Which type of nursery would you prefer?

[Stereophonic]

If you've seen my other thread you wil know we're not sure if we're happy with DS's nursery and he's not settling. Anyway, I have 2 other options I'm looking at tentatively, and I was wondering which protocol you think is better.

Nursery 1: (like his current nursery) - changeovers are done in reception, parents can't generally go into the rooms to get their children. Reasoning is that it is unsettling for the other children to have parents walking in and out all day and a potential security risk.

Nursery 2: Parents can come into the nursery whenever they like and collect the children, they say in their blurb "we would NEVER leave you in reception and have your child brought out to you! We want you to come in and see how happy they are, whether they are eating, playing.." etc etc.

I don't know which is best! I quite like the sound of 2 but would it be unsettling? Also there are a couple of other probs with 2 form the report, a crb that was out of date and a few paperwork issues, would this concern you? Though this was last year so I'd hope they had been sorted.

The nursery I work in is like number 2, so children and parents are in and out all day.

The children are used to it and it doesnt unsettle them at all.

With one I would be concerned about ratios being met while a member of staff is doing the handover out of the room, and if they are rushing back to the room you wouldnt be able to talk through any concerns or share information effectivly.

2 - definatly. DS loves showing me what they have made that day, and there doesn't seem any problems with being unsettled with coming and going - all the children arrive and go during the really unstructured parts of the day, which helps prob

Plus it isnt a security risk there should be no way for some one who isnt known to the nursery to be able to get through the buzzer on the door and in to the rooms, and parents are obviously never left on there own.

I would say 2. That is what my DD's nursery is like. It is very friendly, happy and cheerful and the children go and get my DD when I arrive (she is usually bossing someone else around) and they are all excited to see the other mums and dads.

No 1 would make me feel like they have something to hide.

the best compromise IMO is to always have someone on reception monitoring who goes in and out and stopping tailgaters as well as a door security measure (eg PIN pad and/or buzzer) to prevent casual access.

Thank you. Wow, that's pretty resounding! We are seeing nursery 2 on Thursday so will see what we think.

Definitely 2 - it is important to see children in their own environment - chat to their carers and meet their friends.

Really don't like 1

DS's nursery is 2 and I didn't realise it was anything special. I love catching sight of him playing before he sees me Plus the outdoor play area is where you have to walk through to get to the front door so would be completely impractical to do anything else.

My dc's current nursery is like scenario 2. When dh or I turn up to pick them up, if they are busy playing and don't immediately see us, the other children will often call them and tell them that their mum / dad has come to pick them up.

I don't feel that it is disruptive at all - it gives quite a friendly 'homely' atmosphere to me.

2 - it doesn't bother the other kids at all, and it's lovely to walk in and see what DS is up to before he sees us. It also gives me more confidence in staff behaviour if they never know when a parent might come in!

Definitely 2. How else are you supposed to see what they are up to and who (if anyone) they are playing with?

As for the paperwork, ask for sure, but if they were pulled up on it in a report I bet it is all super extra up to date now.

2 for sure.

I love sneaking in and watching DS playing. Then he'll spot me and come hurtling over and give me a big squeeze. Can't beat it.

I didn't realise that anyone did option 1! Seems very odd to me, as though they'd have something to hide.

To be honest, as DS's nursery it can be a bit unsettling at pick up time. DS can sometimes be a bit upset when I pick him up as he's seen other parents coming for their children. And other kids sometimes get upset when they see me (I have that effect on small children! ) But I'd still much rather it was that way that picking him up from reception and never seeing him at play and interacting with the other children and staff.

Security is not an issue as everyone has to be let in the front door anyway, you can't just walk in.

option 2 - my nursery is like that and the children are not unsettled by it and love shouting so and so's mummy or daddy are here, it also not a security risk as the doors can only be open by staff

2 all the way. You need to see the actual room your child will be in so that you can converse with them about it. You also need to meet their playmates for the same reason.

I have always been able to do this and few children were unsettled by it. Sometimes they would come uo and speak to me, tell me their mum was coming soon etc.

I don't think I would be comfortable with option 1