Well, it’s that time. You have made the decision to put your precious bundle or your tireless two year old into a nursery. That was the easy part.
Choosing a good quality nursery is one of the most important decisions any parent can make during the first five years of your child’s life. So how do we know we are getting it right?
In the UK and Europe parents rely on checking out the OFSTED reports or its equivalent on the nurseries and start their search from there. Over the last few years some of the good nurseries in Dubai have embarked on Quality Assurance Schemes and have now been awarded a rating of their quality and services. Check out those that have embarked on UK schemes such as the NDNA or Pre-School Alliance.
I can just about remember what it was like many years ago when I decided to put my first child in a nursery. Being an early year’s educator, I thought I was well prepared and went off armed with my list of 20 questions.
The memory of that first day has stayed with me, my child wasn’t traumatised, I was! Saying goodbye for four whole hours, I walked out of those double doors and into a world of freedom. But I felt lost, alone and “Oh my, what would I do for four hours on my own?”
I returned to find my darling daughter engrossed in a huge mound of purple gooey stuff that she proceeded to rub through her hair and into her ears. But you know what? She was having a ball! She loved going to nursery and eventually I filled my morning with ‘me time’.
We choose to place our children into nurseries or day-care for many reasons however that choice has a direct impact on not only our child but on the family as a whole. Making the right choice is therefore vital to a healthy and happy home life.
Word of mouth is one of the best recommendations, nothing beats another mums glowing report of their nursery and we all love to check out forums that have a vast amount of information to share. Just remember to do your own homework though, as each of us has our own list of needs and requirements, as well as opinions.
So what are the key things a parent should look for when visiting a nursery?
Knowing what high quality looks like for very young children can be particularly difficult. While many parents feel confident about what a good quality room for a four year old might look like, knowing what to look for in a baby or toddler room can be more difficult. We know from research that children under three have needs which are different from those of older children. Children need a stable and secure environment and to develop good relationships with carers. This is particularly important for babies and toddlers to be able to foster strong bonds and trust.
When visiting a nursery, ask about staff turnover and about ‘the key person’ approach. Does the nursery implement the approach which identifies a ‘key person’ who is responsible for your child’s wellbeing?
Observe staff in the setting, are they responsive and sensitive to the children’s needs? Do they respond appropriately? How do they support each child individually?
Other important aspects of quality identified by research include good quality care routines, hygiene and nutrition. This is especially important for babies, who are dependent on adults to meet their basic needs, ask about routines for mealtimes, sleeping and nappy changing, and how dietary requirements are made known to all staff.
As well as being warm and supportive with the children, staff need to be knowledgeable and well qualified. Ideally, staff working with children under three should have specialist knowledge of this age group.
We know that young children learn best through play based approaches rather than formal teaching. Find out what method or approach the nursery uses. You can always research the many different approaches such as Montessori or Reggio Emilia. Don’t confuse these ‘approaches’ with curriculums, most nurseries will use a core curriculum such as the UK Birth to Three maters and EYFS and deliver it through an ‘approach’ to learning.
It is very easy to look at potential nurseries and love the all singing all dancing water park or ball pit and climbing centre that the manager is so keen to show you, however let’s look at what are some of the most important aspects of early years’ care and education.
- First impressions count - a clean and safe facility that adheres to the legal requirements is expected.
- Facilities that are maintained well and the entrances and exits secure. Is there a security system in operation?
- Was there someone to meet and greet you?
- High quality staff that are not only educationally qualified but have all the legal requirements to work in a nursery.
- The setting should support communication and language - children start communicating during their first year of life and adult, support is critical in promoting this. Do the staff speak to the children including babies? Do you see evidence of communication?
- Children need to be physically active in order to support their health and development. Are there facilities or areas that are available inside and out to facilitate running, jumping crawling, using balls, hoops etc?
- Does the nursery offer a gymnastic programme or other physical activities?
- Are there outside play areas? Do they offer scope for active play and learning? A giant swing set does not always promote stimulating or challenging opportunities for discovery. Look for areas that offer children the chance to build, dig, move objects from place to place, water walls that encourage an understanding of movement and scientific discovery.
Finally, good quality nurseries have strong relationships with parents and see them as key partners in supporting children’s development. What opportunities are there for parents to be involved? How will they update you about your child’s progress? How will your child’s cultural background be reflected and respected?
The most important thing is to feel confident in your choice. Visit the nursery more than once. This will enable you to see it at different times of the day, highlighting different activities and giving you an opportunity to see how the children are transitioned around the nursery such as going out to play, up and down stairs etc.
Here are 10 not so obvious questions to ask:
- What is the child to staff ratio and does it ever change? Check that when staff go for breaks or if there are staff absent that ratios are maintained.
- What experience and qualifications do the staff have?
- What is the staff turnover, stability is very important for young children.
- What is the discipline procedure? How does the nursery manage children’s behaviour? Every school deals with this differently, is the way the nursery disciplines children conducive to your own.
- Are there opportunities for parental involvement?
- What security measures are in place? How do you ensure the safety of the children in your care.
- How does the nursery communicate with parents and keep them informed of their child’s progress?
- What sickness and infection control measures are in place?
- Are staff trained in emergency preparedness procedures?
- How do you support children’s learning and development?
Here are some questions you can ask yourself as you tour the facility.
- Are the teachers getting down to the children’s level to talk with them?
- Are teachers yelling across the room or playground?
- Are the rooms organised and show children’s recent artwork?
- Are there adequate areas to play inside and outside?
- Are there different activity areas?
- How do you and your child feel when you walk through the gate?
- Do the children seem happy and busily engaged?
- Pay attention to your child’s instincts as a clue to whether the school provides an environment that will support their growth and development.
There are many more questions that can and should be asked during this important step in your child’s early learning journey. Narrow down your choices to three and then visit those nurseries again to make your final choice.
Good Luck!
With thanks to Jan Webber, Founder & Director of Willow Children’s Nursery, The Kids First Group.