Day Nurseries Owned by 1st Place Nurseries

8.0 Group Review Score (the average from all locations with a review score)
  • Day Nurseries Owned by 1st Place Nurseries
1st Place is a unique day nursery for children aged 6 months to 5 years.

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, 1st Place provides a unique learning experience. Every child is valued as an individual that is full of potential and a resident Atelierista is on hand to support a creative approach to learning.

At 1st Place, children are given the freedom to explore and find meaning in the world around them. This is reflected in the physical environment of the nursery which provides a dedicated space for children to discover and move around in their own way. There is a light and shadow studio, a construction area for role play and storytelling, a studio with open-ended materials for focused explorations, and an outdoor area for physical and creative play.

1st Place Nurseries Locations (2)

 

2 Day Nurseries owned by 1st Place Nurseries

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1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

Chumleigh Street, Burgess Park, London SE5 0RN 

8.3 13 reviews
"Wonderful nursery with great facilities and very dedicated staff. Our 2 kids attended the nursery and we could not be happier with their…"   Read all 13 reviews
Location Type Day Nursery

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens is a day nursery for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, 1st Place provides a unique learning experience. Every child is valued as an individual that is full of potential and a… Read more about 1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

  • Type of Nursery
  • Day Nursery
  • 64 Places
1st Place at The Elephant

15 Hampton Street, London SE17 3AN 

7.8 7 reviews
"I can't rant enough about how brilliant 1st place is. I am so happy that my daughter comes here, the staff are wonderful and go above and…"   Read all 7 reviews
Location Type Day Nursery

1st Place at The Elephant in London is a supportive early years setting for young children. Children are given the chance to have fun in a safe setting while developing their skills. Skilled staff ensure children can develop at their own pace.… Read more about 1st Place at The Elephant

  • Type of Nursery
  • Day Nursery
  • 80 Places

1st Place Nurseries Reviews (20)

8.0
1st Place Nurseries has a Group Review Score of 8.0 (8.037) out of 10. The Group Review Score is calculated using the average from all locations with a Review Score, and in addition 75%+ of all locations belonging to 1st Place Nurseries must have a Review Score.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from L S (Mother of Child) published on 16 January 2025

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wonderful nursery with great facilities and very dedicated staff. Our 2 kids attended the nursery and we could not be happier with their ways they are cared for, their learning and the ways in which they develop their confidence. This nursery also offer great healthy food cooked onsite and one day a
week of forest school.
We highly recommend it.

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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from L S (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I can't rant enough about how brilliant 1st place is. I am so happy that my daughter comes here, the staff are wonderful and go above and beyond for all the children. It's a magical and nutritional environment for them and I have seen my daughter blossom over the past couple of months of being here.
There
is continuous and well-documented feedback about my daughter's progress as well as plenty of pictures of her playing with other children. I always feel very much involved in her progress and development. The management is always present and takes the time to say hello and if we have any concerns we feel comfortable enough to address them. It's a family-orientated nursery and you don't often get this feeling in other settings so we are very pleased. Thank you to everyone for everything.

Reply from Rachael Burton, Communications and Marketing Manager at 1st Place at The Elephant

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such a lovely and detailed review. I have passed your feedback on to The Elephant team. We're very pleased to hear that you and your child are happy at 1st Place.


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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from I N (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at 1st Place at the Elephant since it opened, having transferred from 1st Place Cambridge House when it closed.
We could not be happier with the nursery, our daughter is well cared for and stimulated. Their child-led approach gives the children agency over the activities and how
they play.
The staff are fantastic, patient, caring, and engaged with the children. Our daughter talks about them and knows them all as individuals as well as the people who look after her during the day.
The relatively small size of the nursery and its central location means they have easy access to transport and central London. They often go on trips to museums or shows and explore the city in small groups on foot too. They also have access to a Forest School which our daughter has loved, especially when she was taught how to safely use a saw to cut wood!
Thank you to all the staff, you do an amazing job!

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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from Regan O (Mother of Child) published on 14 June 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am a mother of a 15-month-old and I cannot speak highly enough of 1st Place. Without a doubt, this nursery deserves a 5-star rating in every aspect.
My son absolutely loves it there, and it warms my heart to see how much he has thrived in the 6 months he's been attending. His language, motor skills,
and social skills have all seen remarkable improvements, which I attribute to the nurturing environment provided by the dedicated staff.
Speaking of the staff, I cannot praise them enough. They are exceptional caregivers who go above and beyond to ensure his well-being and development. Their friendliness, love, and support have played a significant role in his growth and happiness at the nursery.
I wholeheartedly recommend this nursery to any parent looking for a warm, nurturing, and supportive environment for their child. My son and I are grateful for the wonderful experiences and memories he is creating there.

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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from Chris P (Father of Child) published on 6 June 2024

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been really happy at 1st Place. Our children have been happy and come home buzzing about their days and all that they've done. The staff are very approachable and engaging and are interested in the children, their welfare, happiness, and development.
The nursery works hard to enrich the days
beyond the time at nursery going to museums, theatres, parks, forest school, cultural visits, and many more.
The children eat well and get good balanced meals and are taught to be independent and do more for themselves.
We've been really happy and have recommended the nursery to friends who've also moved their children there.

Reply from Rachael Burton, Communications and Marketing Manager at 1st Place at The Elephant

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We appreciate the feedback and are over the moon to hear that you and your children are happy at 1st Place. I have passed the feedback on to our Early Education Manager at The Elephant. Best wishes.


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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from Mary A (Mother of Child) published on 7 December 2023

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 1.0 out of 5

The majority of the nursery staff that have contact with your child are great. My son has a lovely time with the staff he plays with. Unfortunately, the management and the handling of complaints are incredibly concerning. On that basis, I would not recommend the nursery if you care about your child’s
overall welfare and bodily autonomy and respect.

Reply from Nicola Howard, Director at 1st Place at The Elephant

Thank you for acknowledging how much fun your son is having at the nursery and how lovely the staff are. We are very happy to hear.
It is concerning that you feel management is not up to your expectations, it would be helpful if you would agree to have a face-to-face meeting, I understand you have not wanted to do this when offered before but if you really want to build a stronger relationship with the nursery this would be the best option.
1st Place always takes complaints seriously and this is why it was escalated to the highest level.
I understand that you are not happy with the outcome, but I am pleased that you feel safe to continue to use the service there.


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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Ursula P (Mother of Child) published on 27 June 2023

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The 1st Place Nursery at Chumleigh Gardens has been a wonderful place for my son and us as new parents. The rarity of a well run business with the feel of a family. Wonderful facilities, beautiful setting, engaged, well trained and warm staff. We will truly miss it, but so glad we went through our nursery
journey with 1st Place. I feel my son is ready to join 'big school', much due to the safe hands of 1st Place experts.
A deep thank you from us all.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Claire T (Mother of Child) published on 1 September 2022

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been at 1st Place Chumleigh Gardens for 3 years. We will be sad to say goodbye when he leaves for school in a couple of weeks. We have valued the responsive and consistent staff who create genuine bonds with the children. We have also valued the community that is created around the nursery.
The children had a beautiful graduation ceremony to mark their ending. We look forward to our second child joining next year.

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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from Poppy T (Mother of Child) published on 8 May 2022

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our daughter has been at the nursery since she was a baby, and is currently in the pre-school room. We have been overjoyed at the level of care and compassion she has received through each level of the nursery. The food menus are diverse, the rooms are set-out with lots of different areas such as a
reading corner, a building area and an I.C.T area. It's organised in a very thoughtful way, and the rooms are wonderfully light and welcoming. The outside play areas are kept well. There is very little staff turnover as it's a family-run business and we feel like we know the staff well, and they are all wonderfully kind and caring. We're very happy with her progress at the nursery, they clearly take the curriculum very seriously and we see improvements all the time.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Angelina S (Mother of Child) published on 14 July 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens has been an amazing experience for our daughter, for four years she has been excited to go to nursery every day. After looking at many nurseries this one definitely stood out not only for the great location in the park with a bright, cheerful building but also because
of the creative learning approach. The staff provide a lovely warm atmosphere for the children, the food menu is well balanced and nutritious and they have done a lot of age-appropriate activities to ensure that the children are school-ready. We have also enjoyed meeting other families and integrating with the community, we would highly recommend this nursery.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Francesca V (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have had such a positive experience at 1st Place Chumleigh Gardens. The staff, facilities and overall environment have been so welcoming and nurturing. Our daughter started nursery whe she was 15 months old and has really thrived. We know the high level of care, support and creativity she has experienced
at 1st Place have played a crucial part in allowing her to feel safe and comfortable to explore the world around her. We have seen how much she has developed and how happy she is at nursery and are so thankful for the hard work and efforts of all the staff, particularly through the unprecedented challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic has presented them with. We can't recommend them highly enough.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Beth H (Mother of Child) published on 24 February 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We have been delighted in our choice of First Place since our daughter joined at 11 months (now 3) and our baby son will join in the Summer. The environment is lovely, light filled with great outdoor space in the middle of the park. Our daughter has always been very happy there, staff take time to get
to know children and families well - supporting children to settle in, develop their interests and pursue new ones and supporting parents to navigate the whole process successfully. We have got to know lots of the other families too and feel really lucky to be part of such a great little local community - we genuinely couldn't ask for more or better and wholeheartedly recommend it (and I'm the headteacher of a primary school so I have some professional knowledge too.)

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Filipa A (Mother of Child) published on 23 February 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter just turned two years old and she loves 1st place so, so much. The beginning wasn’t easy, neither for her nor me. Lots of tears and separation anxiety but everyone (from the receptionist to the teachers and her key worker) made sure she would be happy. After three weeks she was so happy
to go to the nursery. She literally runs and waves at me goodbye. I feel my daughter is safe and loved at 1st place (Bruges Park). The big plus is they stimulate children too. She counts to 10 and sings Abcd on her own. She is so happy, we started with two days a week and now we are increasing. Thank you 1st Place.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Maria G (Mother of Child) published on 23 February 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We saw lots of nurseries and this was our first choice and we have not regretted it. The building and rooms are beautiful and full of light and it's proximity to the park makes a nice walk to and from it every day. Our daughter has been attending 1st Place for more than 2 years and looks forward to
going back every day. She has learned so much and speaks very highly of the staff. We appreciate the variety of their food menu and we'll be sorry to leave once she starts school.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Kate V (Mother of Child) published on 23 February 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I highly recommend 1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens. My daughter attended the nursery from 2 years old and my son from 8.5 months old. It has, therefore, been a big and positive part of all our lives. We had a good experience when securing places for both children and have had a fast and efficient response
to any queries, for example regarding payments and change of days. The space inside is flexible, open and light and the garden is fantastic, allowing easy free flow play. The staff are approachable, warm and friendly. Both my children have formed a close bond with their key person and other staff in their room. The educational approach is clear to see. Written reviews of both children have been insightful and helpful to guide onwards progression at home. The nursery have managed the challenges of the pandemic extremely well and we are so grateful to all the staff for their efforts. We will miss the nursery when my son graduates in the summer.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Bridget (Mother of Child) published on 5 January 2021

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My husband and I had our first child at 1st Place from 9 months until she started reception, and our younger child from 15 months onwards. We love 1st Place - gorgeous, light-filled, new, purpose-built space. Wonderful menu for the children, with a hot meal cooked fresh daily on-site. Very competent,
experienced staff that celebrates diversity in the community. Sometimes there can be admin/billing/comms errors, so just keep an eye. This has been our only issue. The charity that runs the nursery also does a lot of parent-and-child well-being work in the community, which is great. They have managed the Covid transition well, with protected bubbles. We love 1st Place and recommend it highly.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Oscar P (Father of Child) published on 19 June 2020

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens is a wonderful nursery. Our child was there for just under 6-months until covid-19 halted nurseries, we are very much looking forward to returning.
She was young when she started, at 9-months-old, so we were nervous of course. The staff took great care of her, fitting
the schedule and their practices around her to cater to her needs which included lots of carrying and special arrangements for sleep.
She learnt so much in those few months. I recommend 1st Place very highly.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Lara A (Mother of Child) published on 14 November 2019

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I am overall happy with the nursery. My daughter started there a year ago and the change in her is immense. I particularly love the Reggio Emilia approach that 1st Place offer and the activities they do with the children. My daughter is always happy to go into nursery and the building is spacious and
welcoming.

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Review of

1st Place at Chumleigh Gardens

from Ingrid S (Mother of Child) published on 23 November 2015

Submitted via Postal Card • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son has been attending this nursery since he was nine months old, and over a year later he absolutely adores the place, can't wait to head there first thing and protests when he's due to come home. The staff are attentive, affectionate when required and enable both structured learning and free play
in a perfect balance. He settled in extremely quickly and we're overall very happy with this nursery.

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Review of

1st Place at The Elephant

from Alessia A (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2015

Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been going to the Elephant and Castle Nursery for 2 years. She just turned three and I only have good things to say. The staff are great, they care for the children and teach them well. Everybody is helpful and flexible and have made our family life so much easier.
My daughter is happy
to go there, and I am happy she is in good hands.
I cannot recommend this nursery enough.

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1st Place Nurseries in London

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