£30k nursery fees part 2!

Dear NappyValleyNetter,

In an effort to ‘take back control’ Mr NVN invested in some Air Tags for the youngest’s sports kit which disappears on a regular basis.

So far the bag has travelled to East Croydon, Putney, Notting Hill and, on one notable occasion, all the way to Bath and back.

“I don’t understand why people can’t just use their own kit!” huffed Mr NVN after another outing to retrieve the bag.

What he doesn’t know is that while some of these losses are the genuine, a good number are the result of my son asking his friends to carry the tags on their travels.

“I’ll stop after Christmas,” he said, once I’d got the truth out of him, “a friend of a friend is going to New Zealand for the Christmas and he’s happy to take a tag, I reckon Dad could actually pop.”

Here’s what you’ve been talking about this week on NappyValleyNet:

Last week R. posted about their £30k nursery fees which has raised some well-groomed eyebrows. S. points out this is a bad deal for both staff and for parents returning to work. Others suggest R. makes like a tree and leaves (read more).

C. has posts that the deputy head of a local independent school has pleaded guilty to possessing indecent child images. Awful for the parents, children and the school, as well as our wider community (read more).

More morsels have been added to B.’s thread about their nanny eating their food – thank you, and as M. reminds us, please be kind when posting (read more). Or eating.

After being a loyal customer, S. has unfortunately had a very unpleasant experience with the staff and manager of local nail bar on Northcote Road (read more). Shellac AND sass are allegedly on the menu!

With darker nights and mornings it does rather feel, as per Caitlin Moran, that this is the start of of ‘Women Staying In Season’ but P. is stepping out and looking for other women to join her on local walks (read more).

D. is concerned about proposals to add further traffic restrictions to Wandsworth Bridge and Wandsworth Bridge Road which could massively increase congestion and pollution (read more). I didn’t really pay attention to this until I realised that our only northbound cat routes could soon be Battersea or Putney bridges – potentially some big changes.

E.’s question about whether a £2 million pension pot is enough has attracted plenty of golden advice – thanks all (read more).

L. is boycotting G networks who have left their local pavements in a terrible state after carrying out works. If anyone else’s pavements are a concrete mess you’re encouraged to contact the council (read more).

Some helpful and reassuring responses for B. who is worried her daughter is demotivated at school and wonders if it’s due to the competitive nature of the private school she attends – thank you (read more).

L. is seriously considering sending their mini skiers off to Camp Suisse after a super positive chat with the staff but they’d love to hear feedback from other parents. To get the snowball rolling, we’ll give Camp Suisse a huge ‘Schoop Schoop’ from NVN Towers! (read more)

Northwood Schools are currently recruiting GAP year students who would like to join their Gap Assistant programme for Spring Term 2023 (read more).

A new branch of The Royal Trinity Hospice Charity Shops has opened in Clapham Common – just minutes minutes away from the hospice itself (read more).

The Royal College of Nursing has announced the first national strike in its history and here’s a list of which local hospitals will be affected (read more).

Huge congratulations to Amelie’s Follies who are celebrating their 19^th Birthday and to celebrate they’re offering customers a 19% discount on all full priced stock over the weekend of the 18th and 19th November – Bon Anniversaire! (read more)

The John Lewis Christmas ad dropped last week and not only does it feature Clapham teen Brooke Scarlet, a Let’s Act Drama School student, but it delivers a proper festive ‘aaahhh’ along with a very important message (read more).

If a skateboard suddenly seems like just the Christmas gift for the middle aged man in your life then why not add a few lessons to the package? Zebra Skate offer private sessions throughout the year and will get your old man turning tricks in no time (read more). For the avoidance of doubt, there aren’t any skating zebras.

If not skating wheels then icy blades? Hampton Court are putting everything on ice from the 17th November with an ice rink, shiny, shiny lights and a Festive Wonderland for food lovers (read more) Per chance a zebra or two?

Lights, grottos and jingles! Clapham Junction’s Christmas Lights will be sparkling on 18th November with the London Gay Men’s Chorus leading the carol-singing – tralalalalalalaaaaa! (read more)

Meanwhile J. has shared that Friday 25th November will bring the spirit of Christmas to Northcote Road when the traditional lights are switched on at 5pm. And if that wasn’t enough to fill your stockings, The Northcote Christmas Market will be back on Sunday 27^th November! (read more)

Oh the Holly and the Ivy….Celestia Music will be holding a Christmas Carol concert at St Luke’s, Ramsden Road on Thursday 15th December. Book your tickets now (read more).

S. invites you to join them for an unforgettable end to 2022, with an all-inclusive New York New Year’s Eve party in the heart of Battersea Park. And they are offering 10% discount for NVN readers with the code NAPPY10 (read more).

And with all this festive fun in mind, E. has shared tips on staying safe in large crowds from First Aid for Life (read more).

We have more House & Garden posts than massive puddles on the common:

Buying a house is about to become easier in Wandsworth as from November 15th, the LLC Register will allow purchasers and their solicitors to access the information they need online (read more). D. would like to fit a plate glass porch to the front of their Edwardian property (read more). M. has added to an older thread about buying a house with Japanese knotweed as they are considering putting in an offer on a property with this tangled problem (read more). A completely brilliant moth solution for B. from T. and also from C. who uses wasps to destroy the moths – insect wars! (read more) W. is looking for a company to fit secondary glazing – any ‘sound’ recommendations? (read more) G. is buying a garage and would like recommendations for a solicitor and also any advice from someone who has been through the process (read more). L. is looking for a light and airy studio flat to buy, ideally on the ground floor with some sort of outdoor space (read more). W. is going eco and is looking for hot tips for loft insulation companies (read more). C. would like to know where to recycle a heavy duty external laptop battery (read more). C. has some very wise advice for H. who is looking for a rising damp specialist – thank you (read more).

Looking for a new home for that Christmas Tree?

For sale with John Thorogood is a 2-double bedroom split-level flat on the top floor of a Victorian property on Northcote Road (read more). For rent with Portico is a 2-bedroom 2-en suite bathroom split-level flat in a period property close to Lavender Hill (read more). For sale with Marsh & Parsons is a 4-bedroom Victorian terraced house close to the amenities of Brixton Hill (read more). For sale with Rampton Baseley is a handsome 6-bedroom Victorian house overlooking Clapham Common (read more).

And new home or not, the design geniuses at Roundhouse have shared their knowhow on the difference small details can make to the look of a kitchen and the trend for integrated handles which gives a very sleek, contemporary look (read more).

We have more Schools posts than muddy dogs on the common:

Sydenham High school have posted information about their application deadlines for 4+, 7+ and 11+ entry which are approaching fast (read more). Belleville Wix Academy is hosting two Open Mornings on Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17 November from 9.15am. The Tuesday event will have a focus on the English stream and the Thursday event will have a focus on the bilingual stream (read more). Shaftsbury Park is hosting Open Mornings for Nursery places on Thursday 17, Thursday 24 November and Thursday 1 December. There will also be Reception Open Mornings on Friday 18, Friday 25 November and Friday 2 December (read more). Swaffield Primary is hosting an Open Morning for Reception and Nursery places 2023 on Friday 18 November (read more). D. is looking for some feedback on Streatham and Clapham High School (read more). S. is looking for an after-school Polish teacher for their children aged 6 and 9 (read more). G. is trying to contact the PTA committees of local primary schools and would be very grateful if they could get in touch (read more). You by You, an award winning social enterprise working towards fulfilling the potential of all children, have developed fun, engaging activity packs to be used by schools and parents (read more). There are still spaces available for Exceptional Academics’ popular 11+ Saturday school from Saturday 7 January (read more).

For sale

Brand new 11+ Exam bond books and CGP books for 8 – 9 year olds (read more). Handcrafted bows and hair accessories (read more). Islabike Croc 16 pink (read more).

Love

Annabel and NappyValleyNet Team