to think this nursery is the very embodiment of gentrification in London?

[roundaboutsroundabouts]

I won't name the group of nurseries as I don't know if that's allowed (is it?) but I've just seen them referenced on instagram by a scandi toy brand. They are all in vair gentrified hipster parts of London and the fees are fcking EXTORTIONATE - £90 a day for the under-threes. I know that isn't unusual in London (although in my much cheaper part of London I only pay £55 a day). It holds a "curated" "programme" of monthly "events" (including pilates). The children get a daily smoothie - tomorrow's is beetroot, banana, ginger, berry, lemon and hemp. It describes itself as "design-led" and it's all vair tasteful scandi wooden toys in neutral colours. Design led?! Why does a NURSERY need to be "design-led"?!

You just know that everyone who sends their child there is going to have an ombre "lob", wear clothes from Arket, carry a fjallraven kanken backpack, own a bugaboo or a babyzen yoyo, dress said children in varying sludge colours from Mini Rodini, and have linen bedding in their Victorian Terraced house with white painted floorboards and scandi style planters.

I am BVU I know. But it is so irritating. I grew up in London, the child of an immigrant, and I feel like it's just an endless line of artisan coffee shops and overpriced farmers' markets these days.

Sorry but who would be jealous??? Childcare should be picked on quality of care, staff and educational ability, not smoothies! And I say that coming from wag land in Cheshire. Agree OP, it sounds pompous.

JudefromJersey
I don't think hipsters drive range rovers, play tennis or live in sw London. That is more yummy mummy.
Hipsters work in media or run vegan cafes not banking. And live in East London.
But its all ridiculous isn't it!

Childcare should be picked on quality of care, staff and educational ability, not smoothies

OP already said they were rated outstanding. (Although made it clear her 5 minute snapshot view meant that wasn’t deserved)

when they are older they want paw patrol

Given the demographic, safe to say the vast majority of the kids won’t be mainlining paw patrol. But sure, much better to pander to kids’ being brainwashed by TV programmes conceived and designed purely to make revenue on toy sales, than to actually consider buying them those awful educational wooden toys you hate so much.

I've just found the Google listing too and its interesting to find that none of them are in really classy or smart parts of London, just fashionable areas inhabited by young urban posers parents with more money than sense.
We lived in London for many years and all our children went to local nurseries and state primaries, as did most residents' children. We wouldn't go back now, the place is full of bankers and lawyers, few of whom use the local education system, shops or services. Its death to a community.
A friend still lives there and her grandchild failed to get into the primary school that her mother went to, just a couple of street from where they live. This was because people rent (briefly) around the school so that their children get into this "outstanding" primary. This meant that she had to walk a mile past this school to another.

Would you post a link to the Google listing, cherrybath? I'd be interested to read about it. I had an idea about the name of the organisation but am not certain it is that one. Thanks.

£90 a day not extortionate? has your Crottin de Chavignol gone to you head? Thats near 2 days wages here.

You just described my house and my children all wear scandi, what's your point?

Plastic toys and tracksuit bottoms are better?

Sounds lovely.

Reverse snobbery is so tiring. So what if people prefer to shop at farmers markets and have nice bread instead of getting something in a plastic bag from Tesco? Or a nursery has a well-designed website instead of something written in Comic Sans and decorated with clip art.

Oh, and as a Scandi immigrant I can confirm Scandinavian countries do childcare and education extremely well - no wonder others want to take inspiration from there.

my step family side are scandi. Their kids watch peppa pig, wear primark and eat chips. Its all marketing balls.

OP already said they were rated outstanding

Um, I didn't.

You just described my house and my children all wear scandi, what's your point? Plastic toys and tracksuit bottoms are better?

Tracksuit bottoms (or rib pants) are a Scandi essential! Every Scandi brand has a range of joggers. My DD's wearing Albakid joggers to nursery today (marketed as Melange something or other pants but they are just comfy joggers with a slightly dropped crotch for comfort!)
Even Mini Rodini make tracksuits!

And lots of plastic toys are produced in Scandinavia.

Mini Rodini tracksuits... ghastly shellsuit style!

I live near one of these nurseries - it's not open yet so its marketing. It is trying to make itself stand out in a relatively crowded market. It's trying to justify a price which is the top end of the local market. Other nurseries charge this but they are the long term established word of mouth massive waiting list ones.

I was given a leaflet in the park- it didn't particularly impress me as it seemed to be trying to hard to focus on the parents needs but I think I would have been more impressed with dc1.

Tulse Hill is not really gentrified and definitely not hipster or chi chi or whatever. I think they may have their marketing wrong for the area if I am honest. So not sure if it's the embodiment of gentrification though. Perhaps it is if it's a success.

You call the nursery 'gentrifying'. I call it a mug's eyeful and prrof positive that some people have more money than sense