Choosing a preschool

[MissHoney85]

DD is 22 months and DC2 is due in the next few weeks. I currently work 2 days a week and we're fortunate that my mum can look after DD on my working days. Obviously I'll be on mat leave soon so can have both at home then. We're looking ahead to the end of my mat leave though (probably summer) and thinking that will be a good time for DD to start preschool - my mum has said she's happy to have both but she's no spring chicken, and 2.5 is probably a good time to start I think. We'd probably start with the 2 days a week I'm at work, then once she's three start building up to 5 days a week by the time she starts school.

We've been to look at a couple of local preschools recently and are a bit torn. Both are small village preschools, non-profit and accept the 30 hours funding (assuming that's still a thing by then!). Both also rated Good by Ofsted for what it's worth.

Setting A - essentially a packaway setting. One inside room with no permanent furniture, activities set up each day. An ok outside area but nothing especially amazing. They do have use of the forest school belonging to the primary school next door. Staff seem really good. The manager really knew her stuff and impressed both of us. There are 6 staff (all v experienced) to 24 children so ratios are v good. The setting is fully subscribed for most sessions and runs 5 days a week.

Setting B - much better facilities. Several rooms inside (e.g. a role play room, a quiet room etc) and all resources always accessible to children as they're not packed away. A good concrete play area and a separate garden area with lovely play houses etc. Staff seemed fine, though not quite as impressive as the first place. Slightly worse ratios, 1:8 for over threes (less for under threes but can't remember the figure). Not currently very many children on roll, though apparently it's a low birthrate year and there will be more next year. One significant kicker is that they currently only do a half day on a Monday and Friday. There's a chance that Mondays might go to full days next year but it depends on demand. My working days are currently Monday and Tuesday and I'm assuming they still will be when I return after mat leave, so this is relevant to us.

So basically A = worse facilities but maybe better staff / ratios. B = better facilities but maybe not as good staff / ratios, also may not be able to offer us all the hours / days we want.

Although I'm a teacher I don't really have a lot of knowledge of preschools and am a bit torn! I think both would be essentially fine but require a bit of compromise. What would others rather compromise on?

I would go for B

Which one is connected to the school she will be going to?

Neither is directly connected - both send children to a variety of schools in the area.

I would go for A due to the ratios.

Ds went to one based at our local church, it had excellent reviews & he loved it. He started two mornings a week just before he was 3 & increased to 4 mornings a week when he was 3.5.

I'd go for A, every time. You want people who are passionate about your child, their learning and you as a family. Extra "stuff" won't replace that, particularly if the "stuff" is linked to poor staff retention and/or less experienced staff, higher ratios etc. Ultimately you need to look beyond the "stuff" and decide which people and environment you want your child to be in and to care for your child when you/your family can't - if it genuinely is B then that's fine and you may have to just change your days in the long run to make it work, but from your post, it sounds like you prefer A and are wanting people to convince you that you're making a bad choice because B feels like the logical one.

We have a similar situation where we live. There is one nursery which has a lot of material "stuff" and prospective parents are always impressed with the facilities, particularly in relation to other more traditional nurseries in the area. However once you look beyond the surface there's a lot that they do not do well (poor staff ratios, high staff turn over, reliance on agency cover etc) and the majority of people I know who have started there have left or are still there but not overly happy, or viewed it (as we did) and came to the conclusion that "stuff" wasn't everything. Obviously though this (presumably) isn't your B, so it could well be a different story.

Definitely A - though I'm biased because I'm on the committee of a preschool like A. It's not great to look at, but the staff are amazing, they know their stuff, we have very low staff turnover (four years since the last member of staff left?), they really get to know the children, they provide support to the families. And the feedback we get from families shows that they really value all that.

Much more important that any money is spent on staff than on facilities, as long as the basics are there.

A ...all day long , it's all about the staff and they interactions and care

A. Every time. It's hard when it's your first as you feel like the facilities etc are important. Turns out they're almost worthless without the commitment of the staff. Their engagement and interaction is what really counts.

Option A. It's the people who make a place. My DD still talks about her lovely, nurturing preschool staff.

FYI the one she went to insists on a minimum of three days (well, it's mornings only) a week to help them settle; any less than that and they say they often have issues- it's just not frequent enough to get the kids used to it. (I have no idea if that's true but just thought it was interesting.)

Agree A. Staff over facilities every time.

If B won't have the hours you need its a non starter.

You sound more positive about A.

A, it's about the staff and passion not facilities

A for both the hours and the staff. Also, if you don’t like it it sounds like you could probably change to B but perhaps not the other way around.

A. Children don't care about the room. It's the people that matter.

A, as long as it has existed in its current form long term and has low staff turnover You should also consider their financial viability, though, as I suspect the hall they use nay have to significantly raise rent due to heating and electricity bills, and it’s important to know they can afford to keep current ratios.

For what it’s worth, I was a preschool teacher and would go for A without a doubt. I’ve seen some settings with amazing facilities but good, caring staff members with low turnover is far more desirable imo.

Thanks everyone! We've gone with A. As someone pointed out, if we don't like A (and/or B start doing Monday afternoons after all) it will probably be easier to change from A to B than vice versa. Can't believe my baby will be off to preschool!

A

My daughter went to a purpose built pre-school with rooms, endless resources and great outside facilities. The staff were useless and failed to take the children's individual abilities or interests into accout.

Then she didn't get a place at the attached school so she went to the pack-away pre-school in the church hall by the school she did get into. It was brilliant and they got to know her better in a few weeks than the old pre-school did in several months. The staff were so much more enthusiastic and knowledgeable.