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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

Choosing nursery

14 replies

Bree82 · 01/03/2023 11:44

Hi all
looking for some advice please.
my LO will turn one in September and will start nursery soon after as we can’t afford for me not go back to work, and have no extended family help etc.

have already ruled out childminder/nanny for various reasons that just wouldn’t work out.
We have seen several nurseries and shortlisted two.
Nursery one is purpose built and much larger. 15 babies in each baby room. Does seem good enough & with plenty extra activities but also felt a bit clinical (we looked there as fees are so low). nursery two is small, a big house with more home feel, only 3 babies in baby room so there is a bigger staff to baby ratio, and they do mix with the older kids twice a day. Garden is lovely with a sheltered section so they spend time outside every day no matter the weather & the staff also seem so happy and settled there.
There are benefits to both however we do feel the smaller nursery is much more suited to our little one who does take a while getting used to new environment and a little separation anxiety so felt smaller Numbers and staff who know all the kids personally would suit better and make for an easier transition.
If money was no option then Nursery 2 is the clear winner for us personally. We really fell in love and mentally it feels better to me to know my LO would be somewhere like that so would make the thought of returning to work a bit easier!
however nursery one is also much cheaper.

happy to pay the extra for what we feel is best but what the current decision comes down to is that with nursery one we could manage financially me working 3 days a week, and with nursery two I would have to work 4 days a week. I do get a lot of annual leave so there is that.
So just on here to sound out and ask advice on what you would do? Have the extra day with your LO and have them in the bigger nursery? Or have them in the smaller nursery feeing they would be more secure and settled but sacrifice an extra day with them?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts/ advice.
B x

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jannier · 01/03/2023 18:08

I'd go smaller little babies do better in small consistent groups and are less likely to be overlooked.

BobbleWobble1 · 01/03/2023 20:05

It sounds like your gut is saying nursery 2 and normally I'd say follow your gut every time. However I would need a lot of convincing to do an extra day (I work 3 days and find it a nice balance). I think I'd try and find another to consider.

Of course if you want to work 4 days rather than 3 then nursery 2 is a no brainer.

WeWereInParis · 01/03/2023 20:34

Nursery 2 sounds better for babies. I'm assuming there are only three babies because that's all the places they offer, not because they can't fill the places/can't keep them full for whatever reason?

Original poster

Bree82 · 01/03/2023 21:21

Thanks Jannier.

I do agree the smaller nursery is much nicer and seems a better environment for babies!

BobbleWobble1 you are right, my gut does say nursery 2!
I guess the issue is that all the other nurseries have similar fees to nursery 2, some even more, but all pretty similar. So financially I would still need to work 4 days. Nursery one is a lot cheaper than the rest, and have plenty availability but then I again I have to wonder why?!

It’s just hard because there I have the option to have an extra day with LO, but only if we go with nursery one and the more I think about the more I think it’s not right for LO!

WeWereInParis you are correct. The nursery only has limited spaces as it is small. It’s in a big house and it is really lovely! I do feel it is better for babies.
We were actually on a waiting list for nursery 2 but fortunately for us a space became available recently. It really is the only one that we both walked away from thinking yeh that’s the one!

thanks all. I just wish I could work 3 days and have LO in nursery 2!
i just wondering if I split my working week ie have Wednesday as my day off then it won’t feel like working 4 days?

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MrsBunnyEars · 01/03/2023 21:27

How long would you little one be on the baby room for? At the nurseries near me it’s only up to about 18 months, so assuming they’d be going at 1 ish I’d make my decision mostly based on how the toddler rooms are.

SomeMonstersEatTelly · 01/03/2023 21:27

I chose a smaller, more expensive nursery over the larger, cheaper one because of how I felt whilst I was there and how visiting left me feeling.

I suppose the question is whether the difference is big enough such that the three days you’d be at work you’d be worrying more and four days is a fair price to put your mind at ease or whether there’s not enough of a difference?

soleilblue · 01/03/2023 21:29

Wednesday off is good if you do 4 days

Lavender14 · 01/03/2023 21:29

What sold it for me on the nursery we picked was how confident the children there appeared, how good their resources and equipment was and how well in control of the space the staff seemed.

Original poster

Bree82 · 01/03/2023 22:06

MrsBunnyEars · 01/03/2023 21:27

MrsBunnyEars, LO will be in the 1-2 room for a year and then the 2-3 room. After that it’s the 3-5s
All the rooms are great!
to be honest, it’s hard to comment on the rooms for older kids in the bigger nursery as when they showed us around they didn’t want to disturb them so we never actually saw any children inside!
however in nursery 2 we were showed everywhere so we got to see staff interacting with children which was nice.

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Original poster

Bree82 · 01/03/2023 22:08

soleilblue · 01/03/2023 21:29

Wednesday off is good if you do 4 days

Yes I’m thinking if I do that it might feel like i am working less as I am never working kore that 2 days at a time?!

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Original poster

Bree82 · 01/03/2023 22:12

SomeMonstersEatTelly · 01/03/2023 21:27

I chose a smaller, more expensive nursery over the larger, cheaper one because of how I felt whilst I was there and how visiting left me feeling.

oh good point. Husband and I both had a great feeling after visiting nursery 2.

I have been thinking about what you said and when imagining LO at the nurseries the smaller one does seem much more nurturing that I do feel will make settling in much easier.
i probably would worry much much more if we used the bigger nursery!

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Original poster

Bree82 · 01/03/2023 22:18

Lavender14 · 01/03/2023 21:29

What sold it for me on the nursery we picked was how confident the children there appeared, how good their resources and equipment was and how well in control of the space the staff seemed.

We didn’t see the children at nursery one so it’s not so easy to imagine how they are and how the staff are with them. That doesn’t mean it’s not good though but really hard to imagine it. What I remember most of the baby room there is a very large room with 15 high chairs in a circle!
but we saw the children in all the different spaces of nursery 2 and they all seemed very happy and settled as did the staff. Husband noticed as well it was the only nursery we saw that had staff of all different ages and experience.
they’ve also had a section built outside like an outdoor classroom. when I showed my stepson who is 9 the nursery videos he said he wished he’d been to a nursery like nursery 2!

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AuntMarch · 02/03/2023 14:18

I had Wednesdays off when I went back to work and it was great. Only ever two days to dread at a time 😁

I work in early years and think nursery 2 sounds great. The actual ratio would be the same but in a big baby room there's always a baby that needs feeding or changing or putting down to sleep that it feels really busy and there never ends up being much time to actually play and nurture the relationship (although those care routines are a bonding opportunity themselves)

The "feel" you get for a place is more important that anything. I viewed an outstanding childminders and left crying at the thought of leaving my baby there! (They knew my job so I thought they'd be totally on their game when I went to visit.. if that was there best I dunno what that inspector was on when they went!)

An extra day with your baby would be amazing, but on a wellbeing level it sounds like #2 would be better for you both. Maybe worth a try asking them if she could start 3 days and add another (they may not be able to save it) in a few weeks - use some annual leave in the mean time while you both adjust.

Original poster

Bree82 · 03/03/2023 08:29

AuntMarch · 02/03/2023 14:18

I had Wednesdays off when I went back to work and it was great. Only ever two days to dread at a time 😁

thanks AuntMarch, this is all so reassuring.
we did get a good feel for nursery 2 & you made a good point about considering both our well-being.
she will get 5 settle in days. We do need to pay for 4 days from the beginning but I’m sure I could still phase LO in a bit as long as I am still paying for the days not going in.

i still have plenty annual leave to use up, and I get a lot anyway so we can still have lots of extra time together.

everyone has been so helpful and made some very good points for me to consider thank you all so much x

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