Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School

The Moonshot Centre, New Cross, London SE14 6LU
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9.6 56 Reviews
  • Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School, London
Rated Good by Ofsted (May 2023), Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School provides childcare and education to children from birth to 5 years old.

The Nursery is based in Fordham Park, close to New Cross and New Cross Gate stations. It's a spacious, modern nursery with separate rooms and gardens for different age groups.

The experienced staff inspire the children to learn through curiosity and discovery. There are many different activities to try, from science experiments to traditional cooking, world music to yoga, construction, sensory play with water and ice, dialogic reading, and much more! Families can also join in the fun with regular workshops.

An in-house chef prepares tasty, balanced meals using recipes from LEYF's menu.
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Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Sharon Dhand (Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 24

Total Places for Children

  • 51

Age Range

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

Opening Times

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

When Closed

  • Christmas

Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School Reviews (56)

9.6

Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School has a Review Score of 9.6 (9.553) out of 10, based on 8 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School has 56 reviews.

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Total of 56, showing 1-20
Review from Ella J (Mother of Child) published on 4 December 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our daughter has been at Playhouse since last summer and really loves it there.
We love the daily notifications we get on what she's eaten, pictures of her activities and sleep schedule.
The teachers care a lot, and it shows in the activities they put together for the kids. Our daughter also spends
lots of time outside which is important for us.
Claudia, the chef, puts great care in the menus she crafts for the kids and follow seasonal produce. It's helped our daughter enjoy a wide range of different foods and develop her taste buds!
Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you for this wonderful review! We love that you recognise the amazing meals our chef produces and this includes the seeds to growth where the children even plant some of their own vegetables to…read more
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Review from L K (Mother of Child) published on 4 December 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We highly recommend Playhouse Nursery-our son loves it, and so do we. He's been attending for a year and a half, and the experience has been outstanding.
The staff are exceptional and genuinely invested in each child's development. They've created a warm, home-like environment with a real sense of
community. Our son adores his teachers and constantly talks about them and his friends at home.
Communication is excellent with daily updates and photos. The children spend lots of time outdoors and are always engaged in wonderful sensory or educational activities. Our son regularly comes home singing new songs or using phrases he's learned.
Playhouse also offers great opportunities for parents to get involved with special activities for Mother's Day, Halloween, Christmas, and more.
After visiting over five nurseries in the area, Playhouse stood out immediately and continues to exceed our expectations.
Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank for this amazing 5 star review! We love offering these events and gathering everyone together, these opportunities create warm and harmonious relationships with our parents. We are glad you…read more
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Review from G G (Mother of Child) published on 19 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter is very happy at this nursery. Since she started attending, I've seen her confidence grow, and her learning and development have improved greatly. The staff are nurturing, approachable, and knowledgeable. I'm a very happy parent - and my daughter is, too!
Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you for this lovely review! We are happy to hear your child has grown in confidence and is happy to come into nursery. We are glad you have chosen to be a part of our Playhouse family!
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Review from P M (Mother of Child) published on 11 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has been at Playhouse LEYF for three months now, and we honestly couldn't be happier. Communication is excellent, the staff are all so warm and caring, and she eats and naps brilliantly there - her appetite has even grown by around 50%! The activities are varied and engaging. It's such a
joy to see her come home showing off new words, hand actions, and even the names of her new little friends. She also gets plenty of time outdoors, which we especially appreciate as we don't have a garden at home.


The location is fantastic, right in the park, which also creates a lovely community feel when chatting with other parents at drop-off and pick-up.


Leaving your baby for the first time when returning to work is never easy, but the team made the whole transition smooth and reassuring. We feel completely confident in the care she receives.

Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you for this amazing review! The individual gardens are what makes Playhouse so unique. It is wonderful to hear your child is happy and you were given the reassurance and confidence right from…read more
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Review from Lucie G (Mother of Child) published on 3 November 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Everyone at Playhouse is incredibly professional, warm and very clued on regarding children's development. I know my baby is safe and happy there. They all spend as much time as possible outdoor, and constantly try new things. You can see as soon as you get in how happy and confident children are.
Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for this 5 star review! We are happy to hear that your child is happy and safe and the environment is a warm space for your child to progress and develop. We are glad to have you as…read more
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Review from Melanie B (Mother of Child) published on 31 October 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Home away from home. My son Teddy started in January this year (2025) after our childminder had let us down by telling us she couldn't cover the full 5 days we needed. I quickly went on the hunt for alternative care and I was so in love with the staff, the facilities and the nursery ethos that my husband
and I quickly decided Teddy would go full time 5 days a week. We have not looked back.


We have an older son and we wish we had looked at the Playhouse for him also as we had to move him around.


There is a very lovely community feel at the nursery and in the immediate vicinity - it is very unique and we love it. More imprtantly Teddy loves it and we have seen him grow in confidence. Staff are supportive of each child in their care and are super patient when it comes to making each and every Playhouse member comfortable.


We would highly recommend, you won't be disappointed.

Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for this beautiful review! We are so glad you chose our nursery and you are in awe of everything we have to offer. The staff here always ensure they give the best support to every…read more
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Review from D M (Mother of Child) published on 20 October 2025 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Reasons I love this nursery:
Excellent facilities, baby room has its own dedicated outdoor space and they are often in the garden when I pick my daughter up so it's nice to see it is regularly used.
Great food, my daughter is very happy exploring food and has increased her appetite since starting nursery.
Activities, impressed by the range of activities they engage the babies in, gives me lots of ideas of things to do with her at home.
Parent app communication, good level of detail without being overbearing.
General atmosphere, an aura of calm and consistency that has been reassuring for me. My daughter settled in easily.
All in all we are very happy with the experience so far.
Reply from Jodie McDermott, Marketing Lead at Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School
Thank you so much for this lovely review! We are glad your child has settled in well and enjoying every aspect of nursery life. We love that you have chose to be a part of our Playhouse family.
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Review from Sanja F (Mother of Child) published on 28 June 2024 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am so grateful to have found Playhouse. They have created a nurturing, safe, and stimulating environment where my child feels happy and secure. I highly recommend this nursery to any parents seeking a place where their child can learn, grow, and thrive. It has been an absolutely wonderful experience
for us!
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Review from Marko R (Father of Child) published on 27 August 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
When looking for a nursery for our newborn in 2019 we saw a few places, but only once we visited Playhouse we felt reassured that our girl was going to be well looked after.
The facilities and outdoor spaces are good, but the stag and the cars they provide is excellent.
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Review from Simona V (Mother of Child) published on 27 August 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
My son has been going here for only 1 month, but my first impression of the nursery and the team is great. They accommodate us in all possible ways and I appreciate this very much. The updates on the day activities are always on time, communication is efficient, everyone is always positive. Nursery
itself seems to be well equipped for the kids and their needs. I am very happy we chose this setting.
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Review from Irina C (Mother of Child) published on 31 July 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Overall very good experience. My son really likes it here. Very convenient hours which sometimes rare in other nurseries. Staff are very nice, management responsible and respond asap. Lovely green, artificial grass recently introduced for babies outside space. I like the menu, great variety of food.
The outside in the winter and autumn months could be improved. Some days kids were not out at all. Also, temperature in the rooms could be regulated better (sometimes it's too hot!). Would like to have a better explanation and acknowledgement of bruises and scratches and holes in the clothes. Maybe mo0re activities or meetings with all parents when they can get to know each other. But, overall is a lovely place for kids to be. Friendly and caring.
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Review from B T (Mother of Child) published on 31 July 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
The permanent staff at this nursery are wonderful. They all make the effort to get to know each child by name - even if they don't work in the room allocated to your child's age group. Unfortunately, there are quite a few temporary staff/cover who aren't as nice or as reassuring which can be a surprise
when you're dropping off your child with a stranger. The food they serve the children is incredible, I'd like to eat there everyday myself! The weekly emailed reports are a great way of seeing what the educational focus has been that week. The daily reports are also very useful - although they aren't always fully completed. I cannot say enough nice things about the staff - they're so supportive and open to your child's individual needs and your wishes. They're great!
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Review from Michela F (Mother of Child) published on 17 July 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I am really happy with this nursery, my daughter is learning a lot and I see her more confident around people. The management is very good: they listen to all our suggestions or requests. Unfortunately, the activities are mostly done when I work, but I love the fact that they always include parents.
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Review from Karen C (Mother of Child) published on 8 July 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Overall a fantastic nursery that my kids have loved attending. With my older child, reception was impressed with how prepared he was, and he had a very smooth transition into primary school thanks to the thoughtful and individualised development plan Playschool provided for him.
They give parents many
opportunities to connect with their children's activities, from regular parent events to "Friday 5" emails and most recently with the ParentZone app, which records particular instances of development benchmarks (with adorable pictures). The children spend their days with consistent, knowledgeable carers and get a lot of outdoor time, no matter what the weather. Both the inside and outside facilities are continually updated and improved and include garden space where the staff and children grow fruit and vegetables - which are then included in the children's meals. The nursery chef is wonderful, serving healthy, tasty food and demonstrating cooking activities in class. Highly recommended.
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Review from Ben S (Father of Child) published on 24 June 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Our son has just completed his first year of nursery at Playhouse where he has had a fantastic time. Three days a week felt like a lot to us before he started, but we needed to go back to work and all three of us were welcomed into the nursery family with kind, knowledgeable, reassuring and open arms.
There's a great vibe to the staff at the nursery, the children really seem to be at the centre of everything. Regardless of room or age, every member of staff knows every child's name, and very pleasingly I get referred to by name (rather than Dad) and have a really positive relationship with everyone involved in our child's care. He's soon to move up to toddlers from babies and whilst it will be very sad to leave the baby room, where he has been so well cared for, we already know all the staff in the next room and are excited for his next stages of development at Playhouse. Thanks Team.
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Review from Lucia G (Mother of Child) published on 24 June 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
We love Playhouse. The staff are brilliant and our kids have had a really positive time there doing activities that they wouldn't get to do at home. The food is really good and varied so we feel they eat better than at home. Staff very committed. Pram shed inside the nursery makes pick up and drop off
much easier if you have more than one child. Outside space for play off every room in the nursery is a really key feature. Not all New Cross nurseries have this! We were worried about putting our kids into nursery but within the first month, we were converted.
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Review from H V (Mother of Child) published on 31 May 2019 Submitted via Postal Card • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My little boy started part-time at Playhouse at 6 months old, and I have been delighted with the care he received. They have been brilliant in helping with weaning and he often comes home with new tricks he has learnt. He is a confident and happy toddler now and Playhouse has contributed so much to
his development and confidence. Even if I didn't have to work I would still send him to Playhouse because he learns so much he enjoys it and it has advanced his social development. Thank you playhouse.
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Review from Kelly C (Mother of Child) published on 30 July 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
The staff genuinely care for the children and take an interest in their development. Each child is assigned to a keyworker however, all the staff in each room will know your child and how their day was. I noticed there is a low turnover of staff, which is always a good sign. They have a baby room, toddler
room, older toddler room and preschool room. They will support you in your routines, from feeding, eating, sleeping to toilet training. They have a longstanding in-house cook, who freshly prepares all the meals, which are healthy, with no sugar and low salt. There are also the little things they do which are lovely, for example, birthday cards for the parents if they know it's that day, events for Mothers, Fathers and Valentine's day, workshops for parents on various topics. Every year they put on a Christmas show in which all the children participate and parents are invited. Overall very happy with this nursery and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.
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Review from Z J (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Really happy with the nursery. My daughter is going there just 2 x a week but she has learned a lot of songs and is singing at home all the time.
Her English is in the progress since she started the nursery.
The staff is very friendly and helpful.
Sending us weekly newsletter and pictures of the
week in the nursery to keep parents up to date is very nice from the management.
Thank you so much to all team and management.
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Review from Pat B (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2018 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My two children very much love the nursery and all people working there. There is a really lovely atmosphere every time. My children are happy to come to the nursery every day knowing they will have a lot of fun and I know they are in good hands.
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Current Review Score: 9.6 (9.553)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.6 (9.553) out of 10 for Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 8 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.6 out of 5 from 8 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 4.969 for Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School is calculated as follows: ( (93 Excellents x 5) + (3 Goods x 4) ) ÷ 96 Ratings = 4.969
  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 4.584 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School is based on 8 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 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 = 3.8
    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 51 number of registered child places is 10.2. 8 Positive Reviews ÷ 10.2 = 0.784
  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)

Funmi

Funmi

Job Title: Nursery Manager Joined: 2016

Hello, my name is Funmi and I've worked at LEYF and Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School since 2016. We have an experienced staff group here, who inspire the children to learn through curiosity and discovery. People would describe me as driven, nurturing and passionate.

Frequently Asked Questions about Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School

What is the Age Range of Children that Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School accepts?

Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School Open?

Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School is open: Monday 08:00-18:00, Tuesday 08:00-18:00, Wednesday 08:00-18:00, Thursday 08:00-18:00, Friday 08:00-18:00.

How many Children does Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School have capacity for?

Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School has capacity for a total of 51 Children.

How far is Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School to the centre of London?

5.2 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 Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Playhouse Nursery & Pre-School has an Enhanced Service - more info.