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Nurseries

Find nursery advice from other Mumsnetters on our Nursery forum. For more guidance on early years development, sign up for Mumsnet Ages & Stages emails.

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Original poster

What attracted you to your nursery?

24 replies

TiggyD · 24/04/2011 15:09

Was it a bit of everything or was there one aspect that you really loved? Good staff? Ethos? Garden? Cleanliness? Can you sum it up in a line?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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scottishmummy · 24/04/2011 19:10

Ofsted report and other parental recommendation

bulby · 24/04/2011 19:16

Same older staff for at least 10 years, very small, old fashioned and a bit like sending dd to grandmas.
(only given a satisfactory ofsted report and a bit scruffy but it has that something that no other nursery I visited has, interestingly about half the parents who use it are teachers!)

RitaMorgan · 24/04/2011 19:19

Outstanding Ofsted report
Well paid staff
High level of qualifications
Lots of the staff were older, mothers themselves, and had been at the nursery 5-10 years (or longer!)
Big garden
Own kitchen on site
Very small baby group catering for 0-2 year age group, so good continuity for the youngest children

RitaMorgan · 24/04/2011 19:20

Totally failed to sum it up in a line!

notcitrus · 24/04/2011 20:25

(location - I only looked at the three between me and station)
Manager v reassuring on phone. Then she rapidly won me over by clearly knowing all the kids and what made them tick, and told me 'they get really messy here' and then grinned and said we'd fit in when I said that sounded great.

Clincher was staff doing stuff with the kids rather than sitting by a wall as they ran amok, and any crying child being cuddled/talked to by the time I figured out which one it was.

Being small size, three age rooms, own cook, and having garden were bonuses.

fivegomadindorset · 24/04/2011 20:28

It opens at 8, home cooked food, very very low turn over of staff most of whom are mother's, they love my DC's, very cuddly, both DC's happy to go, very supportive of DD and her lack of toilet training, now under a paediatrician.

NorfolkNChanceOfAnEgg · 24/04/2011 20:31

Initially the option for term time only provison but also the fact it is Montessori.

It has been absolutely wonderful for DD and we knew it would be the moment we walked through the door.

Waswondering · 24/04/2011 20:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AnnieLobePassoverSeder · 24/04/2011 20:38

It could hardly fail to be worse than the one DD was in! And was closer to work.

But luckily has turned out to be brilliant. It has an outside space (unbeliveably other one didn't), was newly built and had loads of new toys, small groups, only 3 rooms so very intimate. We're so thrilled with it.

Original poster

TiggyD · 24/04/2011 20:42

A mix of stuff so far. Nobody has mentioned price yet.

OP posts:

RitaMorgan · 24/04/2011 20:50

Mine is bloody expensive!

AnnieLobePassoverSeder · 25/04/2011 09:44

Prices here are all much the same, but is quite low on my list of considerations. We pay more at my current nursery but it's more than worth it.

sammich · 25/04/2011 19:09

a lot of our parents have said its our knowledge of the children and their development, interacting with the children plus knowing the childrens and parents names

noone really mentions price except for if they have come from a different nursery which has closed down but was cheaper

turkeyboots · 25/04/2011 19:21

Warm and friendly staff, no child left to cry. I also prefer the non-walkers and walkers under 2 to be separate, so like a 4 room nursery. Like seeing children's work on the walls too.

Price is important, if you are above the local average, be excellent. One nursery we used allowed parents 2 weeks holiday (fee free) a year, which was great.

I like extra's too, our nursery has French for the pre-schoolers and Jo Jingles style music class for the others.

Conflugenglugen · 25/04/2011 19:23

Small, cross-section of families, local, lovely staff, a loving vibe.

turkeyboots · 25/04/2011 19:27

Good, freshly prepared food is a must as well. No need for celeb chef, but two nurseries we used had menus designed by high profile chefs. Was shocked when I heard my neighbour has to send in packed lunches + snacks + milk.

littleducks · 25/04/2011 19:37

My nursery is very small and homelike. It was originally the conservatory and an outbuilding of the owners home, but has grown and now is the entire downstairs and she has moved out .

The owner was absolutely fab, she was calm and patient and explains everything at length...perfect for toddlers. She is a major selling point!

The food was cooked onsite in the kitchen that opens into the nursery room by the staff who all have the relevant hygiene certificates and take it in turns.

When I asked around the parents of children were sending their second or third child there and there children at school now would have loved to have gone back.

sheeplikessleep · 25/04/2011 19:42

Friendly staff who cuddle the kids
Happy looking, giggling and noisy kids
Outstanding Ofsted
Turning up and seeing the kids gathered being read a story, singing songs, baking etc

Things that didn't bother me...
The fact it isn't immaculate, the carpet is a bit scruffy, the toys are well used, the kids always have mud on their trousers

bessie26 · 05/05/2011 08:00

Friendly staff, & happy smiling kids.

When the owner showed us round the kids were running up to her to say hello & she knew ALL their names.

worldgonecrazy · 05/05/2011 08:12

Friendly staff. Is attached/leads on to a lovely school. Continuity. Ethos. Outdoor play area. The fact that children are allowed to play out in all weathers and climb trees.

breatheslowly · 05/05/2011 12:09

Location - we live in a rural area. But there were villages we wouldn't move to as there were no acceptable nurseries in the area.

leicestershiregirl · 09/05/2011 14:31

Good Ofsted report, member of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), attractive outdoor area (kids are taken out twice a day in all weathers), close to home (important coz I don't drive). I looked round a bunch of nurseries before choosing, which I felt were a mix of not good (staff ignoring crying children etc.) and ok, no one nursery leapt out at me as 'Yes, this is the place for my son'. I went with the place I did because on paper it looked good and there was nothing about it I actively disliked when we went to look round; I'm glad I did. DS had a bit of trouble settling in but it was nothing to do with the nursery or staff, they were great. Now he's really enjoying it.

pommedechocolat · 10/05/2011 11:32

Honestly? There was a plate of fairy cakes when I went to visit. Had just been to a nursery where they gave the kids RYVITAS as snacks which had scared the shit out of me.
The party line? Very low staff turn over and outstanding ofsted report.

MrsNursery · 14/05/2011 01:10

There are so many things to take into consideration and I know what a huge decision, it is some places you know from the moment you walk in, the key is to have an idea of what you want and to keep viewing nurseries even if the first one blows you away! this will re-affirm your choice and let you see what is really out there and what you really want for your family, every nursery has guidelines to make them the very best and it's not always about who has the best, newest resources, we all know as parents you can buy the best present in the world but they would much prefer the box!
It's about the interaction and support the children will receive, the nurturing and secure environment that will inspire and challenge them and the rest is all preference and what works for your particular family.
I have created a free website filled with childcare information, I hope it helps:0
www.mrs-nursery.com

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