The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park

Witts Hill, Southampton SO18 4QG
Review Us
8.3 7 Reviews
  • The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park, Southampton
At Bitterne Park, natural light floods through its large expanse of floor to ceiling windows across the spacious, well-resourced rooms of this beautiful bespoke setting.

Children are supported in rich, stimulating and enabling environments inside and out. With an enviable outside space featuring a large mud kitchen, water pump, climbing holds and slide; a mix of terrain that both challenges and excites; it really is an all-weather garden built for sparking the imagination and encouraging physical play.

Babies have a safe, astro-turfed, age-appropriate outdoor space with a large sandpit, light reflecting coloured panels and low large windows that look out into the wider nursery garden.

Well qualified, passionate and nurturing staff work closely with children and parents establishing positive relationships and ensuring that they are valued and supported.

Here children are able to explore and engage in activities that offer enriched learning experiences centred around the interests and needs.
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Funding & Fees

The following fixed fees apply across all our rooms — Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries and Elderberries (3 months – 4 years). For eligible families, we’re able to accept government funding.


Session Type   
Non-funded Full Day - £74
Non-funded Half Day - £37
Fully Funded Full Day - £13 (food, consumables, and 30-minute charge)
Fully Funded Half Day - £5 (food and consumables only)
Partially Funded Full Day (e.g., 2 hours of funding used) £51 (8.5 hours x £6 hourly rate) + £10 (food and consumables) = £61

Contact The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park to get a personalised quote.

Contact The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park to get a personalised quote.

Type of Service

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

Group/Owner

Person in Charge

  • Hayley Waller (Setting Manager)

Number of Childcare Staff

  • 30

Total Places for Children

  • 100

Age Range

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

Opening Times

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

When Closed

  • Bank Holidays & 1 week at Christmas

Parking

  • Parking is available in the Setting's own Carpark to the front of the building.

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park Reviews (7)

8.3

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park has a Review Score of 8.3 (8.325) out of 10, based on 4 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park has 7 reviews.

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Review from Lorraine G (Grandmother of Child) published on 3 February 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Like many, my daughter returned to work after maternity leave anxious about leaving her daughter. My granddaughter has been going to The Mulberry Bush for two years now and loves it.
Not only are the facilities A* and the management, safeguarding and care as exceptional as you should expect, over
the last year my granddaughter's needs have changed and the staff team at The Mulberry Bush have been simply phenomenal. Nothing has been too much trouble for them, they've supported my granddaughter, and my daughter, through it all.
My granddaughter thrives at the nursery. And my daughter goes to work confident she is in the safest care, with people who understand her, connect and engage with her and with the other professionals who support her. I could not recommend The Mulberry Bush more highly.
Reply from Somer Miles, Head of Early Years at The Mulberry Bush Bitterne ParkThank you so much for leaving such a kind, and meaningful review. We are so pleased to hear that your granddaughter has had and is having such a positive experience at The Mulberry Bush, this really is all we strive for and feedback like yours means the world to us. Thank you again :)
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Review from N W (Mother of Child) published on 16 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has attended the nursery since August 2025 and has become so comfortable and confident in the setting. It is so lovely to see her excited to get to her room in the morning when she arrives and wanting a big hug from her key worker and the rest of the team in the room to start her day!
I
love seeing her weekly snap shots of her getting stuck into the different activities they have on offer, especially messy activities which she has really grown in confidence with since joining the setting.
It has also been lovely learning about the relationships she has been building with the other children as she is an only child and I thought this is something she might find more challenging but she has been really supported in forming these bonds.
I love the outside space at the nursery and know my little one does too. I also love the neutral and bright style of the nursery inside as it creates a calming background for my little one to learn and grow.
Thank you Mulberry Bush
Reply from Somer Miles, Head of Early Years at The Mulberry Bush Bitterne ParkThank you so much for your kind and thoughtful review. We are delighted to hear how happy and confident your daughter has become since joining us, and it's wonderful to know she arrives each morning excited to see her key worker and the team.
We love hearing how much she enjoys the activities, particularly messy play, and that you can see her confidence growing through her weekly snapshots. It's also lovely to know she has been well supported in building friendships with other children, especially as an only child.
We're so pleased that you and your daughter enjoy our outdoor space and calm, bright nursery environment. Thank you for being part of The Mulberry Bush family.
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Review from S L (Mother of Child) published on 8 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5
Our son has been going to The Mulberry Bush for two and a half years now. He loves it there and has developed and learnt so much. All the staff are great and the layout of the rooms is good. The gardens are a great size and there are always relevant activities organised for the children depending on
the time of year. I would highly recommend this nursery. The only reason I have not given it five stars is the recent introduction to charge for public holidays and staff training days. Whilst I am sure that they are not the only nursery to do this since the government funding was introduced. It has meant we have so far paid for five days that our son is not there. For any children who attend on a Monday, this could be very expensive over the year for parents who might then also need to pay for alternative childcare. I think this might put people off sending their children to The Mulberry Bush.
Reply from Somer Miles, Head of Early Years at The Mulberry Bush Bitterne ParkThank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review. We are incredibly grateful for your kind words and for trusting us with your son over the past two and a half years. It's lovely to hear how much he enjoys nursery and how you have seen his learning and development progress. We're really pleased you highlighted our staff team, room layouts, gardens, and seasonal activities. Each room and outdoor space is carefully planned to support children's development, and our activities are thoughtfully linked to the time of year and the curriculum. Thank you also for your honest feedback regarding charging for public holidays and staff training days. We understand the impact this can have on families and appreciate you sharing your perspective. Our training days are vital in keeping staff up to date with EYFS statutory guidance and Ofsted expectations, the learning from these days directly benefits the children in our care.
We are delighted your son enjoys his time with us.
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Review from R T (Mother of Child) published on 7 January 2026 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My child has been at the nursery for around 6 months now and is enjoying it so much! The staff are kind, engaged, and enthusiastic always noting her quirks, preferences, and developments. They've supported us with early potty training (she's not yet 18 months) and are always happy to support our learning
goals. Equally, they provide robust assessments of her development, have focus areas for her learning, and encourage her play.
Id love for there to be more bright colours at the setting - maybe some bright walls and less neutral paint colours in some areas as well as a bigger outdoor space for the littlest ones - however they do amazing with what they have. They often have different activities and I love that all the staff get involved including the kitchen staff helping with some cookery sessions.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this nursery. A great place to nurture a child and help them grow into amazing little humans.
Reply from Somer Miles, Head of Early Years at The Mulberry Bush Bitterne ParkThank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and meaningful review for our BP setting. We are so pleased to hear that your daughter is thriving at The Mulberry Bush and we look forward to continuing her journey of growth and developments. Thank you again!
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Review from Karla W (Mother of Child) published on 9 March 2020 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
My daughter has absolutely loved being at this nursery. So much so that she actually goes running in full of smiles every morning. She has thrived socially and developed real bonds with the amazing staff at the facility. You could not ask for more from a nursery. The food is excellent and cooked on-site
for all three meals and snacks. The garden is amazing and encourages the children to explore different things outside and the staff are excellent.
Reply from Holly Smith, Co-Owner at The Mulberry Bush Bitterne ParkThank you so much for your kind words. We are so happy that you have had such a great experience and we wish you all the very best.
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Review from Emma B (Mother of Child) published on 23 August 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
Since starting at the nursery when she was 11 months old, our little girl has thrived here. She clearly enjoys the food, activities and has bonded with the staff, who are caring and communicate well with us. The setting is lovely with new facilities that are well-maintained. We feel really lucky to
have this nursery on our doorstep.
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Review from Shellley C (Mother of Child) published on 5 July 2019 Submitted via Website • Report
Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5
I have been very pleased with the level of care my daughter has received while at The Mulberry Bush. The facilities are excellent and the meals provided wholesome and tasty. Even more importantly, my child has been well looked after by a team of very warm, caring professionals. The staff have been unfailingly
friendly and informative and the management have always maintained good channels of communication with parents. I have always felt that I am leaving my daughter in safe, capable hands and have seen her confidence grow over the time she has been at the centre. She has developed socially, and come away with a variety of new skills. Both she and I will be sad to say goodbye to the Mulberry Bush as she moves on to the next stage but I am glad that we got to become part of the community there. I thank all the staff and wish them well for the future, and have no hesitation in recommending the centre to other parents.
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Current Review Score: 8.3 (8.325)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.3 (8.325) out of 10 for The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  1. The Average Rating is 4.8 out of 5 from 4 Reviews in the last 24 months.
  2. The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.6 out of 5 from 4 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 4.750 for The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park is calculated as follows: ( (40 Excellents x 5) + (5 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) + (1 Poors x 2) ) ÷ 48 Ratings = 4.75
  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 3.575 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park is based on 4 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 = 3.375
    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 100 number of registered child places is 20. 4 Positive Reviews ÷ 20 = 0.2
  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 (2)

Hayley

Hayley Waller

Job Title: Setting Manager Joined: 2025

Hayley’s journey in her early years has taken her from college studies to completing a Foundation Degree (Level 5) and through various roles—from practitioner to Nursery Manager. Hayley has always loved being part of each family’s unique story, supporting children through those important early milestones and watching them grow through their own wonderful interests.


Now a mum of twins herself, Hayley was naturally drawn to The Mulberry Bush, whose values closely mirror her own.

Somer

Somer Miles

Job Title: Head of Early Years Joined: 2017

Meet Somer, a dedicated professional with a passion for nurturing young minds. Somer’s passion and dedication have driven her remarkable journey from winning the title of nursery apprentice of the year at just 15 to her current role as Head of Early Years at the Mulberry Bush Nurseries. With a focus on excellence, she has shaped nurturing environments and upheld quality standards across the organisation

Frequently Asked Questions about The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park

What is the Age Range of Children that The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park accepts?

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park Open?

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park is open: Monday 07:30-18:00, Tuesday 07:30-18:00, Wednesday 07:30-18:00, Thursday 07:30-18:00, Friday 07:30-18:00.

How many Children does The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park have capacity for?

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park has capacity for a total of 100 Children.

How far is The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park to the centre of Southampton?

2.2 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 The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park has an Enhanced Service - more info.