Just moved to SE10 looking for advice re childcare etc

[Eggs]

i have just moved to Greenwich from Ireland with my husband and three children. Just trying to get to gripes with everything here! I am a SAHM and am currently trying to get my older girls into primary school, was with the council today so hope to get this sorted this week. My 2 year old is with me at home, i would love if someone could recommend a nursery that i could send her to 1 day a week, finally I would love to get a regular babysitter so I could get a night out with my husband. Would anyone have a nanny or au pair that is looking for a few extra hours that they could recommend?

Many thanks

Good luck!!!! Obviously the council's the best bet with schools as it'll depend on ages, catchment area and available places.

Whereabouts in Greenwich are you? The nursery situation is a nightmare. I have a 2yo. I put her down on several (6? 7?) nursery waiting lists for 1, 1.5 or 2 days a week, any days, before she turned 1. She finally started at a nursery about a month ago.

Having said that, two of the other nurseries have phoned me in the past week to say that they had a place available, so they are getting through their waiting lists - but presumably there's another year's worth of people waiting behind me.

If you can give a bit more detail (W. Greenwich? E. Greenwich? Blackheath borders?) I may be able to suggest places to start looking (not much good suggesting Robert Owen Early Years Centre if you're W. Greenwich, for example - you need to live very close by to stand a chance of getting in).

Can't help with the babysitting, I'm afraid, I'd like one myself!

Hi,

Im really struggling too. We're very much in the catchment for Robert Owen..but still cant get a place. Can you please let me know which nurseries called you with a place? I know there's waiting lists, but I am completely flexible on the times I need, so...fingers crossed that might help! Many Thanks

Yes, Teddies did (but that was more than a year after I first registered and I know they haven't yet phoned a friend of mine who is well below me on the waiting list, also completely flexible... ) and Zoom was the other one. Teddies is E. Greenwich, by the Pleasaunce. Zoom is Lee Road, Blackheath (other side of Blackheath village so if you're catchment for Robert Owen, it's a bit of a trek. I'd definitely recommend trying the journey during peak hours midweek - it extended from 45 mins on a Mon morning, even in school hols, and I still had to get home again).

FWIW, we've been on the waiting list for RO for well over a year too; we're in the stated catchment area but it seems to have shrunk drastically. Apparently we may have a hope for next September (after DD's 3rd birthday; there should be more places available for 3+) but it's a bit late for us and we're v happy with the nursery DD's at now (Kids & Co - no places at moment). RO do apparently prioritise certain families, e.g. if you're working or studying with no childcare, but it didn't make any difference for us. I was back at work part-time for over a year with no childcare whatsoever and was also studying for a professional qualification, but had to drop the study because I simply couldn't find childcare. Nearly had to drop the job too but the nursery place came up the week before I'd have had to resign!

I think the biggest problem (as well as the sudden huge increase in young families round here) has been the change in school policy in Greenwich - they used to have a January intake as well as a Sept one, but it changed last year to single intake which has had a knock-on effect on the nurseries.

Hi, well have been here a month now and have managed to get a nursery place in Blackheath just 1 day a week. Have got 2 babysitters thanks to my brilliant neighbour. It all goes down hill from there, had a nightmare with Greenwich council and schools. Have finally managed to get my older children into school, however not the same school with the same start time so have to try to manage that, trying to find someone to do collecting for me a few days a week from Halstow, if anyone could recommend anyone that would be great. Am in the Maze Hill area.