What info does your child's nursery give you?

[Gemma273]

I know this is bit vague but curious to know what information your child's pr3le school nursery gives you? I just feel like I get told nothing - not in a concerning way but I'm keen to take an interest in topics etc but my wee one doesn't tell me a thing about nursery. We also have a nursery app but this has never been updated - I totally understand its time consuming and don't want time to be taken away from children's learning/opportunities.

We get info such as monthly newsletter but it's basically just important dates such as Xmas party and Xmas jumper day. The nursery has a 4 weekly rotating menu so always know what they've had for lunch.

I'd just like to maybe know things like: what was available for snack, this week/month we are learning about -generic info that is accessible to all parents written on a board and not lots of extra work for staff to allow parents to carry stuff like this on at home.

I don't know if I'm expecting too much but I've spoke to friends who have children in different nurseries and they seem to get a wealth of information given to them including topics, group time activities, what book was read at story time, generic areas for children to practise like letter/number work, cutting skills etc.

We get a weekly activity plan and monthly menu which has lunch and snacks. For a while we didn’t get told what they were having for lunch and I would make my ds dinner for him to say he’d had the same thing for lunch!

the nursery staff also update the app with pictures of my dc if he’s done something particularly interesting or learned something new. We also get a report if any accidents they’ve had on the app.

I get a weekly update saying the focus for that week. Termly observation week with photos and anecdotes and a phone call to follow up, discussing learning priorities. That might be twice a year actually.

At pick up I can also sometimes have a quick chat or couple of words on how the day went. Very occasionally I'll get another bit of info on the app when he's done something special.

I'd be concerned not to get anything personalised.

I should clarify that by accidents I mean bumped heads etc, if they have a toilet accident you just get handed a bag of pissy pants at the door 🤣

I get everything on the app updated throughout the day. It's not always immediate but usually within an hour or two plus the off picture / post about what they've been up to that day. I also get a pretty good handover from staff like he's been good .... eaten and slept well and has been doing xyz today upon collection. This is usually via his key person if they're in or sometimes another staff member of his room.

So I get -

Food offered and what was eaten
Nappy changes / toilet visits
Snacks offered and what was eaten
Sleep times

There's usually atleast one if not two posts per day with what they're up to and usually a photo but not always.

I then get the handover as well which is usually a repeat but helpful if I've been working and haven't been keeping an eye on the app.

The staff always seem to be playing with the children still and aren't constantly filling in paperwork. I guess one person updates all of them on the app every now and again.

I'm happy with this level of communication and tbh probably wouldn't accept much less - I need this info really one way or another. I find the app great as I like quick drop off and pick up as I'm working.

We get daily info on what they had for lunch and snack, whether he slept and if so how long, and one little anecdote about the day.

We get daily updates on an app. Every snack and meal, whether he ate it or they offered him something else. A few pictures of him doing activities throughout the day. When he was potty training notes on how he was getting on. They are very good.

My OP should have said pre school (DC is 3 and started a few months ago) but somehow some other letters managed to creep in and it wasn't clear, i dont expect the same info as baby/toddler parents get, i completely understand they should be getting more but more info is defo needed from our nursery. I'm in no way concerned about her development or feel that she isn't getting opportunities, I'd just like to know about them - weekly focus was the phrase I was looking for so thanks to whoever wrote that too.

I should of also added that I get a termly update but it doesn't really help knowing they learned about dinosaurs in Sept 🙈

Ours sent a weekly newsletter with pics of the group’s activities from the week, and we would get a couple of individual pics every fortnight on average. Never any info on food / sleep / toileting beyond the fact that the menu was available on the website and we got a note on the cubby if they needed more nappies or spare clothes bringing in.

updates do tend to tail off in preschool as there are fewer assistants in the class. But even then I get a detailed handover, important individual pics / updates, a monthly observation, a 4 weekly menu, and then adhoc class pics 3-4 times a week.

if you’re unhappy with the level of contact then ask for more.