For families
How to choose a nursery or daycare: 12 questions to ask on your visit
A visit tells you more than any brochure. Go during the day if you can, watch how the staff speak to the children, and take these questions with you. Good schools are glad you asked.
Safety and care
- Who can collect my child, and how do you check who they are?
- How do you record medication, and who gives it?
- What happens if my child is hurt or unwell, and how quickly will I hear?
- How many adults look after each group, and does that change at nap time?
The day itself
- What does a normal day look like, from drop-off to pick-up?
- How do meals and naps work, and can you follow what we do at home?
- How much time do the children spend playing outside?
- How do you help a new child settle in?
Staying in touch
- How will I know how my child’s day went?
- How do I tell you my child is away, late, or being collected by someone else?
- How do you share photos, and who can see them?
- Who do I talk to if something worries me?
What good answers sound like
Listen for specific, calm answers: a named person, a written record, a clear routine. “We check every collector against a list you give us” is better than “We know all the parents”.
Ask to see how they share the day with families. Some schools send a note home, some use WhatsApp, some use an app such as toddlepath, where you see arrivals, meals, naps, medication and moments as they happen. What matters is that you hear the same day, not just the dramatic parts.