needed. Both a well-run company and a caring home to our child.
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Review from Kaimy F (Mother of Child) published on 17 July 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My 4-year-old son attends Bird in Bush preschool and he enjoys it and like sharing and playing with his classmates. I am grateful that the staff are caring, patient, help children when they need support, especially in when it's learning time. My son likes to read and he really enjoys reading time as
well as other activities. It is also relieving to know that my son is well taken care of when he is there. I really like the big space that my son could use as he likes to run and play. Overall, I am happy I chose this preschool.
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Review from Joyce (Great-grandmother of Child) published on 26 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have found the staff very friendly and caring towards the children. My great grandchildren are very happy there.
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Review from Jamie W (Father of Child) published on 14 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been at Bird in Bush for a couple of months and she’s getting an incredible amount from it. She’s grown confident and very attached to her carers and clearly adores the other children. When I drop her off in the mornings and she sees her friends, she can’t get out of the buggy fast
enough, pointing and babbling excitedly. As parents, I felt like we were part of the family from the first time we met the team. It’s been a wonderful experience so far.
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Review from Flavia F (Nanny Carer of Child) published on 11 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am extremely happy about Bird in Bush Nursery. Staff is very professional, the setting is amazing and the progress that my child made since starting is impressive.
The manager of the nursery is a wonderful woman and she is always there for any necessity. I will definitely recommend the nursery
to all the people that I know. It is a place where children learn while they are enjoying every single experience, where the staff teach good values and they feel constantly loved, protected and safe.
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Review from Karen G (Grandmother of Child) published on 11 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My grandson is doing so well. I was worried about him starting nursery but honestly, the team and management have made me and my grandson feel so welcome. Would definitely recommend this nursery.
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Review from Ingrid T (Aunt of Child) published on 11 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Great staff and management. Every time I have the opportunity to be there, I can see how much love they give to my nephew who seems to have a great time in there.
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Review from Tapiwa M (Grandmother of Child) published on 11 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have confidence with the work being done at the nursery. My granddaughter is always ready to show off the new things she is learning at the nursery. Keep up the good work.
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Review from Phil W (Father of Child) published on 8 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our experience is very positive, the staff are friendly, welcoming and caring and our daughter loves going there.
There's a good mix of playful learning, nursery led singing and experience and general socialising amongst the kids too.
Food is good and they're great at encouraging trying new flavours
and textures and positively helping our daughter to eat healthy amounts.
In general, it's a real gem.
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Current Review Score: 9.9 (9.871)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.9 (9.871) out of 10 for Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) 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 18 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 5.0 out of 5 from 18 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 4.921 for Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) is calculated as follows: ( (199 Excellents x 5) + (15 Goods x 4) + (1 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 215 Ratings = 4.921
  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 4.95 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Old Kent Road Nursery & Pre-School (Formerly Bird in Bush) is based on 18 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 20 Positive Reviews in the last 24 months; 3 points for the first Positive Review, 0.125 Points for each of the next four Positive Reviews, 0.05 Points for the next five Positive Reviews, and finally 0.025 Points for the next ten Positive Reviews. (1st = 3.000, 2nd = 0.125, 3rd = 0.125, 4th = 0.125, 5th = 0.125, 6th = 0.050, 7th = 0.050, 8th = 0.050, 9th = 0.050, 10th = 0.050, 11th = 0.025, 12th = 0.025, 13th = 0.025, 14th = 0.025, 15th = 0.025, 16th = 0.025, 17th = 0.025, 18th = 0.025, 19th = 0.025, 20th = 0.025) 3 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.125 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.05 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 + 0.025 = 3.95
    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 55 number of registered child places is 11, which has been reached with 18 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)

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Chelsea Cowdery

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2019

My name is Chelsea, and I am the Nursery Manager at Old Kent Road and have been part of the Leyf family since 2019. With over 12 years of experience in the early years sector, I bring a wealth of knowledge, passion, and dedication to my role. I firmly believe that children are our future, and I am committed to creating a fun, nurturing, and inclusive environment where every child feels safe, valued, and supported. I am passionate about providing high-quality care and learning experiences that enable children to grow in confidence, curiosity, and independence.

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