How much do you check a nursery?

[Mysterian]

A crap nursery near me had many bad Ofsted reports and was effectively forced to shut. The owner has now opened a "new" nursery in the same place with all the same equipment. It's a trick I always look for when being nosey researching somewhere.

How much research do people do? Search addresses for reports? Google the manager's name? Drive past at pick up times to check the parking? Etc?

I chose mine on the basis of referrals from people that had used it for their children.

As well as looking at reports and mainly sticking to nurseries other people I know use I pop in at least twice. I think the way a nursery deals with an unexpected visitor says a lot.

It also meant the one with the unlocked door that I could just wander into was instantly ruled out (and reported).

How should a nursery deal with an unexpected visitor @lyralalala ?
There will always be a Manager spare, but if there is an issue going on, or an important meeting the visitor will have to come back another time.

I just chose the nearest. Other parents praised it, and the staff seemed nice.

Didn't even read the ofstead report. The food looks nice, and my son walks in happily. They take them outside and do lots of arts and crafts with the children.

P. S the manager of my son's nursery has worked there for 17 years, and one of the mums at daughters school has worked at this nursery for 20 years. I like that they have good staff retention.

Personal recommendation. That’s all.

How should a nursery deal with an unexpected visitor @lyralalala* ?
There will always be a Manager spare, but if there is an issue going on, or an important meeting the visitor will have to come back another time.*

Exactly like that. There should be someone around to answer the door that doesn't involve a staff member leaving one other staff member with all the babies in the baby room.

It gives a rough idea of how the place actually functions when they are not primed for visitors. Over the years (I've got 6 kids, 5 have been through nursery so far) when I've arrived unexpectedly I've heard one manager screaming at a staff member loud enough that the kids could hear and one where the door was open and no member of staff knew I was in the building for 10 minutes (thankfully closed down by OFSTED for multiple other issues), I was just stood in reception, but I could have wandered into the nursery rooms easily.