Tips on choosing a nursery - what to look for and ask on a tour
Around this time of year, parents are often thinking ahead to applications for nurseries and it can feel like a lot of pressure. You’re trying to imagine what will suit your child (who will have grown and changed a lot by next September) and you’re trying to reconcile lots of opinions from various sources.
When visiting an early years’ care and education setting in person, you can get an instinctual feeling for how it might suit your child. It’s such an important decision because you probably want to avoid moving settings later!
We’ve asked around a bit in order to compile some helpful things you might like to think about plus suggested some questions to enquire about below, but please share your own experiences or builds in the comments.
TUNE-IN TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS & STANDARDS: How nicely maintained, clean, safe and accessible do the environment and the materials seem? Is there free-flow to an outside space? Are the layout and lighting calm and well thought-out? Having fun does of course get messy, this isn’t about sterile neatness, more a general feeling of pride and care being taken in the space! Check it’s not over-stimulating and that it feels conducive to concentration and independence 🤗
GATHER PERSPECTIVES: Try to talk to as many staff and children as you can to hear about their experiences, even if a leader is guiding you in a group. Ask to observe and see if you can spend a bit of time there outside of a formal tour, or do more than one visit. How effectively do the staff include your child if they’re accompanying you on the visit too? How welcoming are all the staff you see - are they proud of the space? What’s the ratio? 👀
GATHER INSIGHTS: Ask the management to share results of recent staff surveys, parental satisfaction questionnaires and any listening exercises for feedback from the children - they need to be doing these activities and ought be proud of them, right? Read up on recent inspection documents or reviews.👂
WIDER RESEARCH: Chat to other parents and carers outside the setting as much as possible, get locals’ views on the place, check for Google Reviews, search the name in facebook group conversations but please don’t be swayed by individual anecdotes… 😬
LOYALTY MATTERS: Ask about how many sibling places have been applied for over the years; how much legacy and family continuity is achieved. If a place is chosen again by the same parents, or by cousins and neighbours and friends, positive word of mouth is an encouraging sign. 👨👨👧👦👩👧
CONSIDER HOW INSPIRED YOU FEEL: What is it about the setting and team’s approach that will give your child new experiences they won’t get at home or in another place? And also what is there about the setting that you can help mirror and complement at home to give the child some consistency as well? It’s a balance to be struck for a place to be a great fit! 😃
ENQUIRE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE SETTING: Ask about partnership with parents - beyond the fundraiser or bake sale type of help, what sort of activities can family members come in and be involved in, what’s the feedback loop for being responsive to a child’s interests and needs, in and outside of the nursery? Are there outings and play dates galore? 🛝
WHAT MIGHT YOU EXPECT DAY-TO-DAY: What’s working well in communications - e.g. what’s the role of technology such as What’s App or photo apps, how do management keep families appraised of news and updates? Can you schedule times to talk flexibly or are meetings on a fixed calendar? What snacks and meals are provided and how often do they vary? Have a chat about settling-in and drop off/pick up routines and practical policies that you’ll need to know if your child attends. 📱
Playhood seeks to reconcile two of the most important things in family life that can often feel separated - early years education and the working life of the parents. We are a Montessori garden-based nursery for six children per day with a co-working space on the same site, which is a family home in Crouch End, North London. These offerings are distinct but relate to one another in wonderful ways. The close in-person proximity between the parent and child and the other families, and the passionate, expert staff, provides ample opportunity to build trusting relationships and enjoy time together, whether over lunch or in workshops or observations, and invests everyone in the community in co-designing the experience.
We started Playhood in order to hold out for more and not compromise, and now we are noticing more holistic ‘club’ type services being sought-out as families emerge from the pandemic and prioritise wellbeing. A simplified daily routine without a multi-stage commute and a highly responsive and supportive network of like-minded families have been thriving at Playhood since we launched in 2020 - click here for membership information.
Follow us on Insta @playhoodclub