Help nursery in Hampstead/Belsize area

[chiarachiara]

Hi,
I am moving from Italy to London, probably going to stay in NW3 (Hampstead/Belsize Park).
Unfortunately, I just came to know that Camden area has cut budget over state nursery and they will offer just 15 hours per week (3 per day). This is a big problem for me, since I am a working mom.
I tried asking schools if I could top up paying for extra hours and they said no, then I asked some private nurseries but most of them seem to be full until 2013! How about childminders? Are they good? Do kids have fun and are safe with them?
Moms in NW3, how do you deal with this issue? I am waiting for some advice. Thanks a lot!

Chiara

Chiara, good luck with your move. I hope someone will come along with useful info.
Childminders are registered in the UK, and you will find that many mnetters prefer them to collective childcare, which is instead quite popular in Italy (or at least here in Milan).

You might want to post on the childminders threads, you'll get plenty of advise. Btw, when I was in the UK I sent my dc to a lovely nursery, but we weren't in London.

Hi Chiara

In the UK there is a distinction between day-care and nursery. Day-care centres provide care for toddlers/infants/preschoolers from about 7.30am to 6pm (roughly - hours may vary according to where you re in the UK) for 51 weeks per year. Nurseries usually take children from around 2-2.5 years old and tend to follow the school term holidays.

I'm afraid I have no knowledge of the state nurseries/schools in NW3, so my below comments apply to the private/independent sector.

A very good nursery which provides extended hours (like a day-care centre) is Hampstead Hill. It provides wrap around care from 7:45 to 5.30 (but you can opt for fewer hours-indeed almost people do) for 51 weeks and is a delightful school. Lots of continental children so your DD won't feel awkward and lots of working mums. The only downside is that they do not provide a discount for the 15 free (state funded) hours.

Nurseries which do give credit for the 15 free hours (but may be booked up) are The Oak Tree Nursery attached to Devonshire House Prep School, Northbridge (but possibly impossible to find a place this late), Heathside Prep School. There are others too, but it depends what you want and where exactly you are placed. There is a useful website called NW3 kids co.uk that can give you some info and Camden's own website. Hope the above helps.

St Marks Square nursery Belsize park is fabulous.

www.stmarkssquarenurseryschool.org.uk/

I've heard great things of Auden place in Primrose Hill, but they have a long waiting list. Worth giving them a call anyway. www.audenplace.co.uk/