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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

Quiet nursery? As in, very few children apparently there!

21 replies

PurpleOneWithTheNutIn · 12/10/2015 18:55

I went today to look round a nursery for a full time place Monday to Friday, starting February. The nursery looked great, purpose built, good shared and separate areas for all ages, but in the baby room where my son would start there was one other baby and a toddler. Apparently others are attending and some were there but asleep in a separate room.

I can see this two ways - either it's good because my son will get more one to one attention, or it's not so good because he won't be with more than a couple of other babies, for interest/games/etc.

Would this put you off? The older children's room I saw were also quiet, a few children in each, but the preschool room has about a dozen children in who looked to be having fun.

Ds will be 8 months when he starts. I'm going to see another couple of nurseries tomorrow, and I know a local childminder who my older two went to. Just for a bit of background!

Interested in opinions, I've no experience of using a nursery.

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LadyLuck81 · 12/10/2015 18:57

Our nursery is very quiet right now. They lost a large cohort of bigger kids to school and moved quite a few up to the next room from babies and so spread things out a bit. I mentioned to the manager it seemed quiet and she said they expect it to pick up over the next couple of months.

If you like the nursery and staff and generally got a good feeling for the place then I'd not hesitate to use them.

TiggyD · 12/10/2015 19:27

Is it a new nursery? It does take a time to fill one up from new.

Nurseries lose a lot of children to school in September so all pre-school rooms are a bit quiet right now. Toddlers and babies are usually full. Unless people are keeping away. Have you checked ofsted reports?

SellFridges · 12/10/2015 19:31

As others have said, the numbers can be a bit inconsistent. For example, the nursery we used for DD had basically three bunches of birthdays - October, February and May. That's because that's when older children moved up through the setting. It'll be the same with DS - I know 6 other babies who will start with him in January at approx 10 months. They'll all go all the way through together and hence there'll be times when the rooms are quieter and busier.

BumpPower · 12/10/2015 19:38

When DS started nursery at 10months there were lots of other babies on the books but no other full timers so there were times he was the only baby in. During those times he got a 1 2 1 from the keyworker and they went into the toddler room so there was plenty for him to see and do. I have a lovely memory of coming to pick him up once to.find him in a high chair in the toddler room and several toddlers all trying (and succeeding) to make him laugh.
All that being said if you don't get a warm fuzzy feeling about a nursery look elsewhere. You are leaving your baby there if you don't like it - even for totally irrational reason - don't go there!

Diddlydokey · 12/10/2015 19:41

I suspect that you were visiting at nap time. Nursery staff are magicians that get all kids to nap simultaneously, bar the couple that weren't playing ball.

In the older rooms they all nap on mats on the floor, simultaneously. Magicians or witchcraft, I reckon.

Snossidge · 12/10/2015 19:44

For a child under 2, smaller is definitely better - the smaller the group and more adults the less stress, more chance of forming positive relationships for the baby.

museumum · 12/10/2015 19:45

It's half term here so lots of families away. Ds's nursery was very quiet today.
Surely though you just ask how many they have? Ds was in a room with six babies and two adults. Now he's 2 there are loads of them! It was a bit of a change for him but the small baby room was great.

Snossidge · 12/10/2015 19:46

Not magic Diddly - usually private nurseries run on minimal staffing so have to make all the children nap on schedule so staff can have lunch!

Original poster

PurpleOneWithTheNutIn · 12/10/2015 20:12

Yes, it was 2pm and dinner finishes at about 1 apparently, so definitely nap time! I didn't see how many babies were napping but I did ask how many babies they could have (12 per room) although there aren't 12 there atm.

Your points about quieter times of year do make sense, obviously September is a time they would change rooms, and they do this as a cohort so that might explain it, although the next room up wasn't very busy either.

Not a new nursery, it's been open since 1996. That might be a good sign though? It's still going! The staff seemed friendly and were on the kids' level ie on the floor cuddling the baby, playing with the older child.

BumpPower - that's lovely! I didn't ask about going into other rooms but I would think that would happen at certain quieter times due to staffing/ratios. I'd prefer that to him being alone!

Snossidge - I agree. The more I think about it, the less it seems like a negative and more a positive thing attention wise.

I didn't get a fuzzy feeling really, but the children were happy and interacting with staff. It seemed very education focused... I've got two more to look round tomorrow and then decision time!

Thanks for your helpful comments!

OP posts:

Babytookacupwoo · 12/10/2015 20:13

Monday's are also quiet because lots of part time parents don't work it

Diddlydokey · 12/10/2015 20:15

Ime the staff are mostly great with kids but only some are as confident with the parents. I try to see how they react to the kids they're looking after.

Ds goes to a not for profit preschool and they exceed the ratios, but I don't know how common this is.

museumum · 12/10/2015 20:19

Yes,nthe only day quieter than Monday is Friday.

CurlsLDN · 12/10/2015 20:23

Doesn't seem unusual, as others have already said, there's a big shift up the ladder in September, so my ds's baby room is currently quieter than it was, but with new faces joining each week.
It's been lovely actually, as most days theres 6-10 in his room, but for a few weeks they only had 3 on a particular afternoon, so the staff took them swimming, to the museum etc, they were spoiled!
Even without the usual September shift, I've noticed that the numbers change all the time, as the kids get older, or the parents work situ changes, or granny decides to take them every Wednesday etc etc.
That wasn't the case when we lived in london

Snossidge · 12/10/2015 20:24

12 babies per room would be far to much for me.

CurlsLDN · 12/10/2015 20:24

Was going to sat

CurlsLDN · 12/10/2015 20:25

Sorry!
Was going to say, it wasn't like that in london as all the nurseries were full with waiting lists, but now we live in the sw they aren't over subscribed. It's a huge bonus!

Original poster

PurpleOneWithTheNutIn · 12/10/2015 20:25

It got a great ofsted report back in 2011, they must be due again soon surely? The thing about ofsted is that it's only a snapshot and everyone is usually on their best behaviour, although they can't pretend to be outstanding if they aren't.

That's interesting about Mondays being quieter due to part time workers, I didn't know that.

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Original poster

PurpleOneWithTheNutIn · 12/10/2015 20:32

yes 12 babies seems a lot to me too, but the rooms are big with lots of equipment and toys, and I think they've got a way to go before they get to 12! Obviously the number of staff would increase with the number of babies. I also noticed they've got a regular "bank" member of staff to cover absences which is good for continuity.

Would a nursery think it strange if I ask about staff turnover? I was going to ask today but chickened out.

OP posts:

Diddlydokey · 12/10/2015 21:00

No, it's an important question

Artistic · 12/10/2015 22:01

We've just started nursery for my 1 year old. Monday's are rather quiet. There is capacity for 12 babies but there are only 9. Typically there are 7-8 on a given day. It's nice & quiet & not crowded or noisy. I see it as an advantage.

HSMMaCM · 13/10/2015 21:28

Visit midweek and not at nap time. Then you can see the sleeping facilities too.

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