Bright Horizons Balham Day Nursery and Preschool
Good★ 4.0 on GoogleBirth to 8+Open for decades
A day nursery in London for children from birth to 8+, open 07:30 to 18:30, 5 days a week. They do not publish prices, so that is the first thing to ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in December 2023. Open since 2004, with 65 places.
What you might pay
This setting does not publish its fees, and no national dataset holds them. This is what childcare costs across the council, as a starting point for the call.
What childcare usually costs in Lambeth
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Lambeth from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
SW12 0EFWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 14 September 2026 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
- 14 May 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 5 December 2023 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are well settled, confident and feel at home at this nursery. Staff build strong relationships with children. Children enjoy cuddles and reassurance from caring staff, which helps them feel secure. Staff teach children to be independent, such as by teaching them to wash their own hands and regulate their emotions.
For example, they notice when children have not yet learned to do things for themselves and sensitively offer help to avoid children becoming frustrated. This also helps them understand the expectations for their behaviour.
The manager is ambitious for the children to be ready for school. She plans an ambitious curriculum that helps them build on what they can do. All children make good progress. Staff teach children to take care of their environment and keep themselves safe. Pre-school children help to make safety checks in the garden, such as looking for large puddles and litter that needs clearing, while toddlers enthusiastically help sweep up fallen leaves. Children are curious to explore a range of natural materials, such as wooden blocks, sticks and leaves. They use these to initiate their own games, such as making shapes and patterns, which supports the development of their imaginative skills.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- further develop opportunities for children to develop their listening and attention skills, particularly during story times.
- 5 December 2023Good
- 31 August 2018Good
- 8 July 2016Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 3 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Bright Horizons Balham Day Nursery and Preschool
- What it costs
- Funded hours
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
None of this is in any national dataset and this setting has not published it, which is exactly why it is worth asking.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- Can I use my funded hours here? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Day nurseries within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.