Choosing a nursery is no easy task and many parents and carers wonder how to choose the right nursery. How do I know it’s the right one for me and my child? Do the childcare hours work with my schedule? Can the nursery staff provide special care for my child?
With our July Open Day fast approaching (Saturday 6th July), we’ve put together some useful information and compiled the key questions and answers our Nursery practitioners get asked.
There’s only one sure way to decide if you like a nursery, and that is to see it in person. Visiting a nursery in person will allow you the opportunity to meet the staff, find out more about them and their experience, and ensure the setting is clean, safe and well-equipped.
When you go to the open day, consider bringing a friend or family member with you, as well as your child. This will allow you to get a second opinion on the nursery and your child will have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the setting.
Some common things to enquire about are:
When you visit a nursery, it’s the perfect opportunity to get answers to questions you couldn’t find online or need to further discuss, and really get a feel for the nursery.
Do the children have access to an outdoor space, and if they don’t have access, then how do the staff incorporate outdoor time into the children’s day? Is there a warm, welcoming, and positive atmosphere?
Here are some more of the most commonly asked questions we get from parents:
In all of our Kids Planet settings, we follow the ratio guidelines outlined by the EYFS to ensure your children are in the best possible care. The ratios, as outlined by Early Years Foundation Stage, are: 0-2 years – 1 adult: 3 children, 2-3 years – 1:4 and over 3 years 1:8 or 1:13 with an EYP or teacher.
All of our staff are fully qualified to Level 3 in Childcare or higher, and those who are not fully qualified are studying their Level 3 qualification.
DBS checks can also be referred to as CRB or police checks. We always run a background check on all of our employees and these checks are renewed every two years.
You may be wondering “What does my child do at nursery?” and it can change from day to day but we always follow a routine. On a full day, the morning will consist of breakfast and play, whether that be doing an activity or free play, followed by a snack and some outdoor play.
We serve lunch just before noon and by midday, the children will settle down for some quiet time or a nap. The afternoons are full of more fun and activities, including messy play and physical activity such as yoga or mindfulness activity.
For an hour-by-hour breakdown across the different age ranges, visit our Day in the Life page.
Whether your child needs additional learning and/or physical support or has specific dietary requirements, we adapt our care with guidance from our SENDCo specialists.
To promote positivity and inclusivity, and to ensure all children are treated equally, we make sure every child is able to participate in all the activities we do in the nursery.
If you’re interested in learning more about the additional support our nurseries provide, click here.
Meals are provided to the children at all of our settings and are freshly cooked on the day. We cater to all dietary requirements such as Halal, vegetarianism etc. Food is so important for children and their development, so we always choose the best quality nutritious foods and make comforting, healthy meals that kids love.
We even have our own Kids Planet Cookbook! Just ask your nursery for a copy. We’ve also spoken about how to get your children involved in the kitchen.
We’re here to support your child throughout their settling in process. Each child will settle in differently, and no matter how your child’s settling in process goes, we’re here to adapt our care to make it a smooth transition for you and your child.
Click here for our guide on preparing your child for nursery.
When children start at nursery, we follow their routines to ensure there is a smooth transition from home life to nursery. We work with families to ensure there is a continuity of care. For younger babies we have cots and as children get older, we have sleep mats. Every child has their own bedding within nursery that is laundered at least weekly and whenever they sleep this is put out for them.
All Kids Planet settings provide an all-inclusive offering, which means all nappies, baby formula and baby wipes are included in our fees. Just a change of clothes, and we’re good to go.
Additional questions may include:
As you can see, there is lots to see and questions to be asked! But it doesn’t need to be a difficult process – it can be an exciting and fun journey that you take with your child! Don’t be afraid to take a pen and paper to write down the answers – we know there’s a lot to take in at the time!
To find your closest Kids Planet nursery, you can use our Find a Nursery tool.
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