How to review a nursery...

[Lucykabs]

Hi all
I had a horrible experience with a nursery and I'd like to be able to let other local parents know so that they can make an informed choice when looking at nurseries. What's the best online forum for reviewing childcare? Thank you x

I don't know about reviews, but if it was that bad I would report it to Ofsted. You can find out how on the Ofsted web page. Hope you are all ok now.

Please don't write a bad review online. It will just reflect badly on you. It will make you look like that parent
The normal protocol is to use the nursery's own complaints procedure. If you do report to ofsted they will want to know that you have used the nursery complaint procedure
What happened?
Did you give them a chance to investigate and get back to you

Am not entirely sure why she shouldn't use the online feedback to leave a review? Surely it depends on what and how it is written.

If it was bad enough to make you leave then yes I would definitely consider making a formal complaint to the nursery. Then if necessary to ofsted. This is the way to get change.

If it was more that they weren't in the wrong, just you didn't like the way they did things, maybe write to the nursery to explain what you didn't like (sort of like an exit interview ) and leave appropriately phrased online feedback. On the lines of 'if you don't like x then ...'

Thanks for your advice. I've made a formal complaint to the nursery but they just glossed over the issues when replying so I'm sure nothing will change. I'll also leave some feedback online in the style that you've suggested tidler. It's strange because most of the Online forums (like childcare.co.uk) have a facility to leave feedback but no one seems to be using it. I wondered if I was missing something obvious. Thanks again!

Yes be careful with online feedback. I was unhappy with our nursery ( nothing drastic) and wrote a not so flattering review on a local forum when someone asked (not terrible but not good either) on the spur of the moment when I saw the qn and I really regretted it. I deleted it shortly after but felt aweful that I had given a view on a local business where they cannot defend themselves. While I said the truth and it was nothing really drastic , it may have been seen by the nursery and other parents and I am sure it does not reflect well on the family and can get my child in trouble -:( sometimes we forget things online are available to everyone to see .

I would be very careful about writing negative comments online. If the nursery believes it has caused 'serious harm' (i.e. damaged their business) they could take you to court for defamation. If they do and your claims are found to be unsubstantiated, you could end up in a lot of trouble! If you're really set on it though, try local boards on here or Netmums, they usually have childcare listings where you can leave a review underneath but I would just put something along the lines of 'Was not happy with this setting so removed my child' or whatever happened but no details. A parent from the setting I work at recently found herself in trouble for making remarks about the nursery on Facebook based on rumours she had heard.