Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

1 Bridgewater Square, Barbican, London EC2Y 8AH
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9.4 44 Reviews
  • Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool, London
Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool is part of Bright Horizons portfolio and offers a warm, welcoming environment, supporting the transition from home to nursery.

The children benefit from a fantastic variety of extracurricular activities including French, Spanish, song and movement, gardening and cookery club, included in the fees. Piano lessons are available for an additional fee. Throughout age-focused rooms, the team provide the best start to schooling life through an enriching and wellbeing-focused Bright Beginnings Curriculum, designed by Early Years specialists. This holistic yet personal approach supports each child's wellbeing, development, and progress, whether that involves transitioning between rooms or preparing for school.

The nursery has a spacious outdoor garden, which is amazing for a central London nursery, and gives the children plenty of opportunities to extend their learning in the outdoors environment. The nursery rooms are bright with full length windows looking out into wildlife areas.

Bright Horizons’ own unique Ready for School Programme including Growing Readers, Writers and Mathematicians, further prepares the children for their transition to school; and while your child is busy exploring and having fun, the team can keep you updated via the Family app. Available for all Bright Horizons parents, this will keep you connected with your child's day-to-day experiences and up to date as they develop during their time at nursery.

Book your tour today to visit the nursery and discover what it has to offer, they can’t wait to meet you.

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Care Provided by Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

  • Type of Service
  • Day Nursery – Privately Owned
  • Open all year
  • Full Day Care
  • Sessional Day Care

Good to Know

  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 15
  • Total Places for Children
  • 54
  • Age Range
    • from 0 years 3 months
    • to 5 years 0 months
  • Opening Times
  • Monday 07:30-18:30
    Tuesday 07:30-18:30
    Wednesday 07:30-18:30
    Thursday 07:30-18:30
    Friday 07:30-18:30
  • When Closed
  • Bank Holidays & the week between Christmas & New Year

Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool Reviews (44)

Total of 44, showing 1-20
9.4

Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool has a Review Score of 9.4 (9.416) out of 10, based on 8 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool has 44 reviews.

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Review from F M (Mother of Child) published on 18 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated staff at Bright Horizons City Child Nursery and Preschool. Their unwavering dedication to looking after my daughter's well-being and treating her as if she were a member of their own family is truly commendable. Their love, patience, and caring
attitude have made her feel safe and happy, and I am genuinely grateful for that. Our daughter has been a part of this wonderful community for almost 2 years now, and her joy and happiness while at the nursery are a testament to the excellent care and learning environment provided.
I recommend the nursery and its staff members due to their professionalism. Their planned activities to educate our children efficiently and develop their emotional, social, and creative skills, including cooking activities, are a testament to their expertise. The international cuisine menu, including the outdoor space, is a plus-remarkable attention to details expressed verbally or via the app.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your heartfelt review! We're so grateful for your kind words and thrilled that your daughter feels safe, happy, and cared for. It's wonderful to hear she enjoys the activities, learning environment and our international menu. Thank you for your recommendation.


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Review from V V (Mother of Child) published on 12 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child started nursery at 7 months and he loves it! They do amazing activities and he is always happy when I pick him up in the evening! The staff is super nice, friendly and attentive and they have a lot of experience with multilingual children. The new garden is great and it is so rare to find a
nursery in the city with a good garden.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your lovely review! We're so glad to hear your little one is enjoying nursery, the activities and our new garden.


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Review from S N (Mother of Child) published on 4 March 2025
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool has been a great experience so far.
My son started a few months ago aged 10 months. He settled in extremely quickly and loves going to nursery. The care he gets is fantastic and the teachers have bonded well with him, he laughs and smiles all the
time.
My son's skills and experiences have accelerated on account of the creative activities that he does each day. The social interaction has also been so valuable, he even has close playmates. The facilities are excellent, including a large outdoor play area and onsite chef, very rare in the City.
The staff interaction with parents is also a pleasure and it is very reassuring that our son is in great hands each day.
Keep up the good work and I look forward to continuing the journey with City Child!

Reply from Amanda Barlow, The Parent Team at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your kind words! We're so pleased your son feels happy and at home here. It's wonderful to see his development and friendships flourish.


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Review from Emily R (Mother of Child) published on 23 April 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our first experience with nurseries and this didn’t disappoint. Our daughter started at 9.5 months and was exposed straight away to lots of different activities. Her development pace notably increased and the staff were great at keeping us updated on her development and daily updates via the app. The
garden is an incredible asset, as well as the various different baby, toddler, preschool and sensory rooms. The staff thought up great and creative activities and managed to get our daughter to eat and sleep amazingly well (after a slow start with sleep, to be expected settling into a new space and the staff were great at trying everything for her).
Highly recommend this nursery - it’s tucked away from the noise and business of a central London location with an amazing outdoor space and great staff!

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you so much for your positive feedback and for recommending us!


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Review from Shirley V (Mother of Child) published on 28 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are so glad we found this nursery for our daughter. She started at 6.5 months and it has been such a rewarding experience to see her grow.
We feel so confident and at peace every day when we drop her off because we know she will be cared for, loved and encouraged. She is very excited every day to
go to nursery and meet her friends. She feels secure, happy and confident. The staff are so kind and make us feel so at peace to go to work after dropping her off. Thank you and keep up the great work of caring for and nurturing our children to grow in a safe environment.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with the team.


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Review from G R (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would like to say a massive thank you to the team of City Child, especially the manager who supported my son from the beginning he started the nursery with few English words and now he is confident speaking and understanding English in a conversation with adults and his peers.
I received huge support
from the manager to solve some documents and she provided as much as information she could regarding the nursery.
The nursery improved a lot of things like the garden, and activities to develop the children with new staff but most importantly they provide care and information daily. If my son does not feel well they call me and let me know how he is.
The daily menu of healthy food helps my son accept to eat when before he did not want to eat at home.
I can see the confidence and happiness of my son in attending the nursery and meeting the teachers and his friends.
Thank you very much Bright Horizons City Child.

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Thank you for your heartfelt review. We're delighted to have supported your son's growth and confidence at Bright Horizons City Child. Our team takes pride in providing a nurturing environment, nutritious meals, and transparent communication. Thank you for choosing us.


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Review from P U (Mother of Child) published on 1 February 2024
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I find this to be an amazing nursery. My child has been attending for nearly two years, starting as a baby. The staff are warm, kind and attentive, making my child feel secure and happy there. I’m continually impressed with how much my child is learning, especially in terms of growing confidence in
speaking, everyday tasks and interacting with peers. Communication with staff is easy and frequent. I have a strong sense of the teachers taking time to understand and support an individual child’s needs. My child really enjoys the meals too. And the outdoor play space is very special to have in such a central location - the recent refurb is fantastic!

Reply from Amanda Barlow, Campaigns & Digital Marketing Executive at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Hello, thank you for your five-star feedback and for sharing your experience with us.


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Review from Rosalind P (Mother of Child) published on 25 July 2023
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

My daughter joined last year at the age of 9 months. After taking some time to settle, she now appears to be increasingly happy when dropped off with her pals which is reassuring for me! The new manager has bought some great new staff to the nursery and seemingly improved the morale of those already
working there so the atmosphere feels very positive. She has ensured there are renovations in progress to improve the facilities and the garden in particular, which will be great to see as there is definitely room for improvement. Communication from the team is also good and they regularly give me useful feedback and updates on my daughter's daily activities which demonstrates they care. Thank you to the manager and the team for supporting my daughter's growth and development so considerately.

Reply from Amanda, Marketing and Campaigns Executive at Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

Hello, thank you for your five star feedback and for sharing your experience with us.


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Review from A Y (Mother of Child) published on 23 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our toddler is very happy at City Child and settled in easily from the start. The nursery team are warm, friendly and communicative. The learning is well rounded with letters, numbers, social skills and self-sufficiency. The rooms have lots of natural daylight and there's a big outdoor playground which
is rare in this neighbourhood. It's been great to see our toddler's confidence grow since starting at City Child, especially during a time when everyday social interactions have been disrupted due to the pandemic lockdowns. Highly recommended!

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Review from Harriet M (Mother of Child) published on 17 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My child started at 1 year old. Two months later, he leaps out of my arms when we arrive at nursery, he's so excited. He has a number of food allergies and the team have been very observant and helpful with dealing with them, especially as he has developed new allergies.

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Review from J S (Mother of Child) published on 16 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our 1.5 year old son has been through three nurseries up to now. We moved several times and now have to send him back to Bright Horizons, City Child after the trial-and-error. At Bright Horizons, City Child, we can tell our son receives lots of love and care. Every time, he goes into the nursery with
a big smile. While other nurseries might have a fancy curriculum, big claim of Montessori, full-score ratings etc, he picked up bad manners and we notice many kids whined when they were sent in, a typical sign indicative of lack of care. Here at City Child, all the kids are really happy and have great manners. They are polite and relaxed, as they have great access to healthy food, sufficient attention and care and super spacious indoor and outdoor spaces, that they can explore. We are also very happy with the management team. They are well organized and quite efficient. They might not load tons of photos in the app, but they are very attentive towards the kids. My son gets back tidy and clean everyday and no messing up with clothes.

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Review from E K (Mother of Child) published on 16 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff at Bright Horizons, City Child are so loving. My daughter was not great with other kids and they were patient with helping her adjust. Further, they really understand her personality (the good and the bad), which help them to get her engaged in activities. The baby room helped her to overcome
some sensory issues she had. The staff have made it a point to all introduce themselves when they are new. They have been amazing at providing feedback and telling us where she is, developmentally. We couldn't be happier with our choice!

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Review from Sara F (Mother of Child) published on 16 March 2022
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Bright Horizons, City Child, for nearly four years now and has always loved it. I leave her there knowing she is well looked after and engaged in activities I can’t provide at home and I love hearing about her day and her friends in the evenings.

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Review from Laura M (Mother of Child) published on 18 May 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter started at 10 months and was very happy from the start. The staff were wonderful with her, and with us as new parents. We love the fact the nursery is quite small and all staff know who our daughter is. We also love the outdoor space, which our daughter uses a lot.

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Review from L Y (Mother of Child) published on 17 May 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My toddler absolutely loved City Child nursery from his first visit and his development has really accelerated since he first started attending 8 months ago. It is so lovely to see him having such a wonderful time with all the staff and kids during pick up times whom he regularly speaks of with great
happiness. City Child has been such a lifeline to our family during the recent Covid pandemic when my child had reached an age where he was really craving social interaction with other kids, but we were nervous of contact with other people. So it has been very reassuring that he has been able to continue to enjoy some normality within a controlled and safe environment. We also love that they have their own outdoor space which is so rare to find in a city nursery and the nursery itself is situated next to a wildlife garden full of trees. The staff are all lovely and supportive and we are very happy to leave our child in their care.

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Review from Claire S (Mother of Child) published on 22 March 2021
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wonderful staff, they do lots of different activities with them and have a garden that they take them out in a lot, including doing activities outside. My son is often having so much fun that I have to persuade him to leave.

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Review from Joanna D (Mother of Child) published on 22 February 2021
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Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Our daughter has grown to really enjoy being at this nursery. The staff are very caring and have really helped develop our little one's skills. We love that indoors the nursery is flooded with natural light, looking onto trees and a lovely wild garden, and we really love that there is such a generously
sized outdoor play area (so hard to find these things in central London!)

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Review from Clare G (Mother of Child) published on 16 December 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

An amazing nursery. We have had two children in this nursery over the last five years. I have always felt comfortable with all the staff, and my children have always been well cared for.
The staff take a real interest in the children.
My eldest daughter was well prepared to start school after being
at the nursery since 10-months-old.
Absolutely fantastic with a fantastic outside space, which is so difficult to find in this area.

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Review from S G (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The staff have been excellent helping my daughter to re-settle after the break from nursery during the first lockdown. She is growing in confidence, learning lots of new words and songs. She comes home talking about her friends and keyworkers. The staff were so helpful during the initial separation
anxiety and my little one is so excited to go to nursery. Thank you to the staff for their continuous hard work and care for the little ones - making sure they have a safe space to thrive and grow during this difficult Covid period, many thanks to City Child team!

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Review from Val P (Mother of Child) published on 16 November 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

This was our first nursery experience and I will be forever grateful to the staff at City Child for how much they worked with my 15mo daughter to make the settling in as smooth as possible. At the beginning, I could see them holding her and comforting her when I was leaving or picking her up, and this
lasted well beyond the settling in period until she was happy to walk in and out by herself. She developed a strong bond with a staff member that she loved, and I saw how the team always tried to coordinate so that this staff member was the one at the door greeting her when we arrived. They were kind, patient and sweet with her. I felt I was leaving her in the best hands.
The rooms are full of light, the garden is large with lots of activities. She started learning funny things (songs, dance moves, etc) straight away. During these months of Covid pandemic we kept seeing staff members cleaning toys or equipment every time we were there, it felt very safe.

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Current Review Score: 9.4 (9.416)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 9.4 (9.416) out of 10 for Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 4.9 out of 5 from 8 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 4.5 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:

  • a) 5 Points are available for the Average Rating from all Reviews in the last 24 months.

    The Average Rating of 4.875 for Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool is calculated as follows: ( (86 Excellents x 5) + (8 Goods x 4) + (2 Satisfactorys x 3) ) ÷ 96 Ratings = 4.875

  • b) 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 4.541 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool 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:

    • i) 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

    • ii) 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 54 number of registered child places is 10.8. 8 Positive Reviews ÷ 10.8 = 0.741

  • When a Review is submitted by someone who has previously submitted a Review, only the latest Review will count towards the Review Score.

  • If a Day Nursery does not have a review in the last 24 months, then it will not have a Review Score.

Child Vacancies

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Awards / Recognitions (2)

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Meet the Team (1)

Abbey

Abbey

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2010

Hi, My name is Abby and I am a level 3 Nursery Practitioner I have achieved a level 2 and Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education I have been with Bright Horizons since 2017. I was based at Heron Quays Bright Horizons as a Room Leader where I took the opportunity to progress in the role of a Third in charge in 2019.


I've supported Heron Quays on its journey to achieve a good Ofsted rating after many years of hard work. I have worked with children of ages 0-5 years but have had the opportunity to learn and develop my skills within the nurseries I have worked in by spending time in each of the rooms supporting my staff team.


I was asked to come over to Tabard Square to support them and this was also a part of my professional development. During my time at the nursery, I grew fond of the team and children and was able to help implement new changes and support the quality of teaching and learning with the team. The opportunity arises for a Deputy Manager over in Tabard Square. I took the opportunity to apply for this position. This has been something that I was working towards and knew it was the right time for me.


I now have had the opportunity to further my career with bright horizons by progressing to the Nursery Manager at City Child, I look forward to my new journey, being able to share my knowledge and role model practices with a new team. I also look forward to creating a new partnership with the families and children at city child.


Frequently Asked Questions about Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool

What is the Age Range of Children that Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool accepts?

Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool accepts Children aged from 0 years 3 months to 5 years 0 months.

What Days & Hours is Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool Open?

Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool is open: Monday 07:30-18:30, Tuesday 07:30-18:30, Wednesday 07:30-18:30, Thursday 07:30-18:30, Friday 07:30-18:30.

How many Children does Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool have capacity for?

Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool has capacity for a total of 54 Children.

How far is Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool to the centre of London?

2.6 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 Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Bright Horizons City Child Day Nursery and Preschool has a Platinum Service – more info.