Choosing the right nursery for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. Early years education provides the foundation for the rest of a child’s life, so getting it right is vital to ensure your children can learn, enjoy, develop and flourish in a supportive and safe childcare environment.
Our latest blog takes a look at some useful questions that parents may wish to ask when considering prospective childcare providers.
Why nurseries are an excellent choice for your child
If you’re reading this, you’ve already made the decision that a quality day nursery is the best option for your child, verses childminders, creches, pre-school playgroups, nannies and au pairs.
Nurseries offer distinct advantages to parents, including:
- They take children from babies to school age.
- They are typically open all year and have longer opening hours than pre-schools or creches.
- Wraparound childcare helps parents juggle early morning school drop-offs and teatime pick-ups.
- Your child will be given a key person and will be in a room with children of their own age.
- If your child’s key person is poorly or on annual leave, another familiar person will be on hand to step in.
- Nurseries are excellent enrichment environments and can help you child develop socially as well as educationally, ensuring they are ‘school ready’ when the time comes.
Top 10 questions to ask yourself and your nursery provider
No two nurseries are the same, and settings can vary wildly in terms of the quality of care, food options, facilities and staff training. All parents want a setting that is fun, safe and stimulating, so what are the most important questions to ask yourself – and your prospective nursery – before you sign up? Below is our guide. If you have any other suggestions that you’ve found helpful and want to share with other parents, please get in touch and let us know.
- Location: Practicalities matter, particularly on a day-to-day basis. Do you want your chosen nursery to be near to your work rather than your home to make drop-offs and pick-ups easier? If friends or other family members are helping out before and after nursery, is it convenient for them as well?
- Facilities: Does the nursery have dedicated parking? How is the indoor space set out? How spacious and clean are the rooms? Are children located in age-specific rooms? Is there any outdoor space so your child can get some fresh air and exercise? Are there on-site catering facilities to provide hot meals for your child? What food hygiene rating does the kitchen have?
- What do nursery costs cover and are there any ‘added extras’? Don’t just look at hourly or daily childcare fees. Dig a bit deeper and work out exactly what you get for your money. Are extras such as suncream and nappies provided? How expensive are meals and are breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks included? Will your child get a hot, nutritious daily meal or a packed lunch?
- What are the staff-to-child ratios? All nurseries in England must comply with minimum staff-to-child ratios set out by the government which determine how many children one adult staff member can safely look after. Although the statutory minimum staff-to-child ratio for 2-year-olds is 1:5, The Montessori People nursery is retaining a 1:4 ratio to maintain care quality and child safety.
- How safe is the nursery? Check if entrances and exits to the nursery are monitored and secure? Is there an entry buzzer system to ensure only parents and carers are let in? Is the outdoor space secure? Are fire exits clearly marked? Are there safe, dedicated sleeping spaces for younger children? Is nursery equipment and learning resources clean and well maintained?
- What training, experience and qualifications do staff have? Is the management team committed to training and developing team members? How experienced and qualified are the managers themselves? Is there ongoing training and what type is it? Is health and safety and first aid training regularly updated?
- What accreditations does the nursery have? Check the nursery’s latest OFSTED report. Many people only look at the headline ‘Outstanding – Good – Unsatisfactory’ rating but make sure you read the full report, so you get a warts-and-all picture of what works well and what needs improvement. Check if the setting has other accreditations such as ‘Sun Safe’ and ‘Healthy Settings’.
- Communication: How well and how often does the nursery communicate with parents? Is the website regularly updated? Do the team go above and beyond to offer advice and support? What feedback do you get on your own child’s progress and milestones?
- What activities and extras does the nursery offer? You know better than anyone what activities your child will enjoy doing. Are these on offer? Does the nursery put on extra enrichment activities such as music sessions or animal visits? Is there an annual graduation ceremony to mark the important milestone of pre-school children moving onto ‘big school’? How is Christmas and other seasonal events celebrated?
- First impressions count: How does walking into the nursery for the first time make you feel? Are staff friendly and welcoming? Do other children look happy and well cared for? What about noise levels? Attractive facilities and the latest equipment can catch the eye but do the children look happy, engaged and at ease? How do staff members deal with any issues that arise during your visit?
Don’t be afraid to ask
The above tips are a guide only. If you have dozens of additional questions, don’t be afraid to ask. Any nursery worth its salt will be happy to listen to your questions and concerns. If they’re not, that may tell you everything you need to know, so listen to your gut.