What to look for
When you visit a nursery there is a great deal of information to take in – especially if it is your very first experience of a nursery!
Standard checklists can be obtained from a variety of sources such as the Children’s Information Service however, in addition to the basics, you need to feel totally confident in the service the nursery provides.
A good nursery will encourage you to ask as many questions as you like and visit as many times as you need to both before and after joining. They will understand that you need time to make such an important decision and to build a relationship.
The backbone of a good nursery is its staff and you will see from our other web sections just how much emphasis we put on training our staff, keeping them abreast of new developments and maintaining high standards. With excellent staff, all policies and procedures can be implemented effectively so you can rest assured that all Health and Safety issues are in hand along with every other statutory requirement.
At Early Years Childcare however, we do far more than fulfil legal requirements. You will see a cheerful, clean nursery with the best of equipment and children interacting positively with staff and each other. ‘Learning Through Play’ is a fundamental part of our philosophy and the children are actively encouraged to experiment and explore from the outset.
Some things to look for and questions to ask when you visit:
 Are the premises bright, clean and cheerful and full of toys, books and fun equipment?
Do you and your child feel welcome?
Do the staff relate well to the children around them?
Do the other children appear lively and happy?
Do the staff listen to and answer your questions?
Are you offered written details of exactly what they will provide for your child?
Are the staff a variety of ages? - this might suggest a variety of experience
Ask to see the registration certificate and the latest inspection report
Does the nursery qualify for the Free Early Education sessions?
Ask for a detailed breakdown of the fee structure
Check the nursery is happy to accommodate your child's routine and fit in with your ideas on discipline, diet and toilet training, and cultural preferences
Is the nursery able to support any individual or special needs that your child may have?
Quality Assurance
As part of Early Years Childcare’s ongoing commitment to improving quality, all of our nurseries are working towards a quality assurance scheme. Each local scheme has been designed to enable providers to continually review, evaluate and improve their practice.
Staff are encouraged to think about and evaluate the play and care experiences they offer to young children and their practice is examined by external advisers in a supportive and developmental way.
Achieving accreditation through a quality assurance scheme indicates a high level of quality. The assessment procedure goes beyond the requirements for Children Act Inspections and is broader in scope than Ofsted Nursery inspections.
Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers
When parents and practitioners work closely together, this has a positive impact on children’s development and learning and we value any contribution you can make.
Before your child starts at the nursery ‘settling in’ visits will also be arranged, the number and length of which will depend on your child’s needs. Such visits enable you, your child and the staff to get to know each other while allowing your child to become familiar with the nursery’s surroundings. There is no charge for these visits.
We aim to keep you informed and involved in all aspects of nursery life. Welcome Packs are given to all new parents/carers and you will be shown the nursery’s Policies and Procedures file (which is always available). All of our nurseries operate an ‘open door’ policy for parents.
In addition to the main parent notice board(s), each room has its own parent notice board displaying information such as planners or staff cover arrangements. Alongside daily verbal feedback, you will be provided with an information sheet about your child’s day at nursery. This information includes care routines (food eaten, sleep patterns etc) as well as information about planned activities and other play and learning experiences.
There are opportunities for significant parental input into the nursery routine, for example if you have an appropriate skill to share we would welcome you in to work with our staff to provide valuable learning experiences for children. We welcome items from home for activities or displays and all children’s home experiences and family practices are valued. If your child is in a Family Room you will also receive theme leaflets, detailing the nursery’s current theme and how this can be supported (and evaluated) at home.
As you are your child’s primary carer, we value your input into their records of development and you are welcome to contribute to these at any time. This is an opportunity to share achievements your child has made at home.
We value your feedback as this ensures that your views, preferences and requests can be considered in the development of the services that we provide. Questionnaires are sent out on a regular basis and comment/suggestions cards are available in every nursery.
Parent Recommendations and Comments
‘I feel that the nursery offers excellent social and educational experiences for my daughter'
EYC parent, Runcorn
‘I have visited several nurseries and none were comparable. The facilities are fabulous and the staff are superb.’
EYC parent, Horsham
‘Excellent attention is paid to health and hygiene and the children are similarly encouraged eg: hand washing and teeth cleaning. Family values, physical and mental stimulation are all brilliantly balanced.’
EYC parent, Lewes (Kingfisher room).
‘When I leave my little boy at nursery I feel totally confident that he is safe, happy and having lots of fun with his new friends’.
EYC parent, Brighton (Panda room)
‘He comes home every day talking about what has happened and activities he has done. He is content.’
EYC parent, Crawley (Tiger room)
‘We are very happy with the standards of care at the nursery. Our daughter is thriving there. It is so reassuring to have excellent childcare.’
EYC parent, Greenwich
‘My son is always happy and smiling when I pick him up and for a parent that is so very reassuring’.
EYC parent, Hove
‘Sam has, from the start, shown our daughter, Phyllis, the warmest and kindest levels of care and is a brilliant communicator with us.’
EYC parent, Greenwich
‘The care my son receives is excellent he moved into this room two days ago and the preparation for the room was well-planned enabling him to get to know the staff, other children and routines. It has enabled a seamless move from the baby room in which the care was also excellent. He is fully integrated after two days and can’t wait to get on with his day. I am totally confident with leaving him.’
EYC parent, Sheffield (Baloos room)
‘I am very satisfied with the care my child receives. He always comes home happy after having a busy, interesting day’.
EYC parent, Worthing (Dolphin room)
This letter was received by our Horsham nursery and has been reproduced with the parents' kind permission.
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