Baby Room on Balham High Road - Advice needed Post Reply

[missa&momo]

Hi all -
We are in the process of moving to Balham. My husband and I both work full time and normally have a nanny but she will not work in South London (too far for her now). So we are looking to put our 16 month old into part-time day care and have a part-time nanny.

Nightingale does not have any openings and I visited the Baby Room yesterday. It seemed fine but I am just a bit uneasy about it. No particulare reason though. Does anyone send their children there? What are your thoughts? Any and all advice welcome!

Also if you know of anywhere else that may take a 16month old for 2 full days, please let me know!!!

Many thanks in advance!!!

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

double posting - oops

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

You could try eveline day nursery, there are two branches in easy distance of Balham, one on Ritherdon Road and one on trinity crescent. Another one is bright horizons on Balham high road opposite the Argos.
I'm a firm believer in listening to your gut, if something makes you feel uncomfortable than avoid. You'll know what works for you and your child. Good luck with the hunt and welcome to the area.

[Mum2Monkey]

We sent out little one to Babyroom about 6 months ago - after I'd heard bad things about Bright Horizons (although I understand it may have improved) and Eveline had a 1 year wait list.

We've been really pleased. They have a new manager who has brought more structure. Each morning they have singing, reading and toy play - often with an external teacher coming in - e.g for music it is Lucy Sparkles. In the afternoon they have an activity - often messy play - the sort of arts and craft or cooking activity that you really wouldn't want to have at home. You get to bring these efforts home! When they get nearer 3, they move to the classroom upstairs where there is more focus on reading, writing etc.

Staff ratios are better than some other nurseries and the food is good - 3 full meals and 2 snacks. (Unusually, they give dinner rather than afternoon tea - perhaps because the hours are longer).

Communication with parents is good - monthly newsletters, report cards everyday and quarterly parents evenings to discuss goals for the next term (!!!).

I was a bit worried about it being open plan. But my little one seems to enjoy hanging out with the older children (they come together for some of the meals) and he somehow manages to sleep for two hours at lunchtime.

Only downside is that they seem to run it very business like and so if you are late paying fees then you get fined (although picking up the child late seems to be ok ...... ) and you have to pay a upfront deposit of about £1000 which I think is ridiculous. Also, you can't do half days - well you can, but you pay a full day. However, they do allow day swaps for a £10 fee (most other nurseries don't allow swaps, requiring you to pay a full rate).
I guess no parent is ever 100% happy with their childcare option, but I would say I'm as happy as those at Eveline.....

PM me if you have any questions. Also, if you do decide to go for it then let me know as I think we could both get a discount through the refer a friend scheme (and with daily rates at £80, every little counts).

[mummybubble]

Hello,

I just wondered if your views on baby room Nursery in Balham have altered at all? Are you still happy with it?

Do any other parents have children at Baby Room in Balham and do they have views?

I viewed it and thought it was light and bright and seemed a lovely, well-structured environment with a lot of thought into extra activities with outside teachers, and good communication and organisation.

The only downsides i could think of were the cost (yes it is expensive), perhaps a smallish outside area (but this is always the way with London nurseries) and the fact that meals are prepared off site, frozen and then heated up at the nursery. having said that, the content of the menu seemed healthier and more varied than many other nurseries who do cook on site (but serve a lot of sausages, chips, and beans etc)...

Any views gratefully received!

[Joeyanna]

Our 2.5 year old has been going to babyroom balham for the last 18 months and loves it. He has progressed through all the rooms and I have only positive things to report! The food is great, the staff caring and attentive and the activities great, it has done no end of good for his development and confidence.

[chattymama]

I'll second that - my little one has been at baby room balham for 9 months now and absolutely thriving. So major pros & cons:

PROS FOR BABY
- they are particularly good with tiny babies and toddlers.
- very loving environment - ALL the staff are great (esp new manager)
- being part of a mini-chain they have a roving pot of staff they can call in to cover holidays/sicknesses - so not just some random turning up
- they will follow your routine (if you have one) rather than just doing what's convenient for THEM like so many other nurseries (tut tut)
- they have a dedicated darkened sleeping room for babies with SIX cots
- they have an on-site cook who makes home-cooked food for all the kids. (plus home made veg town meals in the freezer if there's something your LO won't eat). Give lots of fruit & veg to the kids
- they only do full days (no half days), so there's no 'middle of the day chaos' with parents doing drop-offs/pick-ups

PROS FOR MUM:
- flexible with things like your own holidays (you pay a £10 admin fee to change any days you're on hol to use them at a later date)
- they have quite long hours (good if you work)
- their admin team are v organised, answer emails super quickly, pick up the phone immediately etc
- they offer a 'straight through' babysitting service, where they will take your baby home, put them to bed etc, and then babysit till you get home.

CONS
- They're expensive. One of the most expensive in the area
- The approach to the building is horrible - a dingy side alley or a pot-hole ridden car approach. Not a nice start (or end) to the day.
- The space for buggy parking is pretty poor and difficult to use.
- Being purpose built, it doesn't feel as 'homely' as the nurseries you get in lovely old Victorian buildings (though def more practical and safe).

Hope that helps. They used to have a not-too-brilliant manager and when they first opened I think they took a while to find their feet, but I've recommended this to another friend and her LO has been there a few months and both mum and dad have commented on how superb it is

[pinkgrasshopper]

I'm afraid I have to be a dissenting voice on this. (With a heavy heart as it used to be great...)

Our child attended Baby Room for a significant period, but standards have fallen off a cliff so we have changed nursery (along with several others). The key issue seems to be absolute lack of investment - staff told us that there would be no work done on the Balham nursery for four years due to rotation with the other nurseries. A basic example of this is the state of some of the walls. The nursery also lacks some of the equipment other nurseries have (playhouses etc) despite the higher cost. The poor treatment/reward of staff is also palatable and morale seems to have dropped with some popular staff members leaving and others openly looking for other jobs.

I have also just heard from another parent that the nursery has increased their fees. Once again the justification is ropey to say the least citing 'advice to us' from the Day Care Trust', which is actually gleaned from a Day Care Trust survey discussing the whole of the UK. The parent was very upset at this flawed justification - it seems to assume people either have more money than sense, or are not intelligent enough to critically analyse an appalling business case - I imagine Baby Room Balham will shortly have another space.

All of this is a real shame as it was a super place for a long time, but lack of care from Head Office and the proprietor have let a gem fade fast. Many of the actual nursery staff are lovely and as others have said things like food are good, and the organised activities are varied, but overall there are better options in the locality.

[kummily]

hi pinkgrasshopper - can you give some ideas of where you DO recommend? Am about to start looking for a place for my little boy (15 month) - as he is more than ready for a nursery... but all I keep hearing are the negatives, eg:

abacus - dirty, feed the kids 'smash'
chestnut grove montessori - feed the kids up on sugary biscuits
nightingale - do things without telling parents (eg move the kids up to the next room, or feed them things they've been asked not to be given)
grove hall - not changing nappies frequently enough, kids going thirsty
second steps - force tiny toddlers into nursery routine before ready
marmalade caterpiller - does actually get great reviews but doesn't do full days, so for yummy mummies only it seems!

and one that went bust recently (I forget name) and all the parents lost their deposits!

at my wits end.... can you help? I really want a nursery, not a nanny.... preferably near balham tube too (for commute). Can be flexible on days. Too much to ask? XX

[Goldhawk]

Eveline Day may be your best option

Have you considered using a childminder?

[audrey]

Have you looked at Lochinvar Preschool near Clapham South tube station?
Fab little gem of a nursery, they do both half (morning or afternoon sessions) and full days (from 9:15am till 3pm).

[Mrs Contractor Mum]

Asquiths is another full time Balham nursery or your other option is a nanny share along with maybe a part time nursery.

[pinkgrasshopper]

Hi there. Yes, Eveline a really good option!

[kummily]

Thanks so much for the advice everybody! I hadn't looked at Lochinvar cause of the short days (even a 'full day' isn't enough for me to do a post-work pick-up - I need somewhere open until 6.30pm, basically), plus I have a friend whose daughter goes there, who says it is 'fine', but that she is basically biding her time till she can get her into Balham Nursery (also my 'end goal', eventually!)..... but yes will take a look at Eveline. I called them ages ago and found the lady really off-hand on the phone, she said I had to have a brochure before I could have a tour etc, but maybe that's the price I have to pay to go somewhere really good..... will perservere! Thanks again all

[kummily]

And will look at Asquiths too!