Anyone with experience of Hopes and Dreams Montessori in Islington?

[choucroutegarnie]

We are looking for a part-time pre-school for our son when he turns 3 in 6mths. All the very popular private options in Islington are laughably oversubscribed.
The Hopes and Dreams Montessori on City Road in Islington appears to offer vacancies regularly and has a very good Ofsted rating. Do you have any direct experience of it with a pre-schooler?
Thanks for any pointers.

Expensive?

The Bath House in Shacklewell Lane E8 is really really fab, but may be a bit boho for you, if you're looking at Hopes & Dreams. The Children's House is meant to be good too, but also expensive and no built-in childcare element. Rosemary Works? One hears good-ish things about it, and it now goes up to 11 if you're after private schooling.

Little Ark?

Just 2 hours 4 mornings a week. 12 children.

Guess it depends on how part time you want. Get back to me if you want more info.

My DD has been at Hopes & Dreams for the past 18 months (since she was 2 and 1/2). It was basically our only option at the time given we had just moved to the area. However I must say it has gone very well for her. She is happy to go there and clearly enjoys her time at nursery. "Academically" she has been challenged and is now (at age 4) starting to read etc. I had some worries when applying to selective primary schools that she would be at a disadvantage compared to children from the more "prestigious" pre-schools like St Andrews, but in the end she got into 2 out of 3 schools we applied to.

Definitely expensive but they really do make life easier for working parents there - you can have early/late hours if necessary or even have someone from their babysitting agency take your child home. You can even get your child's hair cut there!

On the negative side, it is such a large nursery that it sometimes feels a bit impersonal. My DD is very assertive but I wonder if the experience would be as positive with a more passive child.

I would be happy to answer any other questions you might have.