Day nurseries

[MattTaylor]

Hi all, hoping someone can help me with a dad-to-be stress!

We are expecting our first child in early February. Having heard horror stories of the costs of nursery care, I've already started trying to work out how much we will have to pay when my wife goes back to work (I am very advanced with my stressing!)

I've struggled to find much info so would be hugely grateful if anyone can give me a guide of what we might have to pay for nursery care for a 9mth old at a local day nursery? Also, how early should we be thinking of registering a place as have heard that some places book up ages in advance? Finally, if anyone has any particular East Dulwich/Forest Hill recommendations that would be great!

Thanks

Matt

[Convex]

Hi Matt,

There is loads of stuff on recommended nurseries, so a good start is do a search for recommendations though I'm sure people will also add thoughts here.

You can pay between ?1000-1800 per calendar month for a fulltime nursery. Most are closer toe ?1200-?1400.

Make sure you are registered for childcare vouchers at work ASAP as this saves you money.

And get on the waiting lists ASAP! Don't wait until the baby is born. Good luck!

[jennyh]

We were originally at My Favourite Nursery on upland road in Dulwich (for 2 years) and moved in April to Pitta Patta on forest hill(st Germans road). Very happy with both but yea they do get booked up so get on some waiting lists.

[MattTaylor]

Hi Convex and jennyh - thank you both very much for your replies, really appreciate it.

[DreaEastDulwich]

Definitely get on a list now! Don't think it's too early. I put my son on a list at Gumboots nursery when I was 5 months pregnant. He's now 18 months, still no place! (obviously we made alternative arrangements).

We pay ?960 a month for 4 full days for him (in Sydenham, not ED).

[antantant]

Hi there,

I found the most useful thing the complete list of nurseries available on the southwark website, here:

https://www.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/3272/nurseries

Then you can compare locations with ratings with opening times, see what works best for you and go check them out in person.

Good luck!

[Grotty]

We've had our kids at 3 different nurseries in the area over the last 4 years. All prices rise each year and all vary depending on what hours you want.

Asquiths Peckham Rye - at the time we were there it was ?78 for a full day, but have since gone up. (They start at 7.30 which was a bonus for us at the time, though we pulled our daughter out as soon as we could as we weren't happy with it)

http://www.asquithnurseries.co.uk/nurseries/18/43/Peckham-Rye-Day-Nursery/

My Favourite nursery - ?42-50ish for a full day depending on age (very lovely nursery)

http://www.myfavouritenursery.org.uk/the-nursery/nursery-fees/

The Villa nursery, Peckham - up to ?62.50 (easily the best - we now have 2 kids here and they love it and are thriving but sadly only starts at 2, so we had to have other places before then)

http://thevillaschoolandnursery.co.uk/the-nursery/admissions-fees-term-dates/

This is the price for kids until they are 3. Once 3 they are eligible for the government's free 15 hours of childcare. Most nurseries round here sign up to it. It counts for 15 hours/week per term time. My daughter does 30 hours at nursery a week, so in term time (as in state school terms), we pay half the amount - in holiday time we pay 30 hours.

Get on lists as soon as you can! Some nurseries won't let you sign up until the baby is born, but worth doing as soon as they are here as seriously if you don't, you may lose out on a place. For example, The Villa nursery starts at 2 and is great, and even though that is a long way off for you, if you don't put a name on the waiting list just after birth you may struggle to get in there 2 years later! Another well subsidised and therefore good value nursery is Camberwell Early Years on Camberwell Grove.

Hope that helps

[MattTaylor]

DreaEastDulwich, antantant and Grotty - thanks v much for your help, really appreciate it. Hugely useful!

Off to start making appointments to view so can hit those waiting lists asap!

[antantant]

I forgot to say... I know it sounds like the wrong reason on which to base a decision on, but a big factor for us was nursery opening time. Many of the nurseries only open at 8 which is simply too late for me to get to work after drop off.

Depending on your circumstances it may be something you need to consider too.

[minder]

Have you considered using a childminder? As a Southwark registered childminder we are advised not to consider a place for a child until their birth date. A mistake a lot of nurseries make when compiling their waiting lists and this in turn leads to a lot of unsatisfied customers.

There are a few nurseries that open before 8am and also a few childminders.