N20 Whetstone area - nursery recommendations please!

[Bullhespy08]

Hi

I am moving to the Whetstone area in September and want to get my son (who will be 11 months) on to a wait list for a nursery there. Any recommendations or warnings??? Magic v Academy 4 Kids?? Are there others I am missing which you'd recommend?

Any info at all will be super useful!

rocking horse in finchley central is good! i know many people with children there all are happy, nappies n milk etc all included, but they do have a waiting list up until september so get your name down quick!!!

I have just started my baby at Pentlands Nursery in Finchley (N3). It is lovely. I would really recommend it and they give you loads of free settling in sessions.

I would be surprised if you managed to get a place at Rocking Horse now as they are so oversubscribed but no harm in putting your name down (£50 to put your name down).

Magic is really nice too. We got a place there but I decided against it as they don't have a separate sleep room.

Magic is fab - we love it.

Although pudding25 is right about no separate sleep room I love that DS (who started there at 11.5m) can now sleep anywhere even with noise going on around him. It took him a few days of being exhausted as he's my PFB and naps in a quiet dark room at home but now he's fine.

Everytime I drop in, at an expected time or early they are cuddling the children and DS has a huge grin on his face. All the carers know his name and are friendly even when they are not in the same room as him. The baby room and the toddler room are just amazing and he is so happy there it makes me feel so much better about leaving him.

Head Start, New Barnet (v. nice atmosphere. DS was v. happy there)?
Teddies, New Southgate (good too but a bit of a problem with staff turnover which may or may not have been resolved)?

My daughter 6 months is at Head Start and I've found the staff there very friendly and helpful - she only goes part time - they have a great garden as well and the rooms are airy. I also looked at Magic but didnt like their set-up and also found it strange that they offer additional sessions of rhyme time etc that you need to pay for seperately for your child to attend. but when you visit you always get a sense of what is best for you. There is also Belfield Montessori in the area more Barnet than Whetstone.