To ask for help picking nurseries?

[rammakeen]

In panic mode.

I've had to move house last minute to a different city as I've fled an abusive relationship.

I have 4 months to find a nursery that isn't fully booked and get my son booked in. There are dozens and dozens and I don't have time to look at all of them. I would live on with forest school.

I know I need to have a look around and find one I click with. I still don't know what to look for. Keep seeing Montessori advertised and don't know what this is. Would like one with forest school but don't know how necessary this is...

Any tips?

Also don't know whether it's worth just looking near my house, or if it's worth travelling a bit...

Following

What age is your child? Will you be working?

I always think nearer your house is better. If your unwell they can still go and it means less traveling for them. Start my making a list of the nurseries in your local area- google maps will help with this or ask on a local parenting Facebook group. Then ring around to see has space and then go and see the ones that do. First check they do the hours that you need.

If you like the look of forest school, could you use that to narrow them down? I would expect it to say on the website if they do it. Then ring up those ones and see which have spaces.
Think of practicalities: do you need longer hours? How would your journey (to work?) work? When DS1 was little, we worked quite a long way from our house and he went to the nursery next door to our work, rather than closer to home.

Ring up the ones which look good and suit what you need in terms of hours/location etc. Visit your two favourites of the ones that have spaces.

In answer to your question about location, I wouldn't travel too far out of your way until you've looked at the closer ones. It is true that you will get a feeling (hopefully!) about the right one, that you would be happy to leave your child there.
Good luck!

Honestly, I would find the three that are most convenient for you location wise. Check the Ofsted reports but take them with a punch of salt as things that concern them might not concern you and vice versa (similarly online reviews).

Then visit each nursery and decide which one has the best atmosphere for your child. They will likely all tell you aimlar things via food, staffing levels etc. So pick the one that you think suits best.

That's what we did and haven't regretted it two years on!

Sorry for the typos!

Make sure they have a good amount of staff! We looked at one and there was 1 teacher in each room and only 2 in baby room! This wasn't enough in my eyes!

Make a list of the ones that are most convenient location-wise.

Narrow down by ‘forest school’ (sorry I have no idea what this is!)

Call them and see if they have space and what the fees are. Discount those that don’t work based on fee amount, whether they charge for holidays, if they expect lunches to be provided - stuff like that, that might be a deal breaker for you.

You should be able to narrow down that way. You can then visit those that fit the bill and get a feel for them.