Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross

296 Queens Road, New Cross, London SE14 5JN
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8.1 84 Reviews
  • Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross, London
Monkey Puzzle New Cross is a day nursery in the New Cross Area. It opened in February 2018 and has been building a team of enthusiastic and dedicated staff to give outstanding care to the children and families are welcomed into the Monkey Puzzle family.

The interior provides an enabling and challenging environment for children throughout the nursery while the garden brings an additional classroom and many learning opportunities for all who use it.

Staff would love to show you around the amazing facilities, so why not book in for a viewing to come and visit.

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Care Provided by Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross

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

Good to Know

  • Person in charge
  • Liesl Hewitt (Manager)
  • Number of Childcare Staff
  • 30
  • Total Places for Children
  • 76
  • 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, 1 week at Christmas & 2 INSET days per year

Funding & Fees Guide for Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross

  • £84.00 per day (full time only)
  • Parking

  • Pick up / drop off car parking facilities are available outside the nursery gate. All other visitors can find parking along the road.


Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross Reviews (84)

Total of 84, showing 61-80
8.1

Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross has a Review Score of 8.1 (8.066) out of 10, based on 1 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross has 84 reviews.

Overall Experience

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Review from Natasha W (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Monkey Puzzle is the best nursery I have come across, I’m so lucky to have found it. The staff are engaged, happy and caring, and my son’s key worker is truly exceptional, bringing out the best in him every day.
Different activities are organised every day, and they often theme these around festivals
(such as Chinese New Year), so the children learn at the same time. The outdoor space is not huge, but they are always investing in new toys and equipment.
There are also smaller things that really make a difference - eg the staff regularly greet parents with coffee and pastries in the mornings, and nappies and wipes are provided, so you never have to remember to bring them! All in all, an exceptional nursery that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

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Review from C T (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

The team at Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross are fantastic. They are so thoughtful and genuinely caring towards each and every child. They go above and beyond to look after your child and make sure they have the best learning environment whilst still having fun. Couldn't recommend them highly enough.

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Review from Tara S (Mother of Child) published on 24 January 2020
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Delighted we picked Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross for our (now) 3-year-old when it opened just over a year ago. The nursery is well-decorated, full of toys and books and has a rare pocket of outdoor space for the area. Most importantly, the staff go the extra mile, offering endless cuddles to
settle our little boy, delighting as he learns new skills and arranging fun games and activities, and even a theatre trip which he can't stop talking about. A warm and loving place, highly recommended.

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Review from Candice T (Mother of Child) published on 15 November 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My daughter has been at Monkey Puzzle New Cross for 5 months now and she is very happy. The staff are incredibly caring and invested in her development and are always happy to update me at the end of (what must be) a long day on my child's activities, mood, anything. I find the communication very good
and the environment is lovely - new equipment, with lots of different activities and stimuli.

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Review from Dorota K (Mother of Child) published on 8 November 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My son started going to the nursery almost 5 months ago at the age of 14 months. The beginning was tough for both of us but the professional staff were very supportive and always happy to take a call to reassure me. After one week, my son settled in the nursery. Now he is waved 'bye-bye' in the morning
when I drop him off. The care he receives while at the nursery is exceptional. I feel he is supported in his development there. He comes home with new skills on a regular basis. All the teachers there are very caring, helpful and knowledgeable. I’m always updated when I collect my son as to what he has been up to, what he has eaten and how long his nap was. Also all of this I can see through the online journals plus some photos which’s fantastic.
Once a month I receive a mail with a newsletter and what will be happening in the nursery.
I’m very grateful to have people I trust looking after my son. Thank you management and all teachers.
I honestly highly recommend Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross!!!

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Review from L (Mother of Child) published on 7 November 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Wonderful team, lovely setting and a very kind, welcoming and encouraging team. Our child has very much enjoyed her start at the nursery.

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Review from Natalie W (Mother of Child) published on 6 November 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic! We have been extremely happy with the nursery, especially all the staff, the communication is great and the care has been excellent.
There is great scope for learning and play and the facilities are perfect and I feel our daughter is encouraged in all aspects.
Our daughter was helped to
settle in quickly and loves it there already.
We look forward to many more happy years and would recommend this nursery to any parent.

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Review from Melanie (Mother of Child) published on 14 August 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Monkey Puzzle provides a safe and stimulating environment for our child:
- The staff go above-and-beyond to ensure that the child learns from and is included in a variety of activities.
- The outdoor and indoor play environments are varied and well maintained.
- The variety of food on offer to the
children is beyond excellent.

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Review from Genevieve N (Mother of Child) published on 31 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have really found the care and support provided by Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery to be exceptional. They supported us from the settling in period and have kept us up to date on how our son is doing. I have a great rapport with his key workers and I love how hands-on management are. The acid test for me
was seeing how well my son is doing. I would highly recommend this nursery.

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Review from Hattie N (Mother of Child) published on 31 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I could not be happier that I chose Monkey Puzzle in New Cross for my two year old to attend. The staff there have made going to work so much easier for me as I am 100% confident that my daughter is happy, stimulated, well fed and most of all well cared for. The range of activities they have, the progress
the children are encouraged to make and the fun they have all day is fantastic. I am also so happy about how much outside play the children have and the range of meals they have. My daughter has become a much better eater since attending Monkey Puzzle! Last but by no means least the staff are fantastic. They are engaged, communicative and most importantly, they truly care about the children.
Highly recommended!!

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Review from NJ (Mother of Child) published on 31 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We are very pleased with Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery. My husband and I agree, whilst we don't want to leave our son anywhere for the whole day, as we have to, we're very glad it's at Monkey Puzzle as our son is happy and thriving. The nursery is clean, well presented and our son seems to be growing very
quickly so the food must be good!
The staff are all very friendly, smiley and seem to genuinely care about the children, even the ones that aren’t in their class. Communication is generally very good, with an online daily diary providing an update of day to day activities, as well as early years observations and photos, all of which add to the reassurance that our son enjoys his days. The garden spaces are lovely, just a little bit on the small side but it is London so it’s not surprising.
I would (and have) highly recommend this nursery.

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Review from L M (Mother of Child) published on 31 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 4.0 out of 5

Monkey Puzzle has been a fantastic childcare option allowing me to go back to work when my son was 6 months old. He settled straight away and has a strong bond with the staff in the baby room. The team were very supportive as he had literally just started weaning when he started, which could have been
a rather difficult transition time but they provided really bespoke support and attention. The staff are great and contact with them is excellent.

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Review from Krissi (Mother of Child) published on 25 July 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Fantastic new nursery in New Cross. Small but perfectly formed. The quality of care and learning is exceptional. Wonderful, nurturing, first-class staff who clearly take their jobs very seriously and care so much about the welfare of the children they look after. Each day they prepare fun, stimulating
activities to entertain, educate and gently prepare the older kids (my son is in pre-school room) for school. Brilliant dialogue with parents - both verbally and via online learning journals. Lovely clean and bright rooms, with a small but well-organised outdoor space.
I will also be sending my youngest to the baby room this autumn and know he will be so happy and cared for.
Highly recommended on every level.

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Review from Victoria L (Mother of Child) published on 16 May 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I would highly recommend Monkey Puzzle New Cross to any parent looking for a nursery in the area. The staff are all absolutely fantastic, every member of the team are super friendly, energetic, approachable, professional and most importantly absolutely fantastic with the children. The nursery has a
really great feel to it, the facilities are fantastic and extremely stimulating for the all the little growing minds. From her first week, my daughter has pretty much skipped into the nursery everytime we drop her off. It’s my first experience of leaving a child in nursery and what could have been quite a stressful and emotional experience was anything but and I have Monkey Puzzle New Cross to thank for that. I’m so pleased my daughter is part of the Monkey Puzzle New Cross family, it’s such a great place and a credit to its owner and staff.

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Review from Sarah (Mother of Child) published on 11 May 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

We would wholeheartedly recommend Monkey Puzzle New Cross to anyone looking for a nursery for their little one(s). The staff are incredibly attentive, providing warm and loving care. They are supportive and nurturing, giving us regular updates on his development both in person and through the online
journal.


They have encouraged our little boy to start eating a much greater range of foods, helping him experiment with a selection of flavours and textures. The selection of activities on offer is very impressive and trips outside of the nursery are also organised for further variety.


I was really nervous about going back to work but as soon as I walked in the staff at Monkey Puzzle made us both feel very welcome as it's such a lovely environment. It’s so nice to know that he is being so well looked after in a happy, safe and caring setting whilst I am at work.


We absolutely love the nursery, the staff and the premises.


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Review from Elaine N (Mother of Child) published on 18 April 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Our son has been made to feel welcome, safe and happy. Leaving your baby with anyone is difficult, but the team made the process a comfortable and content one. The team acknowledged our hesitation and created a smooth, enjoyable transition. The staff are attentive, genuinely care for our son and us
as his parents. They have rigorous procedures to maintain high standards with the children at the heart of all they do. Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery is home to the most hands-on and enthusiastic Director and Manager we’ve seen, in the three nurseries our son has been with. We see the bond that they have built with our son - comforting him at a tearful moment or hopping up and down with him to his favourite nursery rhyme! Even at the end of a long day, the staff here are never too busy to update us on our sons’ development, experiences and clearly demonstrate they know him well! We are extremely happy with the journey our son has made so far and look forward to more of the happy moments they share with us.

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Review from Sam M (Mother of Child) published on 29 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I cannot recommend New Cross Monkey Puzzle highly enough!
I was nervous about leaving my one year old for the first time upon my return to work but the staff at the nursery were professional, comforting and knowledgeable. They made settling in much less traumatic than it could have been and I felt
and still feel very safe leaving my daughter in their care. She has gone from a nervy baby who wouldn't be held by others to a much more content baby in just 2 weeks.
It's clear to see the staff obviously love their jobs and understand babies and children very well.

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Review from Retha M (Aunt of Child) published on 12 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

My cousin's child has joined Monkey Puzzle since February 2018. I was so proud to see his development in such a short time. His language has developed tremendously. He is able to communicate his needs confidently as well as hold a solid conversation. He speaks of so much excitement of the setting, which
means to me he is truly happy and enjoying his time at his new nursery. His mommy and daddy is also so happy because he is so happy.

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Review from Nicola C (Mother of Child) published on 8 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

I have found the staff very knowledgeable within their area of practice, helpful, attentive and a pleasure to communicate with.
As a working parent of four, I have had my fair share of encounters with Early years providers and my experience (with this one) so far, has been fantastic. The setting is
bright, engaging and well resourced, covering all learning and development areas of the EYFS.
The thought of returning to work has been daunting and finding the right nursery has taken a lot longer than expected but the staff and service at Monkey Puzzle has made the transition so much easier as I feel confident that my daughter is being well cared for. She has settled in well and the reassurance, feedback and support the manager has provided has made the transition so much smoother and I would highly recommend this nursery to anyone within the local area as this quality of care has been very hard to find.

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Review from Caroline K (Mother of Child) published on 7 March 2018
Submitted via Website • Report

Overall Experience  Overall Experience 5.0 out of 5

Everyone at Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross has been so supportive in welcoming our son to nursery. They gave him several settling in sessions which really helped him make the transition. He looks forward to his nursery days and seems to have made some really strong bonds with the staff and other
children already. We really like the space and there always seems to be some fun activities out for the kids to explore.

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Current Review Score: 8.1 (8.066)

Overview of Review Score

The Review Score of 8.1 (8.066) out of 10 for Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross is based on a) the Average Rating and b) the number of positive Reviews.

  • a) The Average Rating is 5.0 out of 5 from 1 Reviews in the last 24 months.

  • b) The score for the number of positive Reviews is 3.1 out of 5 from 1 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 5.000 for Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross is calculated as follows: ( (12 Excellents x 5) ) ÷ 12 Ratings = 5

  • 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 3.066 Points relating to the number of positive Reviews for Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery New Cross is based on 1 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 = 3

    • 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 76 number of registered child places is 15.2. 1 Positive Reviews ÷ 15.2 = 0.066

  • 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.

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Meet the Team (2)

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Jon

Job Title: Director

Joined: 2018

Jon, Director


There are two things in life that are very close to my heart – family and education. As an Uncle and Godfather, I enjoy spending time with my nephews, seeing them learn and develop, whilst supporting their growth within a loving family unit. I am recently married and very much enjoying this new aspect of my life, looking forward to the future and all it holds.


Education is my other passion in life and having completed a Law degree I felt it was right to carry on my own education completing a post graduate degree in Education with a particular focus on the Early Years Sector.
During my studies, I worked within a number of OFSTED GOOD and OUTSTANDING settings including our sister nursery Monkey Puzzle Bromley. Working in a variety of settings has given me an excellent understanding of what an OUTSTANDING nursery looks like which is what I am striving to achieve here at New Cross.


I have also worked within local New Cross Primary Schools gaining experience in preparing children for school and also building links with teachers and principals. This is a valuable experience I will be bringing into our Preschool Room to ensure that every child that leaves us is confident, sure of their value and ready to face the challenges of Primary School.


Having lived in New Cross for 13 years I have lots of local knowledge and a real passion for the community the nursery will be a part of. There is a lot of history in New Cross which we will share with the children as we aim to enhance and develop the future of education in the area as well as demonstrating to them their role and place within their community.


Monkey Puzzle New Cross hopes to be an agent of change in the community bringing innovative and creative ideas to the areas of education and childcare. We aim to be an OUTSTANDING nursery, caring for local children and their families in the New Cross area.


I am incredibly excited about this new venture and I hope you will join with us as we grow into an influential part of your community.


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Liesl

Job Title: Nursery Manager

Joined: 2018

“A teacher plants the seeds of knowledge sprinkles them with love and patiently nurtures their growth to produce tomorrow’s dreams”


I hold a Bachelors of Education Foundation Stage degree, Quality Teacher Status and qualifications in Business Administration and Management. I have worked within the Education system since 2007 and the managerial sector of Early Years since 2011.


I have a working knowledge of how to support children with special educational needs in the classroom as well as co-ordinating with outside agencies to ensure the individual needs of all our children are met.


As a mother of a 3 year old, I can relate to parents on the day to day joys of life with a little one and value the importance of ensuring every child receives the best OUTSTANDING childcare they deserve.


I believe children learn best through play, especially play focused on their interests, engaging their imagination and expanding their knowledge of the world. Creating and extending opportunities for this type of learning has always been my passion and I take great pride in supporting my team to educate our children in this way. I believe encouraging children to be confident, independent and full of self-worth is key to giving them a firm foundation on which to build their future.


It is an honour and privilege to care for your children and play an active role in their learning and development. Thank you for trusting your little ones to us and I am really looking forward welcoming you all into our Monkey Puzzle New Cross family.


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