what do you feel makes a good day nursery

[misshappy85]

my friend is opening a day nursery and as a previous nursery assistant i know thats its important to ask parents and careers their ideas too... id like to know what points you feel makes a goodd nursery and also possible points which make a nursery bad!

The staff need to have experience and enthusiasm! If I see a load of key workers chatting to each other instead of focussing on the children, then I pretty much walk straight out again!

Daily feedback - my DD has a diary which comes home everyday with just a few notes in - what she did/played with; what she ate; nappy changes/toiletting accidents etc.

Excellent staff:child ratio
Clean, vibrant and spacious indoor and outdoor space
Smart, presentable staff with good communication skills - children & adults
Evidence of structure of day/ activities planned & carried out
Sleeping areas comparable with comfy cots at home
Staff who genuinely love to work with children
No mobile phones in use by staff
Good management structure with a clear system for parents to see who does what ( and that the roles are carried out as advertised)
Back up plans for rainy weather when children cannot go outside (games? change of room?)

Calm atmosphere. Small groups. Low staff turnover. Staff who cuddle the kids when they cry.

Low staff turnover, mixture of ages/genders of staff, high ratios, outside space, plenty of free play, broad range of activities, caring atmosphere.

Oh yes, staff who clearly enjoy their job.

Cuddle factor definitely a must! DD is three but some days she still just needs a few extra cuddles and I love that the staff at her nursery are happy to dish them out!

A connection with each child and parent... Enthusiasm for your child. Making your child and you feel special.
A family, good relationship that is noticeable between staff and manager.
Great outdoor space.. As much as you can get .
Male staff aswell as female.
Flexible times...
Ours, for example, offers the usual 8-1 1-6 and 8-6... But they are the only one in the town and neighbouring towns to offer a school day to help parents who don't want a whole day of half day and have to pick older siblings up... 8-2.45 (they can it a three quarters day).
It's sooooo popular this nursery, not just because of it getting outstanding /excellent with Ofsted for the past 8 yrs.. It's because of this three quarter day.
I have three children, oldest being nearly 9ys and I have been trying to get my children in since 2005! Finally managed it last year with my 2 yr old boy as my work days were the most flexible they've been in years.