Hello,
Apologies that I've only just seen your post, but I can certainly offer you first hand info re nurseries in Wimbledon! I have lived here for fifteen years, for eight of those with nursery-attending children...
There are quite a few choices for nurseries in SW19, though a couple of these have opened very recently, so i have no working knowledge of them. However, it is fairly well accepted (in terms of trusted parental opinion and also Ofsted inspections) that the best nurseries in Wimbledon are Building Blocks and Dicky Birds. My children have attended both, and whilst they are fairly different in culture and ethos, they are both excellent and i would wholeheartedly recommend both. We still talk of them both fondly in our house, and lots of my friends feel the same!
In Effra Road, you will be very close to the wonderful Dicky Birds, at the top of Queen's Road (a stone's throw from the train station!). My daughter started attending this three days a week in 2005, when she was one, on my initial return to work; it was brand new at this point and beautifully presented (it's in an old Victorian house and has a particularly 'homely' feel to it). She absolutely adored it from day one and definitely benefitted from attending, in terms of quality of care, friendships (me and her!) and academic development with foundation stage learning from age three. There is another Dicky Birds on the other side of Wimbledon, on Dundonald Road, but this will be too far for you and is more of a sessional set -up (ie half days).
My son attended Building Blocks, Kingston Road, two days a week, from age eighteen months. This is a fantastic place (cannot speak highly enough of it), but you will be closer to the bigger Building Blocks building on Dundonald Road (still, not that close to you though - fifteen/twenty mins walk?). It is a very well established, extremely well run nursery, which has excellent standards of care. A lot of kids stay here for years, transferring into the after school club at the Kingston Road site, from school age.
You are also quite close to Playdays, Queen's Road, but I disliked it on viewing (others have said the same) and never gave it serious consideration.
Wimbledon Day Nursery, Montague Road, is also pretty popular (is still quite new) and appears to be well run. It is quite a trek for you though, and going the opposite way to the main train station (close to South Wimb tube).
Unless your preference is a childminder or nanny, I would strongly recommend you visit Dicky Birds, Queen's Road and get on the waiting list - it is scarily long though, but don't be put off. Keep ringing them every month to find out where you are on the list and make sure they know your face!
Good luck! You will love living in South Park Gardens area
You will be close to good primary schools too, ie Priory and Holy Trinity. A great spot for families!
Claire P
