Little Fingers Montessori Dulwich - feedback please

[canela]

My daughter might be offered a place at the Little Fingers Montessor in Dulwich Hall. I'm due to go and see it next week and would really like some feedback from anyone with any experiences of this nursery. Particularly as I have heard the admin side is not that good. (It is the same as the new nursery hopefully starting in Barry Road)

Any info much appreciated!

[Mfichardt]

My friend's daughter went went there a few years ago (at the tennis club off Burbage Road) and could not stop praising them. They moved back to South-Africa but she was gutted when her daughter had to leave.

[thomasthetankengine]

I've just put my child's name down at the new one on Barry rd. I've heard from friends that it's a very good nursery where children are cared for exceptionally well. On top of that they are a proper montessori nursery which is very rare these days. The new one looks lovely inside and staff are very friendly, my friends children have done very well there.

[Bellenden Belle]

And thomasthetankengine that's an excellent first post recommending another nursery and not responding to the original question.

[Pickle]

How have your friends children done so well in a nursery that is not yet/only just open? Little bit suspicious!

[midivydale]

Hm, Interesting indeed that your friend has had such a great experience. I do not share it I am afraid as I have yet to even get an email response or callback from the management of the Barry Road nursery.

[crystal7]

The nursery on the corner of Barry Rd and Goodrich Rd doesn't look open yet? No sign outside, windows covered?? Unless its not that huge house on the left as you head up Goodrich...

[canela]

The management of the Barry Road one is the same as the one in Dulwich Village. I got no response to enquiries about Barry Road, but I was called straight back about the Village site and offered a tour and a place there until the Barry Road one started. I didn't take it up in the end though. I'd been after Barry Road as just round the corner from us. Found a lovely pre-school instead - Buds down by Goose Green. Daughter very happy there and I would really recommend it.

[JBoylen]

I have no experience with Little Fingers in Dulwich Hall so I am not answering canela's question either. However since the Barry Road location reviews have been questioned, I will say this:

We visited the one on Barry Road last Friday and it looks nice but seems they were still in the process of setting up the interior (some furniture and play things) and they were very up front about it. The staff seemed very nice. I was told children already currently attended, others were starting this week and that there are current openings. While one child was playing/being read to and seemed happy.

I hope you do get the feedback on the Dulwich Hall location that you are looking for.

[Sol]

I went to see the one in Dulwich Village awhile ago and didn't like the fact that there wasn't any toys outside for them to play with; they were just running oround without much to do when outside; that was my impression. Maybe because it was montessori or maybe because they share the fields and can not keep things outside; who knows

[thomasthetankengine]

Hi all. Well Pickle, my friends daughter and son did very well in the current Little fingers nursery on Burbage road.If you read my last message above, the one on Barry Road is the second nursery where my little boy will be attending. I origanlly wanted a place in the nursery on Burbage road but they do not take children under 2 years old. Bellenden Bell, If you read properly I have responded to the question and explained my experience with the nursery.

[mikeb]

We have a little one at the little fingers in village. We all love it. He has skipped in everyday for the last six months. Feel free to pm me.

[Silvia78]

I am responding to this post as I have been sending my boy to the new Little Fingers nursery on Barry Road for the last month or so and I am on the cusp of moving him again now. Not ideal and something I really didn't want to do but I am just not happy with the fact that he's been by himself for the majority of the time over there. The staff (at the moment just 2 - one is the daughter of the owner and another lovely girl) are very nice indeed and Luca comes home happy as he's always been (sometime you just think kids are happy generally no? unless they are mistreated?) but I am not happy to drop him off in the morning and his alone and pick him up and he's alone.

He hasn't had any interaction with other children if not sporadically (there's another girl going some time but not full time as he is) and the management doesn't seem to want to get a move on! She has children ready to start at any time and is only now in the process of interviewing for some additional staff! It's just been such a long process and they just don't seem to be pushing it to start properly. they have not put a sign up yet etc. Also, it is a very expensive one - yes they do provide all food which is great, but it is at least ?200 more expensive of the others in the area and the price doesn't go down after the child is 2. I am very sad to have to move my boy again but I just dont have any confidence that things are going to pick up any time soon. Is anyone going to send their child there so my boy can have some company??

[jennifaah]

I've been trying to get in touch with them to arrange a viewing, but there's been no answer and they haven't rung me back either!

[miss brown]

ive been calling this nursery to for a job interview i have sent them a email and got one back saying please call in week which i have done and no answer such a shame becouse its righ on my door step

[Silvia78]

Crazy.

[fergju]

Hmmm this is interesting. I have recently viewed the nursery and am considering signing my 15 month old girls to move from our current nursery which is simply too small to meet active children's needs and thought the space here looked ideal. Has anyone else got feedback? They seem to have a lot of names on the last for end of this year.

[Buffnutter]

Good to know it is at least open as from the look of it outside I wasn't sure! I have sent a couple of emails over the last couple of months asking for info and to come and look around but no response as yet. Can anyone confirm what age they are taking little ones from?

[midivydale]

I have given up on this place after calling and emailing for weeks and NEVER got a call back. Beyond frustrating to say the least. I lost all confidence in them.

[ElizaDoolittle]

Hi all, I have been offered a place for my one year old son to start in September and I wondered if anyone had any more feedback now that it's been open for a while. I liked the look of it on a visit but it was hard to really get a sense as it was so quiet... And there's still no sign outside or sounds of children when I pass. I'm going to visit again but it would be good to hear from any happy or otherwise parents.

[JJSP]

Rather late response on this one, but my two have been there for 3/4 months now. It's the first nursery we've used, so it's a little hard to compare. However in general I've been really pleased with how they do things. The staff are all lovely, particularly Isabel who's the manager there. Very calm and quite consistent in terms of staffing, as I think they use staff from the more established place in D village.

My two went from having a nanny to going in to nursery and doing 3/4 days per week - again at the moment they are letting us add days in when we need them which is great because my partner's work schedule varies. They took about 3 weeks to settle down (in the case of my littlest it was all about getting his sleep sorted) but since then there's been no problems at all.

The building is beautiful inside and they've got nice outside space too, although admittedly it is quite close to Barry road. I think they have a set pattern of activities based on things like cooking and creative work. And they've done some good stuff helping my little girl with things like getting dressed.

I've really been very happy with it as a first nursery for both of my babies. I would totally suggest people go there, even though I've been rather enjoying it being so quiet: my little girl seems to think it's essentially her second house.

Happy to chat by pm with anyone who'd find it helpful.

Jane

[Peachpie]

My two have both loved being there (Barry Rd) and it has done them loads of good. It is expensive and has been a bit slow to get going. But they have been very happy, they seem to get loads of individual attention and it is so convenient. I love Montessori and it is very homely with lots of space. The atmosphere is very calm, relaxed and fun. We are on holiday at the moment but my daughter is going back in Sept and my son starts school.

[Belle]

Do they offer half days?

[Peachpie]

Yes they do do half days. Mine do 8 till 1 including breakfast and lunch and they do an afternoon session too.

[ElizaDoolittle]

Thanks everyone - that's reassuring! I feel much happier after a recent visit as they have made good progress and there are actual children there! Hopefully my boy settles in ok. And hopefully I settle in to leaving him ok!