Despite living 0.07 miles away from Ashmount Primary School, DD who turns 3 this weekend, hasn't got a place at their nursery for this September. Living so close I never imagined we'd fail to get in - I still need to get more of an answer on what the factors were (loads of siblings/older children in her school year already in nursery, leaving fewer places empty/etc.) I also don't know yet where we are on the waiting list but it can't be that far down as there are literally only about ten houses between us and the school and they can't all have 3 year olds living in them! They say they don't start allocating waiting list places till October once they know who hasn't turned up of the people they offered places to in the original allocation - but I can't just rely on getting a place then in case we're still left out in the cold.
So assuming I have to find an alternative now, does anyone have any advice on other nurseries in the area? I've applied to Archway CC and Margaret Macmillan CC (neither of which nurseries I've yet visited, though I've used the Children's Centre services at Archway). I know Archway is very over-subscribed so it could be a long wait for a place, but I know nothing about Margaret Macmillan and have never met anyone whose child has gone there. Is it any good?
I've also been to see Little Angels, who currently only have a place up until December, so that's not exactly ideal, and I'm wondering about going to see Monty's Montessori but not sure about the fees as you can't just use your 15 hours nursery education grant, they build it into a longer day that you then pay for the balance of.
Are there any others I should consider? We live between Archway and Crouch End so could go in the latter direction too. I'm just not so familiar with what's there (we applied for Coleridge but haven't got in, not that I was surprised about that).
Anyway, I'd really appreciate any advice on the nurseries I've mentioned and any I haven't. I feel such an idiot but honestly I would never have left this so late had I thought there was any chance we wouldn't get into Ashmount, but now I feel like I'm running round like a headless chicken trying to get her in anywhere!