Nurseries in Herne Hill/Dulwich

[MLWfirsttimemum]

Can anyone recommend good nurseries in Herne Hill (preferably)or Dulwich (North- or West)? And how far in advance should we sign up?? All these questions you don't think about before getting pregnant :-)

[Popskipiekin]

We used //www.nannyshare.co.uk - think you should be able to see how many families are looking within your radius before you shell out any money to join. Worked really well for us (we do part nursery, part nanny share). Good luck!

[Schoolfinder]

Thanks popskipiekin ! I have heard of under the willow so definitely worth taking a look.

We may have to look into nanny sharing given the short time frame. Do you know if there's a good website for this?

Thanks for the tips on RH.. it's good to hear from locals!

[Popskipiekin]

Hi Schoolfinder we have recently moved to the Herne Hill area and DS has started at Under the Willow (which I just posted about actually). It's a lovely lovely place, but might not be in the right location for you. If it is and you'd like more info, please feel free to PM me.

Re: Nellys/Ruskin House - Nellys do seem to have a terrific reputation so you'll probably be more than happy if you do get a place for your son there. Ruskin House - we haven't visited it so I will say this is only 2nd hand info - but a lady whose DD started at Under the Willow same time as DS said she was appalled by what she observed to be the lack of nurture displayed by the staff when she and her DD went for a visit. Basic needs of children not being met, when there were plenty staff to go around. She was not impressed and though RH is more convenient for her, she - and her DD - much preferred Under the Willow.
To add to this, we looked into nanny sharing with local families and every single mother I mentioned RH to went quiet when I said I was thinking of registering DS there. Our new neighbours have said they would never send their son there.
So. I can see from a pp that clearly there are people who like it but I couldn't in good conscience send a child there now.

[Schoolfinder]

Hi all... I know this is an old thread but we are moving from Clapham to north dulwich triangle and it looks like end of Nov! My son is 14 months and I know we are late looking but would prefer to wait for a good one. Has much changed from the last few years? I have his name down at Ruskin house and nellys but from the above nellys seems the best option?

[Amelieg]

Hi all- can anyone recommend a good nursery in Sydenham (Crystal Day in booked until Nov 2011), Forest Hill or Dulwich? We would be looking at an April start so we had to rule out all the ones with a 3 year waiting list...
Many thanks.

[Amelieg]

Hi all,
Can anyone recommend a good nursery in Forest Hill, Sydenham and Dulwich? Crystal Day in Sydenham is booked until Nov 2011...
thanks!

[mummySE]

Hi MLWfirsttimemum

My child will be one this weekend and should be having her settling in nx week. My baby starts to cry when ever she realises when i have left her alone so i am going to dread leaving her at the nursery when i have no choice too. Will yours be going full time or parttime? It be great to meet up and chat. Im so worried the time is coming so quickly. i wish i didnt need to work.

[MLWfirsttimemum]

Hi MummySE

Starting to dread leaving my daughter too, I guess the settling-in process is for both mother and child! She is due to start just before Christmas as I go back in January. Maybe our daughters will be there together - how old is yours?

[mummySE]

Hi MLW firsttimemum

i also have a daughter who will be 12 months soon and i am also a first time mum who doesnt know a soul in herne hill and therefore found it hard to get recommendations from anyone regarding childcare. I visited 2nd steps nursery and the manager seemed really nice as well as the staff. i have been indecisive about ruskin house for a while, which only means i am not happy with it. I might give 2nd steps another thought thou. My daughter will most probably be starting nursery December too. Glad to know that someone else thought 2nd steps seemed better!! Im such a scaredy mum, will dread the time leaving my daughter when i return to work.

[MLWfirsttimemum]

Hi Mummy SE24

A bit late in answering, but I decided against Ruskin House (as a result of my visit to them but backed up by the reviews here) and although I am on the waiting list of Nelly's that may be years. DD starts 2nd Steps nursery in December for her settling in period. It's just around the corner from our house and I am very hopeful. It only got satisfactory in the Ofsted report but this was in 2006 and I can see that they have implemented a lot of the recommendations. I certainly got the impression that the children were loved and taken care of and since my DD is 12 months old this is the most important thing for me at the moment.

Good luck!

[Blu]

If you are in Herne Hill get registered childminder lists from both Lambeth and Southwark. The Southark ones used to be mich more informative than the Lambeth lists.

Also register with SimplyChildcare.com - some good childminders advertise there but are not on council lists.

All nurseries seem to go up and down, nothing like an up to date visit, and recommendations from people who use them NOW.

I pulled DS out of one S London Nursery, and took him to another where it was brilliant. Now, 5 years later, I suspect that the 2 respective nurseries have swapped positions!

[MarshaBrady]

I wouldn't recommend Ruskin House either. We used it 2 years ago and left as the best staff did. The turnover of staff was huge.

It is so hard I know, as it was the only available nursey at the time. I think their high prices attract people unfortunately.

[mummySE24]

Hi

I have been reading all your reviews and am worried about sending my daughter to Ruskin House. My partner and i visited there and were not impressed. The owner seemed to have a business mind than one of a place to care for children. The baby room was shocking, there was no air conditioning and when we asked they said they would sometimes open the windows but surely that is a security issue as it backs onto a main road. The ofsted report is only satisfactory and there have been complaintrs registered on site. All the other nurseries have waiting lists. I dont know what to do. Does anyone have a good childminder in mind???

[espanolita]

Hi,

Can anyone give an oppinion about "Dreammaker Day Nursery" which is in Wapping (near St Katherine's Dock) and "My Nursery" which is in Virginia Quay (near East India DLR)? We are looking for a good nursery for our 4 month old and we have liked these two so far. Can anyone recommend a good nursery in Wapping/Canary Wharf...

Waiting for your responses.

Thanks a lot!

[paz1]

Hi - just saw this thread and thought I should add that we pulled our child out of Ruskin House within days of starting. Our experience echoed many of the points made by Dulwich Dolly.

[LoloMum]

Hello. It's a real shame when you read through the msg post above, I have sent my daughter to RHS and now my sons attend the nursery.

During my daughters time there she absolutly loved it, she grew in confidence and really came along with her reading and french.

My boys are 2 now and all of my children have been there since they were 6months old.

I think what they do at the nursery is great, my boys are fed well, get good rest and are full of stories to tell me when they get home.

The staff are lovely and very warming, helpfull and caring. You really can see the passion that they have for the children, which I think is one of the most important things.

It's very clean there and they have an onsite house keeper.

Management deal with any worries or concerns and are there most weekends painting or putting new things around the building.

I really would say go and have a look around and cast your own opinion.

I think it's like a home from home for my boys. I wouldn't dream of putting them any where else.

[DulwichDolly]

Ofsted views:
Ruskin House Ofsted report Feb 08..Summary- not very promising

My views:

-Admin - appalling, bad manners from management team.

-Rooms- not neat enough, not well ventilated

-Staff- tension between staff, hierarchichal issues, many times not enough key workers to cover the established ration of worker/baby.Not certain that real love and affection were provided to the children.

-Food- salami, crips, chocolate were served when "good bye parties" were orgnised to the babies going up to the other class or leaving the nursery.

If you have read the report, satisfactory is only one step away from inadequate. My gut instinct is that the staff are not treated well by management. Also it truly feels as if this is run as a business only and not an educational establishment.

I was very disspointed and after a short period I decided to look for alternative childcare in the area.

I would not reccommend to anyone to send their kids there

[webchick]

www.rainbowsmilesltd.co.uk/home.html

[webchick]

I have used Asquith in West Dulwich which was good (from 2003-2006). It has since changed management several times and the rooms have been re-jigged. I cannot say how the care is now but when I used it it seemed good. I now use Hitherfield Childrens Centre which is excellent; cannot rave enough about them. Nelly's opened just as my DD left Asquith.

There is a new nursery opened up on Rosendale Rd here if thats any help:

www.rainbowsmilesltd.co.uk/home.html

[rubythroat]

Hi I was with a friend at Brockwell park paddling pool and witnessed dreadful treatment of a group of toddlers and babies, who were from Ruskin House. I was so shocked that I called ofsted to complain - the carers didn't respond to the childrens needs and they were v distressed. I have friends who use Ruskin and it is expensive and sells itself as a top notch nursery, the quality of care/carers we witnessed was miles from the spin.

[MLWfirsttimemum]

Hi MsDemeanor

I need fulltime care from my baby is about 1 year old (December 2009, which is a long way off, but still). Initially considering nurseries because of the variety of carers and more children to interact with rather than a childminder where there is only one adult but in view of above feedback may have to reconsider

Thanks to all for all the feedback, it has been really helpful!

[MsDemeanor]

Do you need fulltime care and from what age?

[Baconsarnie]

I enquired last month at Nelly's about a place for dc next year, and was told that the waiting list was "upwards of two years". This has made me panic a bit, as I thought I had loads of time (need childcare from about March/April).

[Scarfmaker]

MLW - sorry didn't make myself clear - I said "a nursery " as don't know which one but it must have been a local one as they were pushing buggies - they headed for Denmark Hill way on way out.

As far as Ruskin House is concerned I've heard negative feedback from Mums I know but then again chutneymary's neighbour likes it!

Personal choice but I can say I wouldn't send my child there.