Aug 23, 2021
Choosing the right nursery for your child can be a daunting task. To help you make an informed decision, consider these essential tips before your nursery visit.
Word of mouth is a great way of finding the perfect nursery for your little ones. By talking to friends and family about the childcare providers that they use or have used as well as the experiences they have had, gives you a good insight on how the setting runs and the quality of care and education.
You can look at the nursery’s OFSTED report which you will be able to view online. This gives you independent and trusted information that will help you make your decision in choosing a nursery. The report looks at the standard of care and education that the children receive at the setting.
Assess staff qualifications and training
Another factor to take into consideration would be the qualifications that the staff working at the setting hold. At our nurseries, we take pride in ensuring all staff have the right qualifications and training that is required. The staff have training that they require to keep up to date, to extend their knowledge and to keep up to date with any changes that occur. You can often research the nursery teams and their qualifications on Daynurseries.co.uk.
You may want, or need, to visit a few nurseries before finding ‘the one’. The most important thing about choosing a nursery is the feeling that you get when you go to walk around. You will know instantly if this is the nursery for your little one by the way that you are greeted and the feeling you get when being inside the setting.
Observe engaged children
During your visit, you will automatically get a feeling for the setting; you should feel welcomed and greeted with a friendly face. When walking around the rooms, the children should be happy and engaged in lots of different activities. This may be a little difficult to see at the moment, as many nurseries are holding visits outside of opening hours due to COVID. If you are able to visit during opening hours, seeing happy children is important as it shows that they feel comfortable and safe within their environment. If you aren’t able to visit when the children are there, don’t worry! You’ll still be able to get a feel for the activities the children get up to; are there lots of resources available in the room? Is the person showing you around able to explain the purpose behind these resources? Is the room nicely presented with activities set up for the children? Is there artwork on the walls or around the room?
If the nursery is open as normal when you visit, the staff should make you feel welcomed; greeting you when you walk into the room, engaging with your little one, encouraging them to join in with the activities that are going on within the room. It is important for you and your little one to feel comfortable and happy with the setting that you choose.
Trust your feelings
We understand that it is an important and big decision to choose a nursery! If you are able to do some research before – looking at the Ofsted report, chatting to friends and family about their experiences – then we think the rest will fall into place when you visit. We believe that you will get that ‘instant feeling’ when you meet the team and walk around the nursery. If the team make you feel at ease and the setting gives you a feeling of excitement, then it may just be the perfect setting for you and your family!
Blog written by Katie Maybury (Nursery Manager at Sandhills Day Nursery Heath Mill)