What are the questions that i should be asking?

[biglips]

as ive sorted out a nursery for DD (16m) which is just 5 mins walk which is a bonus!

i know about bank holidays, times, costs, how many in the room, the teacher each have 3 little ones to be responsible for, what areas they play in......

[biglips]

bump

[Melpomene]

what they do about food and milk
nappies - do you have to provide them
their policy on discipline

[biglips]

yes food, formula milk and nappies are included

[biglips]

not sure on discipline as im quite strict (with a soft side aswell) as i say "No!"

[FrayedKnot]

What are the illnesses that they exclude the children for?

Most automatically say conjunctivitis and all of the childhood diseases e.g. chickenpox, but I wouldn't want DS going somewhere were every slight runny nose meant I had to take time off work.

[JiminyCricket]

A chance to look at their menus? If you're fussy about what they eat like I am sometimes, like our nursery sometimes give the babies wotsits as a snack and I make them give mine something else, bet they think I'm mega fussy

[Sparklemagic]

If staff are ill how do they arrange cover and what are the qualifications and experience of cover staff?

Will your child have a named keyworker who will give you feedback and be available for your queries?

Will you get written notes of what he has done in the day (feeds, sleeps etc)If he is sleeping in another room, how often will he be checked on?

Do you already know about their pick up policy / how they ensure child is only picked up by registered people?

Outings policy - will they inform you or is there a policy that they can undertake outings without informing you? What is the staff:child ration on outings?

[mildew]

ask about the room's daily routine, see menu or food, how will they settle your little one in, do they have a "daycard" which tells you about little one's sleep, nappies, food, play etc each day, outdoor play area, what age will little one move to next room and make sure you look at other rooms, do little ones stay with their own room or are they mixed with other rooms (and ages) at times during the day or if there's a low number of children? how long have staff been with the nursery.

[snowleopard]

All these things are important but also go with your gut instinct - does it have a nice atmosphere, does it feel homely, and do you feel that the staff are taking an interest in your child when you visit. Do the staff seem happy and involved, or do they look as interested as supermarket checkout girls? Little things can ring alarm bells too - at one nursery I visited, the person showing me round came across a bike lying on some steps and rolled her eyes and said "Oh that's the owner's son's bike" - then she picked it up and threw it to one side! I was thinking - hmmmm - why is he allowed to even have his bike in the babies' play area, and why is it OK to throw it 2 feet away - it's still a hazard!

Whereas at the nursery we chose, the staff all seem caring and interested and they have a photo board on the wall saying how long each member of staff has been there. Little touches like that can tell you a lot.

[biglips]

i dont blame yet snow about the bike situation!!

i know first thing in the morning and half an hour before they close - all the kids gets together...
it is a lovely atmosphere and the teachers came over and spoken to me too (i walked in on the kiddies dinner time!)

it was so funny as i had to drag DD out of there!!

in noticed a staff with the kiddies photo board but didnt read it

will go back in tmrw with Dp too and fire those questions at them!