brighthorizons.co.uk

For All Parents - Bright Horizons Purley

This review pertains to Bright Horizons Nursery in Purley. As a first-time parent, I lacked guidance in selecting an appropriate nursery for my son. My recent experience with this particular establishment has unfortunately highlighted a significant error in judgment, leading to my son's subsequent withdrawal. He is now enrolled in an alternative nursery, which has already resulted in a marked improvement in his well-being.(September 2025 - November 2025)The initial introduction process did not meet expectations for a comprehensive orientation. Contrary to the anticipation of a detailed tour and full information disclosure, the first day involved a brief ten-minute session of completing paperwork with my son's key worker Katlyn, who provided minimal explanation before departing. Following the completion of the forms, the key worker Katlyn advised us to leave to allow my son to commence his 50-minute settling-in period. I had anticipated that an introduction would include a tour, a preview of the rooms my son would potentially use, and an inspection of the outdoor play areas; however, none of these elements were provided.Daily Observations: On a daily basis, my son exhibited increased anxiety and hesitancy upon entering the nursery. I am led to conclude that the incidents I observed at the nursery contributed to this change in his behaviour.The nursery failed to post photographs of my son, despite a commitment to post images of every child in the room at least once daily.On multiple occasions, when collecting my son after work, I observed him playing alone, seated in isolation, while all other children were gathered together. This suggests a pattern of my son being neglected and excluded.During one collection, I was outside the closed room door at the bottom of the stairs and clearly overheard Hannah, a bank staff member, shouting at a child for refusing to eat a chicken nugget. Upon my entry, she became visibly flushed and immediately fell silent, apparently embarrassed upon realising what I had overheard.During the six months my son attended the nursery, the children were only taken into the garden on six occasions. While their schedule indicates daily garden activities, several nursery staff members were overheard stating that the children were kept inside because the staff "couldn't be bothered." It is unacceptable for children to be confined to a small room for nine hours a day on a regular basis.Each time we dropped off my son, we provided his bag with three spare outfits in case they were required. It was distressing to collect my son with dirty clothes, or to find him wearing only his vest and the muslin comforter, which was saturated with food and dirt.Decision Time: At the beginning of November, my wife and I decided to schedule a meeting with the nursery manager to discuss our observations and concerns. We communicated all of the aforementioned issues to her. She assured us that she would investigate the matters; however, it is our belief that providing this feedback unfortunately exacerbated the situation.Hannah, the nursery worker, became increasingly sarcastic and appears to have informed all other staff members that we were the source of the complaint.My son's key worker completely ceased communication with us, ignoring us entirely and providing no daily progress updates on our son.We frequently observed what appeared to be 'Chinese whispers' whenever we entered or left the nursery.Hannah is clearly a recurring issue, as the nursery manager acknowledged that Hannah has been the subject of numerous complaints in the past. This raises the question of what remedial action has been taken and why she continues to be employed in a role working with infants and young children.In late January, we made the decision to withdraw my son from this nursery and relocate him to a nearby alternative. The contrast is remarkable, and we have already been greatly impressed. Their introductory process, including the first day, incorporated a home visit, and my son is already thriving and reverting to his usual demeanour.I would like to express my gratitude to Mary, Georgina, Brianna, Mia who endeavoured to make my son's journey as positive as possible. Regrettably, their efforts were limited, as I believe they are overwhelmed by a contingent of nursery staff whose cliques and friendships lead them to prioritise protecting one another over the children, who should be the nursery's most important concern.

Date of experience: Feb 24, 2026