Choosing childcare is one of the biggest decisions a family makes — and every nursery open day starts to blur together after the third one. Here is the checklist our own educators give friends who ask where to look.
Watch the hellos, not the walls
Fresh paint fades; warmth doesn't. Notice whether staff greet children by name, crouch to eye level, and seem genuinely pleased to see them. Ask how long educators typically stay — low turnover tells you more than any brochure.
Five questions worth asking
- What is your key-educator system? — your child needs one special person, not a rota of strangers.
- How do you settle new starters? — look for gradual visits, not a rip-off-the-plaster first Monday.
- What does a normal day look like? — you want a rhythm of play with short guided moments, not worksheets.
- How will I know how the day went? — photos, diaries, and honest chats beat a one-line report.
- What happens when my child is upset? — the answer should be about comfort first, always.
Trust the drop-off test
Visit during a normal morning, not a staged open evening. Are children busy and relaxed? Is it noisy in a happy way? And most telling of all — when you leave, do you wish you could stay and play too?
We run visit mornings every Tuesday and Thursday, and our door is open to exactly these questions.