West End nursery advicce

[cocobongo]

Hi

Just looking for a wee bit advice on nurseries in the West End. I'll be looking for 1-2 days per week from August-ish and my baby will be 1. Is there anywhere you would recommend? And are there likely to be waiting lists- should I be looking to sign up now?

Ideally, I would like somewhere fairly close to where I live (Wilton St), or at least somewhere close enough to an underground station.

Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

I knew some women who were SVQ assessors who had been round loads of nurseries assessing the staff. They said the best one they'd seen was next to a school playing field in Anniesland (think Green Acres?). I saw it and liked it but too far away. A colleague used it and was happy.

I had put DS in Mackin nursery, behind the Mcdonalds at Anniesland X, for 3 days before they told me they'd seen unqualified staff left alone with 12 under 3's in the playground!! Removed him straight away.

I visited Victoria Park Kindergarten but didnt like the unhealthy snacks/meals they gave kids.

Also visited one next to Stow College. It looked good for 3+ but baby room was big and noisy and only a half-height wall between tiny babies and toddlers. Also they didnt provide lunch.

I used Carousel in Warroch St for 3 months when DS 1 year and was vv happy with it. They even have a ball pool!

Oh and I'd recommend going to look round a few asap. Good ones are usually booked a year in advance. Plus some might not want only 1 day, might say a min 2 1/2 or 3 days.

I've heard really good things about clarence house day nursery in kelbourne st. Baby room is very quiet, run by a lovely lady, staff seem older than usual, might suit you.

I've heard there are some good childminders in Kelvinside gardens, just behind Wilton st too.

Thanks to both of you for the advice. Don't think Anniesland would be suitable- should have mentioned, I don't have a car. Will look into the options you have listed. Looks like I will have to get my skates on!

Any more advice from anyone else would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Theres one just on the other side of kelvingrove thats good, if anyone know it its the one that has the electronic tag bigs at the door? \cant think of its name. \its 15min walk from wilton street.

I was going to say mulberrybush as have worked in there and liked it but a bit far

Is Acorn park the one you are thinking of Giraffes? I used to work there, and it is a good nursery.

DD also went to Carousel and I was always really happy with it too.

Although I know some nurseries can have an issue with only taking a baby for one day a week (or they used to, not sure if that has changed, not worked in or used a nursery for years!!)

Yes I think thats the one. I took a child there a few times staff seemed good and parents happy with it but no experience other than that.

Stow college one was fab, loved it, but its closed now has it not? Was certainly meant to be closing.

Theres one in the anniesland/jordanhill area I really don't like but no onbes mentioned it yet so thats ok. I dont think they take babies anyway.

Oh just remembered the one at maryhill community halls in maryhill road. A friend really liked it and so did I. Staff very pleasant, baby room looked very stulating for tots.

Thanks for all the advice, it's been really useful.

Victoria Park Kinder garden is not next to the subway but is on Dunbarton Road, so plenty of buses.

I dont know when fas visited but the snacks tend to be fruit/vegetables. They have had an overhaul our their menu and it is definitely better.

They are also moving into the old Nova bathrooms building and will have more space for under 2 as there is a long waiting list.

I visited the one on Crow Road in Partick and it smelled really bad.

I checked out a few in the area.

Really hated WestEndNursery-no natural light,kids watching a DVD the day I was there and no observable interaction between kids and staff in the twenty mins I was there.

Step by Step has plenty of spaces but they called me back three weeks after I called saying they'd just got me message as they couldn't work the answer machine. I decided that if they couldn't do this in the 21st century then I wouldn't be comfortable with them looking after DS.

The one in Community Central Hall on Maryhill road is reportedly good and council run so you are guaranteed the staff qualifications etc, but again no natural light.

We chose Clarence House on Hotspur Street. They take 3 babies on Mon and Fri and six the other days.

Thanks again for the additional advice. I think Victoria Park will probably be too awkward to get to for me. I will check out Clarence House, that sounds good.

I am also going to check out Derby St nursery- does anyone have any experience if it?

You could maybe try Sandy Road day nursery in Partick. It's a fab wee place and is run by the council.

There is also Sandyford Day Nursery which is in Anderston. My DS went there & i cannot rate it high enough. The baby room they had was amazing, full sensory equiptment and the staff were lovely.

We also use Clarence House Nursery and couldn't recommend it highly enough. logrrl I wonder if we know eachother?

Acorn Park is a really great nursery (though pricey) - have friends who've used it. Two of our DDs went to Somerset Nursery which I really recommend, on Fitzroy Place near Kelvingrove Park.

Re the Derby Street Nursery - the national press highlighted this nursery in various articles about gangsters running nurseries and the nursery itself is a former brothel which is still owned and run by the same family! The nursery looks good as it was recently refurbished but it has very few children in it and its fees are unusually high. If you google Derby Street information comes up about the Kelvingrove "Health Club"

Hi mums.After being at 2 other nurserys ive finally found one that ticks all the boxes Derby st nurserys the kids and i just love it

Victoria park one isn't great - when you view a room all the staff are moved in their for your benefit. In reality the staff seem very thinly spread and they are very upset about this, it seems its all about money.

There are ratios - doesnt mean they are followed.

if you want a good idea of how the staff are at a nursery near kelvingrove park i would recommend going to the park on a dry day and casually watch them. they all go to the park and that way you can see how they interact with the kids outwith the actual nursery:)

My son has been at the Happy Days nursery in Maryhill Centrall Halls for two years - it's really great, and much cheaper than a private nursery. We're really happy with the nursery nurses - their faces just glow when they talk about our son - really committed workers (with well-paid jobs and decent working conditions, which is important to us).

Wouldnt recommend Victoria Park. Although it may have changed recently I really wasnt happy with it after it changed ownership.

It did seem to be all about money and can vouch for Giraffes opinion that some of the staff are unhappy.

If you live near the train station, I can highly recommend Brooklands Nursery in Dalmuir. Beautiful nursery, lovely staff, clean and well equipped.

As I said, I really cant comment on the new premises and I wasnt unhappy with day to day nursery life but more how the place was being run.

I know that on one occassion one of the staff told me something that was basically illegal as far as employment law goes and I just think a nursery is far nicer if the staff are happy. There also seemed to be a high ratio of trainees in relation to qualified staff which again may have improved.

We (including a couple of the other parents) had an issue with fees which in fairness could have been a genuine mistake but the owners were not particularly helpful in having it resolved.