Nursery school open day - what should I be looking at?

[fleacircus]

We are going to a nursery tomorrow for their open day and tour - we have to go before we can apply for a place for our as yet unborn child. And we have to apply for a place now as it's massively oversubscribed. But we are dullards and not parents yet and need proper mums to tell us what we should be looking out for. Please help!

Whether the children are happy and confident and how they interact with the carers. If your LO will be going as a baby, how the baby room staff react to crying/quiet babies as well as the noisy happy ones. Everything else is detail (important detail, but detail nonetheless).

A lot depends on your feel about the place. Does it feel happy and comfortable. Are there soft and cosy places to be? Do you get a good vibe and so on.

Firstly watch what's going on around you: are the kids happy, are the carers nice? Is there outside space so they're not cooped up all day. Do they have a 'baby room'?
Then there are the basic questions like "is all food freshly prepared on site", "how do you communicate with the parents (ie let us know what DC has done during the day); "what is your staff turnover" etc.
But honestly you will either like it or not, and if you do, then you will find acceptable answers to the above, and if you don't you won't.
Good luck.

That makes me feel better - thank you all for replying so quickly! Was worried about having to rely mainly on instinct but it seems as though instinct is important.

You will get a feeling if it is right or not FC but it is dificult on an open day sometimes as it is not 'normal' If possible, go on an ordinary day.
Bits to consider:
Are the kids there happy?
Daily report sheet - so you know what food/nappy changes/sleep etc dc has had
Routine - nursery's or can fit to yours?
Food - home cooked? how often menus change? 5 a day on fruit & veg?
Security - e.g. passwords/photo ID if anyone other than you or dh/dp pick up
Condition of toys, cleanliness of rooms
Let us know how it goes

I always like to check how long the staff have worked there for - high staff turnover is very bad sign I think!
ALso, do they have a key worker system, and what is their policy on drop off and pick ups and random times, can you just drop in? If they say no, this gets on my nerves AND makes me uneasy about what they are hiding, tho perhaps the latter is v paranoid.
good luck!

Thank you all for advice - I went with a big list of questions and actually felt well-informed rather than completely out of it! It was lovely, lots of happy children, staff who've been there for ages, lots of flexibility about routine and a really positive atmosphere. The relationships between staff and children appeared to be fabulous and we got all the answers we'd hoped for. Now just have to cross our fingers that we get a place!

That's great FC - glad it went well, will keep my fingers crossed for you