Nurseries and Pre-schools in Canterbury - anyone advise?

[Fab123]

Hi everyone, I'm coming up to 30wks and aware that Canterbury places get booked up really fast and wanted to pick your brains if you have any suggestions or opinions on the local childcare services? I heard today that there is a nursery up at the Uni which is amazing, but no name and I can't seem to find it on line.

My main trouble is that the two closest to me don't appear to have had an updated Ofsted report since 2006 and 2008...that I can find on line anyway... (The Children's Centre and Stepping Stones).

Little bewildered tbh! Help!

[tallulah]

Uni nursery called The Oaks. I last used it in 1994 so my reviews won't be much use, sorry :)

[Fab123]

Oh great, thank you! It's completely the opposite side of town to me but I think the waiting list is very long Will look it up now, ta!

[mummyplum]

My DD goes to Acorns day nursery in St Stephens School, they have a baby room. Small and very welcoming - don't confuse this with the pre-school, Squirrels. There are lots around Canterbury that are very very good, you have lots of choice! Busy Bee's will always be highly thought of by many which is at the Childrens Centre as you mention. Canterbury Day Nursery is suppposed to be good, as is Spring Lane Day Nursery - my DD went here as a young baby.

Have to say you are better off going for somewhere near to your work or home, IYSWIM as pick up times can be a pain, for instance if you finish at 530 and need to get across town by 6 in heavy traffic to pick up your child! Good thinking arranging to be on the waiting list ASAP though, they fill up quickly here.

[mummyplum]

www.oaksdaynursery.co.uk/?page_id=10

this is for Oaks.

HTH

[Fab123]

Oooh thanks Mummy. Good advice about the pick up too as traffic is a nightmare at peak times. The Uni one may be out because of that if I'm being realistic.

Stepping Stones is literally at the bottom of my road and seems to be held in the hall by the church, but I haven't got much info on it as it doesn't have a website and seems to finish at 12pm! I think it is run by a committee and not the church.

Any ideas how I get the most recent Ofsted report? Guessing I have to go in and ask.

[mummyplum]

Where in Canterbury are you? Ofsted reports are available from [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Inspection-reports/Early-years-and-childcare here] They are only done every couple of years for Early Years, I believe.

[mummyplum]

here rather!

[Fab123]

I'm in CT1 - near the hospital :)

[mummyplum]

Spring Lane Day Nursery would be a good option then possibly? They are run by Asquith.

[Fab123]

Yes, my friend sent hers there before they moved to Yorkshire. I remember looking around it and it seemed to have good facilities. Definitely an option. I think I'm going to have a day calling around and making appointments to the closest ones. Any in particular of note to avoid? There's always got to be a horror story one, surely

[mummyplum]

ps I am sure Stepping Stones is just a playschool, not a day nursery.

[mummyplum]

I have heard horror stories about all of them I have to say, but generally they are usually started in the rumour mill and are nothing more. There is always the odd complaint, these are listed on the ofsted reports too.

[Fab123]

I can't say I've noticed much going on when I go past the church, childwise. But the report seems to suggest they teach them to read and write, even if they are only open to midday. May have to investigate further as it would be very handy indeed to have it so close!

Do you have to be religious or prove you go to church to use St Thomas' one for example? I don't want to put my foot in it, turn up and they ask me which church I go to!

The Friendzone Playscheme at The Langton Boys would be fairly easy to get to too... Had no idea there was one there at all!

[mummyplum]

I have no idea about church playgroups, but they probably wouldn't take a young baby - it is usually from aged 2. There are alot of good mother and baby groups run by Surestart, and in various parts of Canterbury. My friend has just told me about Cheerful Tots Nursery, in New Dover Road. I have never heard of it. Maybe it would be a good idea to do a search for Nurseries on Kent Childrens Information Service Just put your postcode in and it will give you the information.

[Fab123]

Excellent! Thanks! I was saying today I should join SureStart. Will do that ASAP too as I'm looking forward to meeting other new mums :)

[mummyplum]

They have a bumps and beyond group, just pop in and speak to the receptionist, they will register you :)

[Fab123]

Really?! I never heard of that! Great news as I have my first antenatal app tomorrow and she said there's only one other couple going. I had hoped to meet a bunch of ladies to "do lunch" etc with after the birth. So helpful, thank you Mummy!

[mummyplum]

I'm going to pm you

[drcrab]

hello! I've just seen your message as I randomly wandered into here during my lunchbreak! My 2 children go to Busy Bees Canterbury and we love it there. DS is nearly 3.5 years old and in Bluebells (preschool) and DD is 8 months old and in Buttercups (baby room). You'll probably need to think about things like

1. opening times (BB opens 8-6pm, and operate AM/PM sessions 8-1; 1-6). The Oaks has 'fantastic' reviews, but I work at university and my kids don't go there...so, make up your mind about that! lol. Their opening hours are different too.
   
2. ease to get there from your house; given that you live in CT1 near the hospital, I would imagine that Spring Lane (Asquith) is probably the nearest. Having said that, if you/partner work in hospital, you can get a place at their nursery and it's subsidised too, so real cheap. We have friends whose kids go to Spring Lane and they like it there too. They apparently use Annabel Karmel's recipes there and their opening hours are quite long (7-7?).
   

You definitely need to register and find out which nurseries are available and that you like ASAP... we registered at Busy Bees for DS when we were 4 months preg and he joined them when he was 7 months old.
good luck!

[lovemychild2]

This message might not be relevant for Fab123 anymore but my general advise is:
if you are looking for a nursery for a baby or even a toddler aged 1-2years Spring Lane is a great choice. The rooms are equipped to your child's age and needs, the supervision ratio is balanced and my child had a great time, we felt that the money was well invested. It has higher cleanliness standards than other nurseries we have seen and feels calmer and very secure.
Generally, speaking in terms of fees, if you are part-time employed or are travelling a lot Spring Lane is not the best choice for you. The nursery is open all year round, term times included and you can only cut down the sessions to one afternoon, meaning that even though you might be away on holidays you are still paying the nursery in the absence of your child.
There are plenty of other nurseries in Canterbury that don't charge or are closed during term time so it is worth investigating.
I found that most structured activities, especially in nursery (2-3year olds) and pre-school (3-5 year olds) tend to be in the mornings, if your child attends in the afternoons I found there was more chaos and just general pottering about. I also felt that my individual members of staff were unable to give me a general report on what my child was up to in nursery or pre-school, unfortunately, there has also been a lot of change in personnel at the time so we didn't feel that Spring Lane lived up to the Asquith nursery promises. The fact that Spring Lane belongs to the Asquith umbrella can be tedious in terms of trying to make suggestions for improvement or trying to implement changes. We found ourselves going in circles until we found the right person to address.
I hope our experiences can be of help to other parents looking for their individual needs.

[lolalita78]

Thank you I am looking for a nursery that offers good activities like Infant Brain Stimulation games. Not just seating them to play with toys. I want her to think and use her brain to figure out or sort out puzzles etc.... 10 months is young but it's the perfect age to teach them new things. Most nursery I visited they only play with toys and that's not what I am looking for. I want her to do actual activities that staff record into her file where it shows her progressions etc... like teaching her to put some small objects into a plastic bottle for example and she will figure out by herself the ones that goes in and the ones that are too big. Things like that. Intellectual activities not just seating banging a box on the floor and crawling around for hours costing me 40 to 50 pounds a day. She can do that for free at home.

So I don't know where can I find a nursery that offers this type of services. I am Italian and our nursery are like schools. So if any one knows please post and recommend. Thank you x