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

Our daughter has attended Bird in Bush Nursery for a year and a half and has really enjoyed her experience. The staff are brilliantly caring and accommodating, and I credit them with helping us settle in and take on the challenges of raising a 3-year-old. Whatever mood our daughter is in at drop off, she is always happy and chatty after her days at nursery.

The only thing I could speak negatively about is the app. I find it to be very inconsistent. Updates are extremely delayed and I assume some are completely missing. For example, some days according to the app there has been no nappy change but I can tell there actually has so either it’s not being updated or the app is glitching. I was also expecting to get more frequent updates on the app about what’s happening at nursery with pictures. We’ve had it only a handful of times. In my view, the whole point of the app is so that we can see what’s happening while we’re apart but with it being inconsistent and often very delayed it kind of defeats the purpose.

Thank you so much Bird in Bush Nursery.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I can’t recommend Bird in Bush and all their staff highly enough.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I have found the staff very friendly and caring towards the children. My great grandchildren are very happy there.

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.

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.

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.

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.