Which nursery?!

[tryinganewname]

DH and I have visited the 2 nurseries in our village and cannot decide between them at all, what we didn't like about one, we liked about the other and vice versa. DD will start at just after turning 9 months old and will be there 4 full days a week - probably 7.30-4.45.

Nursery 1: Just the one nursery and one building that has a partition wall for the baby room, which is smaller than I expected, however, there is only a maximum of 6 babies at a time with a 1:3 ratio. Has cots for sleeping in the same area. The next room up is 2-all ages and was quite chaotic as children go from area to area as pleases them. Low staff turnover but some were quite a bit older (one lady was 72). Has great outdoor space featuring a small woodland part and the staff were very warm with us and DD.

Nursery 2: part of a chain of 3 local nurseries and very much run like a tight ship business. Days are a lot more structured here and building is a lot bigger - completely separate areas for babies, 2-3 and then older, as well as school clubs. Baby room took 15 at a time with 1:3 ratio and days are a lot more structured for each age group. Outdoor space was lacking and DD was Asleep for the visit so hard to see interaction with her but looked good with other babies. Staff were all young girls and the manager was not as warm with us.

Both are rated 'good' by ofsted and the second has good reviews but it is a lot bigger in terms of how many children go there so a lot more parents able to review.

So, which would you choose? Or what other things would you want to find out/see?

Thanks!

On visiting nurseries I quite liked the ones that either had a separate room for walkers onwards or stressed that they werent strict on the 2 year in the next room policy, it was more down to the development of the child. Reason being I have a very rambunctious 16 month old, loves running around everywhere and I worried about her in some of the small play rooms with tiny babies for 8 hours a day.

Yes, I'm quite concerned that once she reaches around 18 months and moves up a room then she'll be in with children up to 4/5 and older when the before and after school clubs are in (there isn't a separate area for these like there is at the second). This is my main concern really.

It just feels like the first should try and run it a bit more like a business and the second should run is like a business a little less. Typical ha!

Second one until she's three. First one when she turns three.

The second one also opens at 7 which is a lot better for us, the first is 7.30 which means we won't both be able to work 8-4 as we do currently.

I think having written it down that the second is the better options but DH prefers the first.

i wouldnt aim to switch nurseries, they're notice periods and waiting lists. Pick one

With the second the various age groups will use the garden at different set times, so the lack of space may be justified that way?

I would say second- why does your DH prefer the 1st?

No-one apart from you and your husband can make the decision. Maybe make a list of what you want from a nursery and the importance of each point. Do you want structure? Do you want to know that your child will be cuddled if they cry or are they going to be lost amongst the many children in a larger building? Is outside space important to You? Does either go on local walks/or have people come in to do activities? How do they do observations - physical journal or online learning journals such as tapestry where you get notifications on your phone when photos are uploaded.

They will both have to follow the EYFS guidelines and be helping your child develop and reach certain milestones. It's just different nurseries will have different ways of doing it. Some may follow a certain ideology such as Montessori or forest school which might be worth finding out as this may change your decision.

I sent my 2 daughter's to different preschools as they each needed different environments to thrive. However mine were older so a bit easier to make the decision.

I'd always go for the one where you think the staff are most caring. So nursery one hands down. Everything else is just incidental.

Both use tapestry to keep parents updated.

A baby fell over and bumped her head at the second one and was picked up, cuddled and kissed on her head where she banged it, which was nice to see (obviously not the baby falling!).

I wouldn’t write off nursery one because the staff are older. This means far more experience and they know what they are doing, both in the job and in life in general. I worked in a nursery when I was 19, none of us were qualified, we were all under 20 apart from the manager who was mid twenties. Whilst we were generally all lovely people we had no real idea about children apart from what we had learnt in a book. Life experience is massive when dealing with young children and families. Outside space that is well utilised is a massive positive recourse and I would want to know that any childcare setting I was choosing had this facility.

The real part of what you have written that drew me to nursery one is that the staff were warm with you and dd whilst at nursery 2, they weren’t. You want to be reassured that your dd is being loved and cared for while you aren’t there and if the staff aren’t warm on a visit, are they going to be when you aren’t there?
Nursery one-staff stick around as they are well looked after, which indicates good management/owners, this is why the staff are maybe a bit older, which as I said upthread, isn’t a bad thing.

For me it would be nursery 1. I older children being mixed, small baby room and happy experienced staff. I wanted my child to go to a nursery where she is loved.

What is your gut feeling?

Personally I would use nursery 2. How can nursery 1 care for such a wide range of children ages while meeting their age appropriate needs? The difference in activities a 2 year old can do compared to a 4 year old is huge!
So either the 2 year old is not engaged as too difficult or the 4 year old isn't as too easy! If they are doing different activities for different ages how many times will the 2 year old be told no you aren't allowed to do this or no you must go over there. Also the younger ones are at risk of more injury from the older ones. It's different in a home setting as there are not so many children and easier to manage.
Older staff does not mean better care either, personally a fit 20 something would be my preference to a 72 year old. How can a 72 year old manage a wriggling toddler safely?

Thank you all, my gut is number 2 - practically for all the reasons that @adviceonthepox has stated. It just felt a lot more calm, despite it being much larger. I do wish it had the first's outdoor space though.

Both nurseries do trips out for the poster who asked that - mainly to the library, pond, country park (that's within walking distance), supermarkets etc.

We're going to have a look at a couple more that are outside of walking distance just to see if any of them really tick all the boxes or if they make a decision between the 2 any more clear to us.

I've asked on our village Facebook group for reviews and nearly all are glowing ones for number 2 but it is a much bigger nursery with 2 sites in and close to the village so have a much larger client base than the first.

All great points made on here to bear in mind.

I'd go back to nursery 2 when your DD is awake. It's hard to tell what your DD would prefer at the current age.

Number one sounds more flexible but some children love routine and being outdoors!

I much prefer the sound of nursery 1, I wouldn't want 15 babies in a room even if the ratio is the same as the smaller nursery, one baby crying can set them all off.
The age of the staff is better too, and the fact that there is a low turnover. The staff really are the making of a good nursery and you say that they were warm towards you and your DD.
I like that different aged children can mix, this is more like family life, younger children can learn from older ones.
And the outside area is a big bonus.

I'm a childminder though so I'm a bit biased towards smaller more homely settings anyway.