Childcare in south Cambridge

[Joannezipan]

Hello, I'm currently 28 weeks along with our first child and even though i'm not even off on maternity leave yet I have been advised to look for childcare for when I go back to work. I started looking and now i'm having a bit of a panic about it. I'm planning on going back to work in Jan/Feb 2011 full time, but all the nurseries I have contacted so far (most of the ones near where I live and work) say they have huge waiting lists and all their places are taken in September. Bummer! So I emailed a lot of child minders and only had one reply form about 12 people. I met this lady today, but it didn't feel right to me, but i'm beginning to feel like i have no option but to go with her. I don't know what to do...do i have time? Will there be other options or is it hopeless? Are there ways of finding childcare I don't know anything about? Ahgh, this it too hard!

The Childcare Information site is still live until 31st March. Have you tried this?

If not, would you consider giving more details as to where you live/work so that others on here may have more advice?

I assume that you mean going back to work in Jan/Feb 2012? I'd be surpised if all the bigger nurseries are full this far ahead TBH

HTH

Ah Wincy you spotted my deliberate mistake! I love in Romsey and work on Hills Rd near the rail station. My husband works near Mitchum's (sp?) Corner on the other side of the river and could also do the pick up/drop off.

I would love some nursery recommendations from people in the area, or childminders for that matter. We have spoken to 3 nurseries in the south of the city (Pattacake, Harvey Rd and Joint Colleges) and been told by all three they have long waiting lists and the vast majority of their baby places go in September and that they can't garentee anything even if we pay a deposit! JC and Pattacake wouldn't even let me look round! And we would need to know what the score is before we rely on it.

I would recommend Cambridge Day Nursery on Milton Road - I also worked on mitchams corner and dd went there. It's lovely - I can't praise it enough. Give them a call and go and have a look round!

Take nurserys waiting lists with a pinch of salt - they may be long but most people we know have managed to get places when they need them - people often register with more than 1 nursery and/or don't go back to work and also cambridge is quite a transient city.

Avoid kidsunlimited. JCN is good as is Harvey road.

(we use baby unicorns but it is term times)

We were told by JCN that they didn't have any spaces (applied September 2009 for a place in 2010) but they did give us one in the end. As cazzybabs said take their waiting lists with a pinch of salt.

We're very happy with the nursery buy the way.

Good luck.

Sorry, meant to say applied Sept 2009 for a place in Sept 2010.

Thanks for all your input, it's good to know i'm not going crazy and that there is hope!

If you can't find a nursery place (though you're likely to get one) then a nanny can be found at much shorter notice.

We moved to Cambridge with a 6 month old and weren't on the waiting list for any of the good nurseries but were able to arrange a nannyshare within a matter of weeks. Half a nanny was about the same cost as a nursery place and had several advantages (and some disadvantages).

Yes, there's definitely hope.

I know that Pattacake does seem to have long waiting lists but I do think it's odd that so many nurseries with smaller "baby" rooms are really totally booked up with the majority of those prospective children as yet unborn!

I have a friend that used Cambridge Day Nursery too and was happy with it. They had a stinking OFSTED about 12-18mths ago but TBH a lot of it seemed to report on things that didn't really chime with what she was seeing. TBH I'd take OFSTED with a pinch of salt as they can (IMO) get very aerated about things (like "cultural diversity") and not really tell you much about the day-to-day care your child will receive.

Why not Kidsunlimited Cazzybabs. I have to say I'm pretty happy with the Science Park KU.

Yes the Ofsted was awful when i first decided to put dd in Cambridge Day but the care and attention and learning she got out of it really really impressed me. She has started school able to read basic words, write a few words and speak basic french as well as being confident and happy! The second Ofsted was absolutley fine as well.

The science park one is the best - I hear dreadful things about the ones on the Addenbrookes site both from parents and ex-staff

My DD went to KU on Long Road, Do you mean Bunny Brooks - the one in Addenbrooks cazzybabs? I thought it was just for Addenbrooks staff?

Go with your gut instict not the ofsted. I visited sooo many and was really unimpressed with some (I won't name as it will upset).
I know a few people that have 'pinched' staff from KU as personal childminders, it really does depend on the staff. If they are fun and in a good environment, this passes to the child. Ask to see the specific room that your child will be in and try and meet who will be looking after them, the managers don't spend that much time with your child so take what they say with a pinch of salt. If you get a good feeling about the carers in the room - that will suit you better than looking at ofsted and choosing based on someone elses feelings.

I'm afraid all are equal in having slightly rubbish admin - you have to persistently call and chase. I had a friend who was told no spaces at two colleges but then called up and got offered a spot then and there! Did their staff look at the waiting list or did she just call at the right time? who knows!

Hi, I'm new on here but wanted to post on this one. We use one of the KU nurseries and we're very happy with it (despite the local newspaper's best attempts to make it out to be awful).

If I were you I would visit, put your name on waiting lists only at those that give you a good gut feeling. Facilities come second to looking at the children: are they happy, are the staff actively engaged, are any children left on their own looking lost? If a child is crying, what is being done about it?

Then when your baby is here and you know their personality and you have definitely decided on your working pattern, re-asses and see if what you chose is still appropriate. Childminders may not be replying now because it is so far in advance. Nothing will be set in stone at this stage, don't panic about the horror stories about there being no places at any of the better nurseries.

Hi frazzled! Thanks for your post... I get so frustrated with people constantly critisising KU. It demoralises the staff and there's no basis, the one we use is excellent and has what I consider to be fantastic protocols. We've been lucky to have the same staff move up with my DD through 3 rooms. They know her so well, make allowances for her likes and dislikes, she can count to 20, recite the alphabet and read some small words. bursting with maternal pride she's not even 2 yet! The staff know she lives books so they have made a great effort in sitting and Reading to her. My second DD is already signed up to start in September. I'm pleased I went with my gut instict and not what others had said about it.

My 2 went to Bunnybrookes. The eldest went there initially and he hated it (therefore so did we!) as there was such a huge turnover of staff (this was 5 years ago now). So we changed to a different nursery (that then got closed down - long story!) and then a childminder.

That worked well, but then she had the nerve (!) to get pregnant so we had to sort something else out when DS2 came along.

So we went back to Bunnybrookes - and they both loved it. Much more stable staff and hence much happier children. Really makes such a difference to have familiar faces.

Since then we have moved DS2 to Patacake (Cockroft place one) really because it is easier to have him there with DS1 at school next door, and I have to say it is fabulous.

But Bunnybrookes wasn't as bad as it was made out to be - we were there when it had a dreadful ofsted and it really wasn't as bad as it made out.