We're moving to Cardiff in about a month and will need to be job and nursery hunting.
Does anyone know how much nursery availability there is for under 1s?
We're moving to the Roath/Adamstown area, but probably working in the centre.

There's a few that have availabilty, I've had to look at a few for Dd2. I would advise looking a little bit further out of the city center though, the prices drop by quite a lot.

I'm in the adamsdown area, but work in cardiff gate so I use a nursery close to that.

Welcome to cardiff!

Thanks mumatron, that sounds promising.
Finding a job and a nursery at the same time just sounds like it's going to be difficult to arrange!

And thank you! First visit to Cardiff a few days ago and it looks lovely.

There's baby Acorns in Roath which is supposed to be lovely.

hatters Good luck with the job search, if you have any questions feel free to pm.

df I used the st mellons acorns for ds and he loved it there.

That's good to hear because I will be using an Acorns nursery from September

oh please don't mention September <sticks fingers in ears> I'm dreading going back to work.

me too. I know I will get used to it but I really wish I could stay home for ages. At least U know baby B will be in a good place and I am really lucky that he will be just across the road from where I work. I am trying not to waste the next months fretting about it.

watching this with interest to see I'm in the Cardiff Gate area and will be looking to put dd (2) into school perhaps, when dh goes back to work after dc2 is born...

Welcome to Cardiff Hatters It's a nice city I think.

bebemoo I'm using the nursery in cardiff gate when I go back to work in sept. It looks good. I'll probably be changing to one close to the heron marsh pub when it opens sometime this year. I used Plantos in old st mellons but after a change in management I was glad to get dd1 out of there.

we went to the 'open house' to that one in Cardiff Gate. It seemed pretty good, but then when we were talking to people it was suggested to us that it was a bit expensive?? It's pretty much in walking distance from our house which is really ideal though.

Yes it's not the cheapest around but it's really close to my work and I don't tthink dd will be there too long. One of the nursery workers that I became friends with from plantos is moving to a new nursery on st mellons business park so I'll probably change to there. I'm only using one day a week atm as mil will be helping and I'll be working pt.

The link duelingfanjo posted has a nursery in st mellons, so not to far from you, that's a good one too.

Thanks We'll take a look

My 21 month year old has just started at an amazing new nursery in Lamby way ,near Rumney and Trowbridge. It's called Buttercups and has just opened and i am absolutely thrilled with it. Everything is brand new, it's so spacious and the staff are fantastic. They provide a really healthy menu and have a great outdoor space. It has a really good vibe and everyone seems so happy and positive. The team used to work together on the UWIC site in colchester avenue (before the university closed) so it doesn't feel like a new set up. They have spaces at the moment but it won't suprise me if they fill up quite quickly. Emma is the manager and is so professional and her enthusiasm is so infectious. Website is www.buttercupsdaynurseryltd.co.uk if you are interested. I live closer to Plantos but preferred this one.

Hi all. Just manage to sit down with a cuppa!
My little girl goes to Plantos in Old St Mellons. They are great there. The staff and owner are really friendly and can't do enough. She's really come along in her development and I think it's really down to the fab care she's been having there. The activities are excellent and they've won a lot of awards for healthy eating. I think they are starting a new baby and toddler session there too on Mondays so I'll be going to that once number two arrives! Not long now!!

Ooh beautifulbaby75 can you let me know if you hear anything about baby and toddler sessions at Plantos? Its just down the road from me and if/when I return to work I was thinking of sending DS there.

I think they start next Monday. I think the poster said 10am but you better call them just in case I got it wrong!

I'd just like to re-iterate the message sent by Angelica500.

They've just had a purpose built nursery developed (which is brill) - huge rooms and facilities, with a fantastic garden.
The staff have worked together for years and used to look after my daughter, at their previous premises, and are now looking after my 1 year old son at this new one. My children love it and having known the team for a few years, I speak very highly of them.

A very superficial bit of feedback, based merely on nosey obseervation: I live very near the Acorns in Roath and often see the little ones being taken out for walks. The staff are always calm and caring and the children happy and well behaved, so unless they all put on a special performance for outdoors then that gives a good impression to me. Also the children going in in the mornings as we rush walk past to school are always happy, you very rarely see a crying or whingy one. Actually, same goes for the other one on the street (The Toy Box?) although I never see them going for walks. Also, a friend has used them for two children and while she wasn't too happy about the food she was happy enough with the care and the staff.

I can give some feedback on both Baby Acorns and Toybox in Roath - as dd1 went to Acorns and dd2 goes to Toybox.

Baby Acorns - LOVELY. Our first choice for both girls - but they can get booked months, and months ahead - for obvious reasons. Dd1 went from 10.5mths to over 2yrs, before moving on to 'Big' Acorns on the next street. Staff are brilliant - friendly and professional. They're pretty good at working together with the parents, and I've always found them co-operative and helpful. I always felt as though they genuinely all liked working there, knew the individual children well, and dd1 was well looked after. The nursery looks bright, clean and cheerful inside and out, with a homely atmosphere for babies, and a lovely garden. There was always fun structured activities, different themes, and dd1 was forever bringing things home she'd baked, painted, or made in nursery, every week. She loved going and loved the staff. It's always a good sign when they run in without so much as a backward glance!

When your child leaves, they also present you with a file of work, photos and a written record of things they did throughout their time there. They really have some nice touches, like the children always get a present from Santa at Christmas, it's sweet. 'Big' Acorns is more of the same - except a little more school-ish, which personally I think is a good thing. Like having a qualified teacher on the premises to work with the children some days a week, doing homelinks, having library books, etc. They are also starting a Forest School on-site, so the children experience toasing marshmallows around a camp fire, going on bug hunts, sitting and reading in a tipi, etc. Such fun. Dd1 was sad to leave, but I think it was a great introduction and preparation to school, as well as providing her with some incredibly happy and treasured memories.

Toybox - GOOD. It was originally our second choice for dd2, but Baby Acorns was booked 8mths in advance when I made the enquiry, so went to Toybox instead, which is nearby. It has a similar homely feel, also cheerful and clean, well decorated, with a lovely garden. Dd2 has been going since about 11mths to now, and enjoys going. I'm not sure she loves it quite as much as dd1 loved Acorns, but she certainly enjoys it enough, for us to leave her where she is, rather than disrupt things. She is also a very confident child, and has a wide vocabulary for her age (more so than her sister did at a similar age), so she hasn't exactly lost out. The staff are friendly, warm, and perhaps a teensy bit less formal. The activities seem to be more based around free-play - and not quite as structured I think. On an ordinary week, dd2 brings less things she's made home, but Toybox also arranges more 'adventurous' trips out e.g. Children and family trip to Bristol's Noah's Ark Zoo, and tonight, having a Sausages and Sparklers evening, in lieu of bonfire night etc.

In a way I think it depends on the child, which one is preferable, but they're both good, with caring staff.

I use Baby Acorns for my son now 15 months. He went in at 5 and a half months. He is spolit rotten by the staff and have never had any worries about leaving him there. It is well worth the extra pounds. I feel like he has nursery mummies as they look after him just as well as I do.

Hello my little one will be 3 next month and we are thinking of moving him to Brookhouse nursery in Rhiwbina- basically because they do the pick ups and drop offs to the school- has anyone got any feedback for me. My friend heard on the grapevine it wasn't good but can't find out why. Any comments would be much appreciated as it seems lovely on the surface. X

For future info Kings Monkton independent day nursery takes them from age 2 and is absolutely fantastic.