Do you live in Beckenham?

[Lochie]

Just wondering if anyone on the Family Room lives in Beckenham?

We are moving there in April. I have a nearly 1 year old and 3.5 year old and am wondering if anyone can recommend:

- a good nursery (we are moving close to Balgowan School and will be commuting from Kent House / Clock House). I realise there are waiting lists, there is no hurry as my kids are already at a nursery in Dulwich, but I would like to move them to a Beckenham nursery when possible

- what are the best things/ groups to do with young children both during week and at weekends? Obviously know about the Spa and we love Kelsey Park, but wondering what else? Am sure there must be lots as know it's a family hub

Thanks v much in advance :-)

[bishop]

There is a lot of mumsnet users living around there, I saw someone posting on the 'chat' asking the same question as you (pretty much) quite recently.

I think there are a few forum members who moved out that way too, Orpington iirc.

[Lochie]

Thanks bishop, have just been trawling through the mumsnet thread but comments mainly on schools not nurseries. I will keep looking when I get another spare 5 mins of peace and quiet!

[bishop]

:/ Well, I envy you! I am learning to drive in Beckenham/W Wickham/Etc and (in between almost crashing) I always think 'Oh it is LOVELY here. Wish I lived here!'

[slh2009]

Hi I live on the Sydenham/Beckenham border but have just started swimming lessons at Bethlem Hospital in Beckenham with my 2 year old and we are enjoying them. Classes are on a Sunday.

Maybe contact the local NCT rep or library (next to Spa) to get an idea of groups/activites to go to?

[3masons]

Not any more but I used to go back and meet up with friends at the Marian Vian Children's centre in Elmers end.

We used the day nursery on Kingshall Road for a little while, there is also a nursery in Cator park which looks nice. A friend got her children into the sure start nursery in Penge which was very cheap, but probably has a very long waiting list.

[patt1980]

I grew up in Beckenham and my mum and brother and his family still live there and there's lots to do with little ones. His kids are at Balgowan which they are v happy with. My mum who used to run a Montessori school rates The Beckenham Montessori although it is a bit further up towards Beckenham Junction.

[Beagle]

We went with a childminder as baby was 9 months when I came back to work so this is anecdotal but there is Fenny's on Kingshall road next to Kent House Station. I know a couple of people with kids there who seem really happy with it. It is currently a building site though as appears to be being extended. It didn't have a great Ofsted in 2010 as I recall being quite surprised reading through it so the building work may be addressing some of the comments on that. There is Little Elms practically opposite Beckenham Spa. Don't know anyone with kids there.

Cator Park Montessori has a very good reputation if you are interested in the montessori method. Lovely park too.

Beckenham is great for relatively quick drives to Godstone Farm, out to Westerham for a walk, Keston.

There are some lovely play groups in churches during the week. I'm not so good on Beckenham, but Penge has Mondays at St John's Church and there is a Tuesday one my daughter goes to with her childminder but can't for the life of me remember which church, think one further towards Clock house.

The library at Beckenham has a lovely children's section as does the library at West Wickham and finally Crystal Palace isn't far away and the playground/sandpit is great.

[Farrimonds]

Hi,

I live in Beckenham (on clockhouse road) and have a 2.5 year old and 6 months. Our eldest used to go to Funshine nursery next to Eden Park train station. He really loved it there and the staff were lovely, it has received outstanding Ofsted reports and is a small but great nursery. I will be sending our eldest back the for pre school in September.

In terms of things to do with children, these are some of the things we do:-

Monday's - happy Mondays NCT group from 10-11:45 (no one pays over ?2.30 for a family) Methodist hall bevington road

Tuesdays - crystal palace one o clock club or tippee toes in Sydenham

Wednesdays - Christ church play group, fairfield road 10:30am - 12pm

Thursdays - playgroup at st Paul's church Brackley road beckenham 10-11.45

Beckenham spa swimming or soft play, Gambados, walks in Kelsey park.

Hope that's helpful.

[Lochie]

Wow this is all so useful, thanks so much everyone :-)

[RuthN]

Hi, I'll be following this thread with interest as we're thinking of moving to Beckenham in the summer.

Let me know what you find to do!! In the search for a new, affordable, place to live we've been popping over at weekends and have found a lovely cafe opposite the church on the high street with a great play area out the back for children, it only opened around Christmas. It's a bit like the Dish and Spoon in Nunhead but bigger - just what ED is missing!!

[Lochie]

which church do you mean Ruth? is it by the M&S? I think i've seen a nice new cafe from the car, but even better if it has a play area!!

[Kate08]

yes it is near the M&S, there are 2 cafes Fee and Brown, which is child friendly but no play area and then Nene which is really new and has a huge play area, really nice space with tables next to the play room and then another more adult space towards the front.

Boppin tots is a great music / activity session to go to with small children, on in Penge on a Monday and in Christ Church halls in Beckenham on Thursday, runs during half term too which is useful as most things stop.

[Lochie]

Thanks Kate. I went to boppin tots in west Norwood for the first time last week and loved it, am glad it's in beckenham too

[Beagle]

Forgot kids unlimited nursery at New Beckenham station.

[millsa]

hi Lochie, RuthN and others, we have just moved to Sydenham from ED and are really enjoying the area. Haven't had time to meet any new mums yet so if you ever fancy getting together in Sydenham or Beckenham (and moan about horrendous house prices in ED etc) give me a shout :)

[bluesuperted]

We went on a family trip to Crystal Palace park today and it was so incredibly freezing first thing that we decided to terminate our dinosaur hunt and I remembered this thread about Beckenham. As a result we went in search of the play cafe mentioned above - but I didn't read the instructions right re: M&S (and don't know BR3 at all well) so we accidentally went to the sister restaurant using Google and Satnav (Nene, which was closed at 11am). So just wanted to highlight that the very nice play cafe talked about above is 'Deli Nene' and we enjoyed it, despite it being very busy and the back room definitely resembling more of a playgroup vibe than the v relaxed Dish and Spoon!! Here's the website for those interested:

http://delinene.com/

[Lochie]

Thanks BST!

And thanks milsa will PM you when have moved!

X

[sylviamaria]

Sorry to jump onto thread, but does anyone know much about the ravensbourne side of beckenham? What are schools, nurseries, shops etc like? Looking to move to somewhere more affordable... Thanks!

[RuthN]

Sounds good Milsa, i'll also PM you once we have moved.

x

[srisky]

Resurrecting this thread as we are hoping to move to the Kent House area - any further recommendations for (or to avoid) nurseries? So far, we have only visited Fennies on Kings Hall Road and this would be the most convenient in terms of hours and location, so opinions on this particular nursery would be useful. Feel free to PM if you prefer.

Also recommendation for things to do in the area with the kids - Beckenham Spa and Cator park are nearby but otherwise I am a bit clueless about kids things in the area.

Thanks!

[Lochie]

Hi srisky, we did eventually move to Beckenham and really like living here.

I've heard that Fennies in Kent House is good(anecdotally). My daughter goes to St James preschool which seems to be a bit of a feeder nursery for Balgowan where my son is in Reception (not literally a feeder but as its the most local pre-school lots of kids go on to Balgowan). We have wrap-around care for preschool from our amazing childminder who lives near the school/pre-schooler. Childminders seem much easier to find around here than I ever found living in the Dulwich area.

In terms of things to do, our main weekend activities in Beckenham seem to revolve around the social activities created by our kids being at nursery and school here - families have been very sociable. Neighbours too.

Kelsey Park remains our fave park, Croydon Rec great in summer for the outdoor shallow pool, Odeon has a kids club every Sat and Sun (?2.50 per child). Gambados or soft play at the spa if you can bear it (!). Looking forward to driving out into countryside when weather gets warmer, it seems a bit more accessible from here - have heard a few of the parents talk about Coolings but have never been there: http://www.coolings.co.uk/green-and-pleasant/nature-trail. We also find it easy to get up to town e.g. Southbank from Clock House station (under half an hour door to door).

I'm sure there's more, i'll let you know when I remember!

[srisky]

That's very helpful, Lochie, thank you!

Do you know anyone who would be happy for me to email them about Fennies? If you do, would you mind PMing their email address(es)? Many thanks

[Amasco]

i didn't like Fennies. Have my reasons...

we opted for Kids Unlimited and our little one LOVES it there. They're wonderful.

[e.swift]

http://www.beckenhamjuniorchoir.co.uk