My 2.8 year old started nursery 2 mornings a week at the beginning of February. When I went to see it, all the staff there were over 35 and had been working there for a long time, there was one lady sitting in the floor, with a child on her lap reading him a story. There were children in another corner painting. There were a couple of children curled up in the den, all cosy and snug with teddies playing with some sensory light toys. Everything looked well loved, but In good condition.
There was also a big courtyard with an amazing selection of toys. And some vegetable planters they will use in the spring, and little child sized brooms they sweep the leaves with.
I immediately loved it as it was a very unstructured setting. She is there to have fun and interact with other children. Not to learn number and shapes.
One of the biggest things though was there is a little boy there about 4, who is autistic and non verbal, and they had picture cards he communicated with and we just so equipped to help him stay calm and comfortable and play just like the rest of the children, even though he needed to do it in his own way. To me, that was one of the deciding factors, as they were very clearly, about the children having a fun, safe place, no matter how they needed to do it.