Nursery School - what to look for?

[mumbojumbo]

Can you give me some advice please?

Tomorrow morning, I'm visiting the Nursery School that I hope ds1 will go to in the New Year when he turns 3.

What sort of things should I be looking for?
What questions should I be asking?

Any advice gratefully received......TIA

[suzywong]

lots of paintings etc up on the walls
busy children
busy staff - if they immediately stop talking to you when a child comes to them at give that child full attention then that is a very very good sign
security - makesure no one can just walk in off the street
either and outside area or an big room where the kids can run around and go bonkers for a bit
make sure that there is a dedicated staff member, usually on a rota, to take them to the loo
look for the book corner, does it look comfy and well used
ask them what kind of trips they do and do they have any photos of outings or special events

you will get a vibe for it

also, if you drive there, is the parking adequate

HTH

[childmindersam]

i alwys think some good questions to ask are:

• How many level 3 qualified staff do you have
  ( ratios in a nursery are 50% of staff should be qualified and 1/3 for under 2s, 1/6 for 2-3 yrs and 1/8 for 3+ years.
  
• How long have your staff been working here(if long term staff then owner is a good employer, low staff turn over)
  
• Will MY child have a key worker? this is someone who cares for the child and a few others and gets to know child well and parent.
  
  Goodluck and it is a good idea to go with instinct as well. ask about trial sessions and see if your ds can visit a few times to get a feel for the place before starting!

[Moomin]

agree with all written in other posts.

Also ask about food if it's important to you : do they have a healthy eating policy? What snacks do they give the children? Do they prepare meals on the premises or get food sent in? If packed lunches are brought in, are the children supervised to make sure lunch is eaten properly?

do they have a 'settling in' period or policy for new children?

what links do they have with outside agencies, e.g. local schools, visitors from outside (police, fire service, paramedics, etc)

do they have a parents' evening? how will you find out about your child's progress day to day (written or word of mouth)?