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AIBU?

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Nursery decision

28 replies

MeadowTea · 25/10/2025 12:28

We are trying to decide between two nurseries. Neither are our favourite, but everywhere else fully booked.

One is 5 minute walk, but mostly young staff. I didn’t like how one staff spoke to the other. Seemed unprofessional. The outside area was tiny and plastic equipment so old. It’s also right near a council block, and I smelt weed when outside. I can only imagine in the summer what it’s like.

The other is 32 minute walk pushing the buggy. It’s very basic, an old nursery so old plastic play equipment in the garden. Also small , but nicer than first. The ladies that run it have been doing it for a very long time, and has a more motherly nurture feel. Both groups has small number of children attending.

I’m put off walking 2 hours a day for second one, but I think environment nicer.

On other hand there were doing nice activities in the rougher nursery down the road so is it daft to walk all the way to another which is similar in a lot of ways in terms of size, equipment etc?

My feel was it wouldn’t surprise me if younger staff were not as patient once parents not around in rougher nursery. I’m really torn which to decide.

OP posts:
Dontlletmedownbruce · 25/10/2025 12:38

That's tricky but I would think convenience would triumph for me. As for the staff, I wouldn't assume younger staff are less competent. While they are shorter on experience, they are also newly qualified so it balances out. A lot of the approaches and philosophies in early years has changed in the last few decades so they never had the chance to get stuck into bad habits or narrow out dated views. I work in this area and have met some amazing young people but some uninterested lazy ones too. Really it comes down to the individuals and their natures so it's very difficult to judge. I would chance the local one and keep thinking it through, you could always move if you felt Dc wasn't happy. Paying an extra hour a day for your walk home and back seems wrong if you go to the other one. Moving house to a better area might be something to consider too but I know that's not a simple solution.

MeadowTea · 25/10/2025 12:33

The second one (32 min away) ofsted is rated good. I was happy with their report.

The one down the road has a new management this year, and hasn’t been inspected yet.

OP posts:
ItsAWonderfulLifeforMe · 25/10/2025 12:30

Have you checked their ofsted reports? All available online. Are they going full time?