Needing a nursery in Clapham/Balham/Streaham

[sarahandruby]

Hi everyone,
Have posted before but would like some new feedback if anybody has any info. I have a one year old and start work early June. I have found one nursery I love but it is full until Nov 08. Anybody have any good/bad experiences. Am looking at The Baby Room in Clapham tomorrow. Ideally I am looking for a clean, fun nursery with outdoor space, seems to be few are far between though. Any thoughts???
Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks

Sarah

I used to work at Nightingales Nursery which is based at St Francis Xavier VI form college at Clapham South. I've not worked there for years though so don't know who runs it now (or if it still exists for that matter as I'm now living in Kent), but it was a small, clean happy and friendly nursery with some outdoor space and the common just over the road which was used for walks to the park etc. You could call the college who would have the details.

My DS (15mo) goes to Teddies in Balham. I'd certainly recommend it - the staff in the Babycare rooms (and the age group up from that) are wonderful, very enthusiastic and get SO excited when DS does something new! They have two rooms for "babies", one for under c10mo and one for the ones up to c16mo. Good because their interests/needs are very different between those ages.

In one of the other threads someone said they have a high turnover of staff but I haven't found that to be true.

They have a nice outside play area - tho not much grass - but they did seem to use it a lot last summer. The place is certainly clean (from what I have seen!).

Hope you find somewhere where your DC (and you) will be happy.

Thanks Jaz2,

Our ante natel course was held on their premises, and it did look lovely. But had heard a few not so positive comments, although everyone has a different opinion. Will go and see it in action and see what I think.
Thanks again.
Sarah

DD1 went to Eveline in Tooting, but that is quite a few years ago now. She was there from four months until she started school and loved it.

Choosing a nursery is a very personal thing. You have to be happy as a mother in leaving your child at the nursery. If I had heard the not so good comments about Teddies in advance I probably would have dismissed the idea of sending DS to Teddies. I'll never know whether he would have been happier elsewhere. All I know is that he (currently!) loves the place and the staff, and I trust and like the staff. As with any place, it has its weaknesses, but none that seem to affect DS (they tend to be the "organisational" type ones - which just niggle me - and don't affect him).