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The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park

Ofsted: Good
(Jan 2023)
·
3.3(9 parent reviews) ·Witts Hill, Southampton, SO18 4QG · Southampton
Number of places
100 places
Age range
0–4 yrs
Last inspected
Jan 2023
Local authority
Southampton

About this day nursery

The Mulberry Bush in Bitterne Park, Southampton, opened in Summer 2018. This purpose-built, two-floor nursery offers a nurturing environment designed for children aged 3 months to 5 years, encouraging them to learn, grow, and thrive through play-based learning and outdoor adventures.

The nursery boasts a custom sensory room for each age group, equipped with tools to stimulate developing minds, offering both playful exploration and calming moments. Its expansive garden features a large sand and water area with a child-operated water pump, climbing and balancing features on a cobbled pathway and wooden bridge, and a slide.

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park prides itself on its Ofsted 'Good' rating and aims to create a strong sense of community, fostering lasting friendships among children and families, and building strong relationships with staff and the local area. The nursery offers funded childcare places for eligible children from 9 months to 4 years, and its team assists families with the funding process, stretching hours across the year to ensure a smooth and consistent experience.

The nursery is open 51 weeks a year, from 7:30 to 18:00, closing only for bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

Our ethos

Discover Bitterne Park for play-based learning, cosy spaces, and outdoor adventures. We’re a community where children and families build friendships to last a lifetime and strong relationships with our caring staff and the local community around us. Whether welcoming returning siblings or new families, we create a sense of belonging where every child feels secure, valued, and ready to soar in every area of their lives.

What it's like

Children arrive cheerfully at the nursery and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. They separate happily from their parents, supported by an effective settling-in process. Staff use information about children's personal care routines and interests to help them settle, and family photograph books are accessible.

Purpose-built facilityPlay-based learningSensory roomsExpansive gardenOfsted Good rating

Pricing & funding

Funding accepted

30 hours — working parents (3–4 yrs)
Pricing on request

This nursery doesn't publish its fees online. Contact them directly for an up-to-date price list and availability.

Key facts

Opening hours

07:30 - 18:00, 51 weeks a year, closed on bank holidays and for a week at Christmas

Age range

3 months – 5 years

Term time / All Year

All Year

Ofsted Inspection

Ofsted rating for The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park

Last inspected 30 January 2023 · Nina Lambkin

Overall effectiveness
Good

What it's like to attend

Children arrive cheerfully at the nursery and demonstrate they feel safe and secure. They separate happily from their parents, supported by an effective settling-in process. Staff use information about children's personal care routines and interests to help them settle, and family photograph books are accessible.

Inspector highlights

  • The management team has worked hard to raise the quality of the setting since the last inspection.
  • Staff prioritise communication and language development, creating a rich language environment for all children.
  • Children learn to look after their bodies and manage personal care needs, including participating in yoga sessions.
  • Staff encourage children to be curious about the natural world, observing insects and animals in their nursery 'zoo'.
  • There is a clear focus on providing an inclusive service, with good support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Areas to develop

  • 1strengthen the information-sharing arrangements so that all parents and carers are kept fully informed about their child's daily experiences, including at mealtimes
  • 2adapt the organisation of transitions and routine activities to reduce waiting times so younger children are more able to maintain their positive behaviour.
Inspection #10232231 · Source: OfstedView full Ofsted report

What parents say

Verbatim quotes recorded in the Ofsted inspection

their children are always happy to attend.

Inclusion & environment

How they support every child

SEND provision

There is a clear focus on providing an inclusive service. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support. The special educational needs coordinator and the manager work closely with other professionals to ensure they meet the needs of children with SEND. Children with SEND make good progress.

Outdoor space

All children have regular access to outside areas. They enjoy a wide range of activities that support their physical development, from babies and toddlers digging in a dedicated sandpit to older children exploring the garden, including a large hill.

Parent Reviews of The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park

3.3
(9)
Sam Nahas
a year ago

I can’t recommend this nursery highly enough. It is one of the best in the area. My baby has been going since 7 months and he adores it. The stuff are superb and very helpful and informative. Yes we have our ups and downs but I can tell they listen , support and guide through difficult times. We are in the process of potty training at the moment and I can tell they are trying their best but it takes time . The cleanliness level is good and the food , I was surprised they offered halal food at one day. I would highly recommend the nursery for sure

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Red
3 years ago

A beautiful nursery, with caring and dedicated staff. It’s not an easy industry to work in, and there are serious shortages in staff across the industry, but they’ve worked so hard to ensure consistency of services, with managers stepping in to directly support provision when needed. Staff are lovely- you get a daily diary published, regular observations with photos, and the menu is varied. My child attended from a young age- 6 months, and has been supported through weaning, separation anxiety, crawling…. She loves it there and is a very sociable and happy child for it. Highly recommended.

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Ben Whorton
5 years ago

Fantastic setting with wonderful staff who the children genuinely adore. Big rooms and an amazing outside space. Brilliant management team who have been great over lockdown with communication and insuring the setting is safe for the children to return. The space is very secure and the cleanliness is faultless. My daughter has been attending the setting for just over 2 years and finishes tomorrow before starting school, she is going to miss all the team very much. I look forward to seeing them all again when my son starts at the end of 2021!

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bumble bee
3 years ago

Disappointed in this nursery. Rarely updated with what was going on with my son, despite speaking to the worker there a few times. Handovers were “yes he’s been having fun playing”, never saw or was informed of any projects that happened, nor did he he ever leave on day trips. I received 1 report for the whole two years he was there. Pre school assistants all lovely, sweet people, but no in depth work was done with the children - felt like minimal effort was put in the whole time . Food very expensive and assistant rarely unable to tell me what he had for lunch/dinner.

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Tim Jackson
5 years ago

Our son has been attending for over 6 months now and has been thriving at the Mulburry Bush Nursery. Excellent communication with parents. They take the time to get to know each individual child and do lots of activities to support their development. Our son is very happy here. Thank you Mulberry Bush and keep up the great work.

Read on Google

Reviews from Google for The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park. See all on Google Maps

Inspection history
Improved from Requires improvement → Good in 2023
  • January 2023Good
  • February 2022Requires improvement
  • May 2019Good

Frequently asked about The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park

About the setting

The Mulberry Bush Bitterne Park registered in 2018 and is one of two nurseries owned by TMB Day Nurseries Limited. It is open from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, throughout the year. The nursery employs 44 staff, 28 of whom hold relevant qualifications at level 2 or above, and the manager holds early years professional status. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

URN
EY558049
Registered person
TMB Day Nurseries Limited
Day care type
Full day care
Register
Early Years Register
Establishment type
Childcare on non-domestic premises

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This listing has been compiled from official Ofsted records, the nursery's own website, details provided directly by the nursery where available, and other trusted public sources. We regularly review and update listings to keep the information as accurate as possible. Learn more