Help me choose a nursery!

[Pinkmoon33]

Posting here for traffic.

I have 2 nurseries offering me a place and because of covid I haven't been able to look around. I am struggling to choose:

Nursery 1:
10 min walk from home
Recent outstanding Ofsted
Nice outdoor space
Manager seems knowledgeable

Nursery 2 :
200£ cheaper than nursery 1 a month
Well regarded ( good online reviews), Ofsted good 2014.
15 Min drive but would be 20-30 mins in heavy commuter traffic or 40 Mon walk or 15 min cycle.

The saving for nursery 2 is appealing but the convenience and good Ofsted for nursery 1 is good too.

WWYD

1. Pay for the proximity and the quality of care.

I would go 1

1 for the convenience

When was nursery 1 rated outstanding? Review the report. Look at parent reviews. Maybe park up outside both in the mornings and evenings to see how well they follow safeguarding processes (eg buzzer at the door, do they question ppl they don’t recognise). How many rooms in each? Do they allow choking hazard foods? If yes they do allow them for older kids then avoid any nursery that mixes older and younger kids as many choking incidents occur due to insufficient clean up after meals.

Visit both. Ofsted does not give a full picture and I always recommend going on gut.

I rejected several outstanding nurseries because I doubted their safeguarding and choking processes protocols. Often the difference between good and outstanding is a paperwork issue (or the existance of an app) - o/s doesn’t automatically mean better unless you are comfortable with the processes and procedures.

1!!

Thanks all. No nurseries in my area are allowing visits yet because of lockdown so I feel like I'm deciding things blind...

1 for outdoor space and convenience. Any money you would save with 2 would be spent on petrol and stress!

If you can afford it pay for the convenience every time.

Not even a zoom virtual tour??

@Pinkmoon33

Thanks all. No nurseries in my area are allowing visits yet because of lockdown so I feel like I'm deciding things blind...

All their processes and procedures should be online. If not ask for them via email. I chose DS’ nursery during covid too - but got answers to all the questions I posed here (and more!). Def don’t go in blind.

1 for convenience, closely followed by the outside space. Unless things are really, really tight financially then I wouldn’t even consider 2.

Yep pay for proximity and quality of care. I would also suggest visiting and watch the children that are there. Are they happy ? Are they going up to the educators and asking for cuddles and interacting with them. Adults can lie abs put on a show but you always get the truth from children's behaviour. This was the most important factor for me when choosing a daycare and I was right. My daughter now runs in and gives the workers cuddles and asks to see them on the days she's not there.

I would pay for the outdoor space and the proximity.

1

Absolutely 1

I'd choose one. Can't stand traffic and the stress of that

As long as you can afford it, I would absolutely pay for the quality, outdoor space and convenience. Easy decision.

Do parents ever comment on social media? Is there anything you could look into like that?

You clearly like 1 better - you’ve told us two things about it other than the Ofsted rating, and no things at all about 2.

1. Unless 2 is on-route to work.

My DC nursery have done a couple of open days on a Saturday to allow potential parents to come in socially distanced to look round and chat to staff.

So might be worth getting in touch to arrange a time to visit.

Also agree no. 1 you’ll definitely regret not going for convenience if you go for the other one.

Take the ofsted report with a pinch of salt.

Outside space and convenience to you are the only things you can go on. So while nursery 2 is further from your home, if it is on your route to/from work it would work out better.

When we moved house we went from a nursery than was a 20-30 minute drive in traffic to one that was a 10 minute walk and it is so much nicer and makes the whole day much easier and less stressful. If you can afford both I'd go for no. 1 every time.