Nursery nightmare.

I've just visited the third nursery school in search of a replacement for the soon-to-be-closed Belsize Square Synagogue. As many of you are aware (are there "many of you" out there?) Sadie has been receiving an educational foundation in Judaism since we moved to Swiss Cottage. We've generally been pretty happy with the nursery school there; and Sadie seems to be eager to go there every morning. The board of governors for the synagogue notified all parents at the end of February that as of September 2011, the nursery would be shut down permanently. No explanation given. Just pack up your kid and go somewhere else. Easier said than done.

At home I would have taken this in stride....disappointed at yet another disruption in poor little Sadie's routine, but willing to make the effort to place her elsewhere. However, in London children are placed on the waiting list for the best nursery school at roughly the same time the umbilical cord is cut. So the nursery closure at this "late date" has put me in the position where I've had to scramble to call every nursery within a 1 mile radius, (for I refuse to schlep these two kids on the bus during rush hour every morning so that Sadie can glue macaroni to a plate), schedule visits, ask intelligent questions ("How does your nursery meet with the government requirements under the 'Early Years Foundation Stage' for children under 5?"), and generally plead and beg nursery directors for understanding of my predicament in this most unjust situation we've been placed in and could they please, please just grant us a space on their waiting list. Oh yeah, and here's the 50 quid I need to pay you for the privilege of applying.

The one I visited this morning exemplifies how outrageous the education system is here. This nursery is the Taj Majal of nurseries. In fact I think there may have been a 5 foot replica made of legos tucked away in the corner. It's housed in a newly-renovated abandoned church (and having suffered through a church service on Sunday for choir, this seems to me to be a better use for the Church of England). When I arrived at 8:45 there were no fewer than 7 "educators" setting up the room for the day in a chaotic frenzy of activity: right at the entrance was an educational display about Japan, tsunamis, and earthquakes - replete with a globe and an internet-ready laptop; in one corner a water table with floating tugboats, steamships, sailboats, dinghies, possibly even a replica of the Titanic; in another corner a child-sized kitchen with food, dishes, ironing board, dolls, costumes; suspended from the ceiling were stars and a working display of the solar system; but WAIT - LOOK OVER THERE! - car racing; a shaving-cream covered table; play-doh; easels with paint; blocksartsuppliesbookscrayonsmarkerschalkboardsstuffedanimals...and outside an elaborate bubble-making display...and upstairs a dance studio and next to it a reading nook with big fluffy pillows and sleeping mats. Phew! Frankly, I didn't want to leave. The lucky kid going there for the day was going to have FUN!

The negatives: 1) it costs about three times as much as any other nursery I've been to thus far - as well it should given the teacher-to-student ratio and the abundant supplies; 2) the school day is from 9 until 2 - quite a long day for a three year old, especially one so committed to taking her nap (God love her); 3) they don't accept children under three years old, so Parker wouldn't enjoy the benefit of going to school with Sadie, at least while we're here in London; 4) it's a bit farther than some of the other nurseries we've seen. OK, admittedly that's not a great excuse but it rains here a LOT and Parker refuses to use the rain guard on the stroller.

The positives: 1)FUN!FUN!FUN!FUN!FUN! 2) a clean, bright environment in an otherwise often-dreary city; 3) Sadie has two friends - one from ballet, and one from her current nursery, that will be attending there in the fall.

And I don't know if this is a positive or a negative, but I'm sure the people who send their kids there are the super elite of London who spend thousands of pounds on their 3-year-olds birthday parties and make hand-rolled sushi for playdates. (My apologies to Zsofi, if ever you're reading this - I know you had no choice. The pressure to measure up is unbearable.)

We do have another option, thankfully. A lovely little Montessori School around the corner from the synagogue has space for Sadie, starting in May, for three mornings a week, and two afternoons if we want them - which I don't (again, the nap...always a slave to the nap). And then in September she'll be a priority on their list for five mornings per week. They don't have a replica of the Taj Majal, but with the money we save on sending her there instead, we can go visit the real thing!