What to ask on nursery/primary schoolVisits?

[Jackshouse]

Tomorrow we are visiting a school nursery. We have been offered a place at this nursery and at another local nursery B which I loved. The problem with nursery B is we are just outside of catchment and I don’t want to send DD to a nursery and have to send her some where different for reception.

What questions shall I ask? What should I be looking out for?

Questions: how do you handle when a child hits another child

What's the rule on sharing?

What is the routine like?

What's the teacher to child ratio?

What type of activities do the children do?

I'd look for: how many children are in one classroom and how many teachers are in there.
How clean the school is
What do the teachers look like
How do they speak to the children
How do they handle a situation where children are fighting or one is upset

All I could think of from the top of my head

Assuming the cost and hours work for you, just go and see how you feel about it. That’s the most important thing.

My dd spent nearly 4 years at a nursery when we knew she probably wouldn’t go to the catchment school (the one just out of catchment was better and she’s rightly loved it). It made no difference. She made fast friends with children starting reception with her and actually in year 1 her best friends are not the two she went to nursery with.

We’ve sent our ds to the same nursery but still plan to move before he even starts primary so he’ll know no one in reception. I don’t think it matters at all, as long as you love the nursery (which we do).

Thank you. I’m an ex teacher but secondary and feel out of my depth with this.

mindutopia DD is already at a private nursery but she will be leaving there to go to school nursery for her free 15 hours education in September so I don’t want to be moving her twice.

Just see if the kids are happy. For me, that's the biggest thing. And you can pick up that vibe without much work!

Your child, if they go to school there isn't going to spend 8 years there. So what do you want out of those 8 years for your child? I want them to be happy and healthy-to want to go to school.

But this is the last week before half term-my kids are frazzled and I imagine the teachers are too.

Another important one for me is how important do they think communication and working in partnership with you is. DS goes to private nursery 1 day a week when we are both working, and local preschool for 2 mornings on our days off using free hours.

Our private nursery - i handover DS to staff directly, giving them any key information (like if he's tired), at pick up I get a quick run through of what he's done and how he's been. Their observations go into an online system which I can see and comment on from a home perspective, and include photos of what he's doing.

Preschool they like us to drop at the door after taking coats off, and send the kids out to us at pick up - so no handover or information on what they've been doing at all, they aren't interested in any home issues. Observations are one line post its that I get to scan in my 10 minute slot at parents evening - they take photos but don't print them so I never get to see them.

I don't know what you are used to from yor private nursery, and if it matters to you, but if it does, it's definitely worth asking about.