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Original poster

Been to see Ds's nursery and i'm not impressed....Am i being picky ??

41 replies

nutcracker · 20/09/2004 11:51

Went to the college today to enrol and see the nursery.

Ds 21 mths has got a place there for one day a week.

The manager took me to the room he will be in and I have to say i just hated it.
Can't really put my finger on anything major but it just felt horrible.

There was about 10 kids between the ages of about 14 - 24mths, and about 5 staff (at least 2 of which were students training).
They said we could stay for a bit so we did.
They seemed to be having free play as there wasn't anything organised going on.
Then they sat down to have toast and milk, which seemed o.k, but kids were allowed to just wondewr off with no one watching them.

All of the staff seemed nice enough i suppose but most of them looked like they would rather be anywhere but there.

One little boy was standing sobbing in the middle of the room. Several memebers of staff walked past him several times until one went over and was just about to comfort him when the phone rang so she left him again.

I just didn't like the feel of the place.

I asked if they have a nap and they do but they don't make them. Well Ds wouldn't have a nap here if i didn't make him either. They sleep on mattresses on the floor, so Ds will just get up. Here he sleeps in his cot.

So am i being picky or not ????

I know i was already all over the place abourt going back to college anyway, but this is really worrying me now.

Given the choice (which i don't have), I wouldn't want him there.

OP posts:
MeanBean · 20/09/2004 11:56

Nutcracker, go with your gut instinct. Otherwise you'll just be worried the whole time you're at college. You want to be able to concentrate on what you're doing when your away from your DS, and you won't be able to if you're not 100% happy about where he is. Look for another nursery or childminder - it's a bit of a hassle, but will be better for you (and him) in the long run.

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 11:59

Thats the prob Meanbean I can't put him anywhere else.
I get my childcare paid and have to send him to the college one if there is a place.

If i send him elsewhere then i'll have to pay and i really really cannot afford that.

OP posts:
tamum · 20/09/2004 12:03

Nutty, it doesn't sound that great, but for one day a week I would be inclined to give it a go, especially since it's the only way you can do this course. If after a month he's desperate not to go then you might have to re-think, but I would give it a try.

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 12:07

TBH I don't think i'd be happy sending him at all

OP posts:
beansmum · 20/09/2004 12:08

oooh, how do you get your childcare paid? I'm going back to uni in 2 wks and ds has a full time place at the nursery which is costing me a fortune. really cant afford it but no other choice.

I would just put up with your nursery for one day a week and see how ds copes with it. if its too horrible you can rethink it then but give it a go first

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 12:11

Dps income is crap beansmum and we get wftc so they said i could get the childcare for ds paid for and the after school club for Dd's.

I have worked in nurseries before so do not always expect them to be brilliant, no kids crying e.t.c., but I wouldn't even want to work at this one, it was miserable.

OP posts:
littlemissbossy · 20/09/2004 12:12

Nutty, is there really no alternative but to use this nursery??

CP3 · 20/09/2004 12:13

When your kids are concerned then go with your gut instinct. If i wasnt completeley happy then i wouldnt send them.

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 12:15

Nope, not unless I pay which i would if i could even remotly afford it but i just can't.

At first they didn't have a place for him and said they wouold pay for a place elsewhere but if a space became avaiable at their nursery I would have to move him, which didn't impress me anyway, but then fitted him in there anyway.

OP posts:
littlemissbossy · 20/09/2004 12:17

sorry, who is responsible for paying? and can't you speak to them about your concerns and work out an alternative?

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 12:31

The college pay for it, and when I spoke to them before about my concerns about if i had to move him they were quite adamant that if they are paying he has to go to their nursery.

OP posts:
littlemissbossy · 20/09/2004 12:37

Oh bugger (excuse the language)!
Do you get working families tax credit? If so, could they not cover the childcare cost? Sorry, if I'm completely wrong about this, only experience I have of WFTC is through an ex-employee who used to get her ds's full-time private nursery place paid for through this scheme

lou33 · 20/09/2004 12:38

Can you ask for a copy of their nursery policy document thingy? What about contacting ofsted? I don't know how wftc works, but would they be worth calling and asking some advice from, wrt nursery placements? Call the head of the college?

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 12:44

WFTC will only pay if i am also working over 16 hrs a week.

OP posts:
littlemissbossy · 20/09/2004 12:46

sorry
Could you speak to the person in charge of organising childcare services at the college and raise your concerns with them?

edam · 20/09/2004 12:47

No idea what the rules are, but it just seems wrong if college are insisting you have to put your ds in a nursery with which you aren't happy. Now you've been to see it, could you go back to them and say you aren't happy with their nursery and give them a list of reasons - several members of staff ignoring a crying child would be top of mine, as well as staff generally not engaging with the kids, not encouraging naps, etc. etc.
I wonder why they've made a space for you there; were they trying to be helpful or is it just not a very popular nursery? Do they need your ds to make up their numbers?
I would at least try to explain to them that you can't leave your ds somewhere you aren't happy, but you genuinely don't have the money for alternative childcare. If they won't fund childcare somewhere that's right for your ds, then you have to point out that it makes it impossible for you to do the course.
OTOH, as tamum says, it's one day a week... don't know if you could speak to the manager about your concerns so you'd be OK at leaving him for just that short amount of time. It's bloody hard either way so you have my sympathy.

katzguk · 20/09/2004 12:51

could they have been having a bad dat at nursery?

My DD goes to the university nursery and it is so well run, they have lots of mature memebers of staff because they pay well and have more flexible contracts. I'm suprised its so badly run.

miranda2 · 20/09/2004 13:26

I should think for a day a week it will be fine. REally. I don't think it matters that much - I'm not with the 'if you're at all unhappy don't do it' brigade. Because if you do that, you won't go to college, and doing the course I'm sure will be the best thing for you and all the family in the long run. Its not like you'd be putting him in htere full time.
Don't eat me - but are you sure you're not making excuses not to do the course?!!
OH, and at my ds's new nursery where he moved last year, they did the sleeping on mats on the floor thing. Like you I was VERY sceptical, but actually he was fine - its a montessori thing apparantly, and they all jsut did it! If you want them to insist, just tell them to - they should at least try.
Hope it all goes well,
lvoe, m.

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 13:32

No i'm not making excuses not to go, but i was having doubts about the whole thing before i even saw the nursery and that just tipped the scales really.

I know it's only one day but he is my little boy who has never stayed with anyone but me and the thought of him being stood there crying and being ignored horrifies me.

OP posts:
fio2 · 20/09/2004 13:38

What time of day did you go?

I know at my sons nursery they have free play sessions, they do at most nurseries tbh.

Also every nursery my kids have ever gone to they have slept on the floor, either on a small matress or in a sleeping bag and my two actually went along with it even though if I had done that at home they would have protested very LOUDLY!

I am not sticking up for them but 5 staff to 10 kids is good

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 13:40

It was about 10am i think.

I'm just not used to this childcare malarky maybe i just feel guilty.

OP posts:
littlemissbossy · 20/09/2004 13:43

Nutty, I can appreciate what you mean, when my ds started pre-school he was 24 months and had been with me 24/7 since he was born. It's reallllly hard to leave them isn't it? but as fio said 5 adults for 10 children is very good - in fact you wouldn't get this at a private nursery. Give it a go, he'll probably settle down in no time. Every mother worries, particularly when he/she's the baby of the family

fio2 · 20/09/2004 13:46

10am is most probably the time alot of children are being dropped off and it was snack time by the sounds of things so not a 'structured' part of the day.

Nutty it is really hard to leave your kids if you havent done it before. i think we have all been there.

why dont you just give it a go for maybe a month and see how you feel after?

Original poster
nutcracker · 20/09/2004 13:50

Just feeling crappy i supose, as dd started school last week and was upset and i know ds will get upset, he didn't even want to go in today and i was with him.

Even without that though i still have to say i don't like it, the nursery i mean.

OP posts:
littlemissbossy · 20/09/2004 13:56

but at least give it a go, yes?

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