to have arrived unannounced?

[ChiantiOnTap]

I'm looking for a nursery for my daughter to start in September. She'll be 2. Me and my husband decided to visit a potential yesterday to look around. We didn't ring ahead as I wanted to see what it was like on an average day (as far as possible).

The nursery refused us entry and specifically stated that we don't have DBS checks (coincidentally we both do as we work with vulnerable people in NHS roles but they weren't to know that). When I queried further they said that the parents of the children would need to be notified of our presence and they couldn't do this now.

AIBU to think that this is batshit? When they take them out to the park or wherever there could be all number of people hanging around without DBS checks. But they're the responsible adults that the parents have trusted to safeguard their children surely?

I wouldn't expect to be left in a room alone with the children btw. Just escorted through, briefly observing whatever happened to be going on at the time.

AIBU? Is this not a thing?

As you say a DBS isn't needed. It's not usual practise to notify other parents every time there's a visitor either.
Both excuses would ring alarm
bells to me, Why couldn't they be honest and say their policy is to book visitors in advance?
Did you have your child with you?
I think two adults without a child may have made the member of staff cautious.
I suggest booking an appointment and going back.

It's about protecting the kids, surely? An open door policy is a risk to the children. I would expect to show ID and have a conversation with someone in charge before being admitted to an enclosed space with 20-odd kids in it.

I was advised to turn up unanounced to see what the nursery was like. I did, they showed me round and both my children then attended full time until school.

If somebody is being supervised being shown around a nursery then what danger exactly do the pose? And how does making an appointment remove that danger?

Prospective parents can usually see a nursery in ordinary mode by just going for a daytime appointment.

It's totally normal that unexpected visitors aren't let in.

You say they mentioned DBS checks, but you don't say how that came up, because that does sound odd - if they just baldly stated it as a reason (because it's wrong) but did it instead come up in a longer conversation whilst you were seeking to change their mind?

Every nursery and preschool has always I've worked in or sent my children to has always had an open door policy. When we dropped into the preschool, they invited us to stay for the morning session, got my dd a pinny and took her off to be involved in the messy play, before inviting her to snack time. They were so welcoming and lovely. The nursery she went to before actively refused to book me an appointment to visit. They said they wanted everyone to see how they worked was an open book and to see the typical interactions with the children. We were welcome anytime.

Even dd's primary school have the same policy. Parents are encourage to drop in anytime to speak to a member of smt and the teachers are available at the start and end of every day.

YABU. How would you feel if someone turned up at your workplace unannounced and demanded that you show them around.

Our nursery has an open morning once a week for prospective parents to drop in.

Other than that they are super strict about letting people in. We're not even supposed to hold the door open for other parents. Everyone has to be buzzed in. It's a safeguarding thing.

I'd much rather that than knowing any old random could just walk in at any time.

I work in a Nursery. We have an appointment system and open door policy. If you prefer to make an appointment, absolutely fine but if you show up without an appointment, this is also fine. Our Manager doesn't class in room ratios and can do the show round.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both. I've worked in a Nursery where they took appointments only and then set up the room specific to that viewing, which displayed nothing like the real day was. Parents thought they were signing up to a nursery with attentive workers, they wasn't. I left not long after once I'd sussed it out!!

Walking in without an appt gives you a true idea of the reality too though if you show up of a dinner/sleep time the room isn't set up for play. We lost a potential signing recently as on her feedback, she was extremely concerned that no activities were set out and her daughter is advanced and needs extra stimulation, the children were all sat at the table eating their dinner while the sleep mats were out for those that slept after dinner.

Thinking about it, in 20 years, I've never known a nursery to not do drop in appointments. I've worked in one inadequate nursery, 3 good and 4 outstanding and all operate the same. Showrounds are done by Managers who don't count in ratios. If it's not possible then we pre book appointments with them.

Parents do not need to be notified of show rounds, what rubbish!! You could potentially never do a show round if you had one parent with a full time space who wouldn't give their consent. And a DBs isn't necessary to view a nursery either. Next, they will be telling you the 30 hours coming in are free!!

My dd's nursery did a week where you could drop in anytime during the week to register and look around. They had 2 people allocated to just showing you around and you still had to do a quick registration online beforehand though with your name, address etc so they know who you are when you arrive. Other that that they would never allow you to just drop in and I wouldn't be very happy if they did

Sirzy

Making an appointment in advance doesn't remove the danger but it prevents the sort of impulsive, irrational decision to go into a nursery with harmful intent that can result in tragedy. A member of staff can have a sensible conversation over the phone at their convenience (not rushed and therefore more thorough) to talk through why they want to see the nursery and be confident they are who they say they are. Obviously it can't remove the danger entirely.

As others have said you don't need a DBS to visit. You'd be with staff at all times. But it's common decency to make an appointment, imagine turning up at a school and saying 'Right I'm here to look round.' Activities will be planned, staff rotas arranged, you can't expect a person to be unexpectedly free for half an hour to show you round. Some kind of chaos will ensue at any given moment in a nursery and you can see the how they deal with it.

Jennyonaplate absolutely not true

Yabvu.

I work in a creche, no way can you just turn up and start demanding to be let through rooms!

You make an appointment.

Our nursery does group show arounds only and there's a six week waiting list. They'd be very polite but wouldn't have capacity to do on the spot visits for every prospective family.

Yabu you can't just turn up and expect a tour!!

Always used nurseries with an open door policy. Wouldn't use one that didn't have one.
DBS you do not need one for each place it is just what each organisation has decided. You can register and pay slightly more for it to be registered

I've always worked at nurseries where people can call unannounced to be shown round. There was always someone available to do the show round as there was at least one manager on site

looksbetter so you would be happy for randoms to be walking in and out of your child's nursery? Alrighty then.

witsender a primary school you can just wonder into? That is absolutely fucking insane and I'd be very unhappy about it. Primary's here have very good security (they are gated, buzzer entry etc) and I'd you turned up for a random look around you'd be told NO

We try to compromise at our place, if you turn up you can see the rooms briefly through the windows, you can only go in and have enough time for more detailed questions if you have an appointment. We'd love to be free to have an open door but we don't have the free staff to show people around, we have nothing to hide but we are busy.

Also, much as none of us likes to think of it we do have to be aware that there are people out there with harmful intent, that is why we have to have a lock down policy and carry out drills for it.

Imfinehowareyou.... You are incorrect. A DBS is valid for any place of work as long as it is the correct check and is within a time frame.

It seems to be the norm round here for nurseries to have a open door policy. All the ones I've visited just ask that you don't show up at meal times as staff will be too busy.

I'd = if (you turned up)

YABU turning up anywhere unannounced is rude imo

Frustratingly DBS only counts for the place you originally got it for - not true any more.

You can register for the Update Service (within 14 days of date of your certificate) and this will allow any other organisation (who is checking you for the same Workforce and Enhanced/Basic check) to log in and view your record, free, and at any time with your permission. It's the same as having a DBS check, but better, quicker, cheaper.

I'm surprised at the amount of people who are horrified at you turning up unannounced op. This is exactly what we did when finding a nursery for dd. I started off by ringing for an appointment and pretty much universally got told "oh just turn up" the main stipulation seemed to be that you needed to avoid lunch and nap time.
I was happy to be turned away if it wasn't convenient but that never happened.