Best creches in Norwich?

[EloiseM]

I'm about to relocate to Norwich (from Oxford) with my other half and six-month-old. Does anyone know what the best creches in the city are? Any help and advice would be gratefully received...

Chapelfield Nursery (in Chapelfield Park close to town) has an excellent reputation.
Depends where you will be living/working too of course.

There is a lovely childminder east of the city

Thanks Pannacotta and KatyMac... We are going to be pretty much right in the centre of town - Cross Lane, if you know it - I think it's an NR3 postcode... Pannacotta: we both work from home, so anything in walking distance would be lovely, though obviously that we get the right place is more important. KatyMac: do you have more details of the childminder? Does anyone know if the UEA creche is any good?

oops sorry

Oh - haha - I probably should have got that but Polly had me up all night and my brain's not working... I'll take a look!

If you are in town (don't know Cross Lane sorry) then Chapelfield would be closer.
UEA is supposed to be good but it's a bit our of town (unless you work there/near there of course).
I wanted to use KatyMac but too far out for me too...

Hi Eloise

My dd went to the nursery on St Giles Street in Norwich. She loved it there and it's really central.

Hi there -

Thanks for the continuing responses, everyone... MarkStretch I will check that out on GoogleMaps - thanks. Pannacotta the Chapelfield one is just 1/2 mile from where we're going to be, so I've sent them a message for more info. Is that who you are using? I'm very nervous about finding the right place - always important I know, but P's only going to be nine months old - she's so small and I've got the first-time mum fear about leaving her... I'm eager to get stuck into a bit of work on the one hand, and sad that there's no choice (we need the extra money) on the other...

Thanks again!

Well at least if she's in one in the city she'll be nearby. I remember that feeling well though.

Welcome to Norwich too! Hope you like it here and settle in ok x

I have used Chapelfield and UEA. They are both good but I preferred UEA as the staff seemed older and calmer and had been there longer. Chapelfield has quite a high staff turnover or did anyway. Obviously it's more central though which is a big plus.

I don't use Chapelfield (am SAHM) but it got an Outstanding Ofsted report and friends tell me it's great, the baby room is supposed to be especially cosy. Am going to put DS2 on the waiting list (which is quite long I gather) for next year.
Have heard mixed reports about St Giles recently due to some staff changes but can't comment personally.
I do know a really nice CM who lives in NR2 area, if you CAT me or leave an email address on here I can mail you her details.

St Giles didn't feel right to me but my neighbours son seems very happy there atm. You do have to trust your instincts when visiting, see what's right for you. I'd visit them all.

Yes, that's good advice - I think as soon as we settle in (at the end of the month) I will start visiting...

(Oh and thanks for the kind words, MarkStretch!)

I have googled Cross Street - there are some quaint bits of Norwich that way.

When we moved to Norwich nearly 8 years ago now, we lived right in the city, Magdalen Street to be precise (look for Anglian Fashion Fabrics we lived behind it in a converted hayloft), it was great for getting to know your way around. There are lots of churches in that area that had mother & toddler groups on, dd and I used to go to a different one every day. It was a great way of meeting people.

Hi there -

Yes, we thought we were going to live in Cringleford or somewhere in the GT, but then saw this lovely old timbered house on Cross Street - so that's where we're living. It's very quaint, as you say, and atmospheric - probably a few skeletons under the floorboards, etc.

Good to hear about the mother & t groups - I plan on going to everything once we settle in!

Best - E